By Jaclyn Hurley
Your airplane ticket has been bought and you're gearing up to go backpacking for the first time. Now you just need to decide which clothes to pack. You need something comfortable for travel days, lounging in a hammock or for those treks through the jungle. However, you also need something that you can confidently wear in a club or a restaurant. You probably think that jeans are the perfect choice but seasoned backpackers have learned long ago already that they shouldn't leave home without mens cotton drawstring pants.
When you think of drawstring pants, you probably think of two varieties. One is the wide and loose type made of a white muslin type of fabric so thin that you can see right through them. The other is the type with stripes in different bright colors, favored by NGO workers and people with dreadlocks. However, there are many different styles and colors to choose from. You can even buy a more tailored type with many pockets, similar to cargo pants.
One of the main reasons why backpackers choose lighter trousers rather than jeans is that they're less bulky. They take up very little space in any backpack, unlike jeans. They also weigh much less, which is good news since you don't want to drag around a backpack that weights about as much as a baby elephant.
Jeans also take forever to dry. You may get caught in the rain or you may decide that your clothes are filthy and need a wash, which means that you'll have wet clothes every once in a while. You want these to dry within a few hours so that you won't have to carry around damp clothing when you hit the road again. Light cotton garments dry in no time.
Lighter garments are much cooler too. This is especially important if you're going to backpack through hot and humid regions like Southeast Asia or Central America. You'll be much less prone to chafing in some very uncomfortable parts of your body if you wear wide and loose pants. At the same time, long trousers will protect your legs from the sun and from nasty bugs.
The main reason why jeans may sound like a good item to pack is that they're so versatile. However, you can get the same versatility with drawstring trousers if you choose them wisely. Wide and loose ones double up as pajamas and you can easily dress them up with a nice shirt or T-shirt. The stronger, more tailored variety is a good choice for a night on the town or even for visiting churches or temples too. Choose solid, darker colors or earth tones because dirt won't show up as easily on these and they're easier to dress up or dress down as needed.
The drawstrings make it possible to wear your trousers no matter what your size is. Most people lose quite a lot of weight when they go backpacking. Jeans will soon be too big and you'll have to keep pulling them up but if your pants have drawstrings, you can just pull these more tightly for a better fit.
Pants with drawstrings are not that difficult to find. Regular clothing stores may not always stock them but you should be able to find them at outdoor clothing specialists or online. In warm countries, you'll also find especially the wide and loose type for sale in tourist centers.
When you think of drawstring pants, you probably think of two varieties. One is the wide and loose type made of a white muslin type of fabric so thin that you can see right through them. The other is the type with stripes in different bright colors, favored by NGO workers and people with dreadlocks. However, there are many different styles and colors to choose from. You can even buy a more tailored type with many pockets, similar to cargo pants.
One of the main reasons why backpackers choose lighter trousers rather than jeans is that they're less bulky. They take up very little space in any backpack, unlike jeans. They also weigh much less, which is good news since you don't want to drag around a backpack that weights about as much as a baby elephant.
Jeans also take forever to dry. You may get caught in the rain or you may decide that your clothes are filthy and need a wash, which means that you'll have wet clothes every once in a while. You want these to dry within a few hours so that you won't have to carry around damp clothing when you hit the road again. Light cotton garments dry in no time.
Lighter garments are much cooler too. This is especially important if you're going to backpack through hot and humid regions like Southeast Asia or Central America. You'll be much less prone to chafing in some very uncomfortable parts of your body if you wear wide and loose pants. At the same time, long trousers will protect your legs from the sun and from nasty bugs.
The main reason why jeans may sound like a good item to pack is that they're so versatile. However, you can get the same versatility with drawstring trousers if you choose them wisely. Wide and loose ones double up as pajamas and you can easily dress them up with a nice shirt or T-shirt. The stronger, more tailored variety is a good choice for a night on the town or even for visiting churches or temples too. Choose solid, darker colors or earth tones because dirt won't show up as easily on these and they're easier to dress up or dress down as needed.
The drawstrings make it possible to wear your trousers no matter what your size is. Most people lose quite a lot of weight when they go backpacking. Jeans will soon be too big and you'll have to keep pulling them up but if your pants have drawstrings, you can just pull these more tightly for a better fit.
Pants with drawstrings are not that difficult to find. Regular clothing stores may not always stock them but you should be able to find them at outdoor clothing specialists or online. In warm countries, you'll also find especially the wide and loose type for sale in tourist centers.
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