Make Mens Cotton Drawstring Pants Part Of Your Backpacking Gear
You've saved up, bought your ticket and have studied the guide book for ideas on where to go. Now you just need to decide what to pack in your brand-new backpack. If this is your first backpacking trip, you'll probably be tempted to pack a pair or two of jeans. This is not a good idea, though. You'll be much better off investing in some 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.
The main advantage of choosing cotton trousers is that they're light and compact. You want your backpack to weigh as little as possible, since you'll be lugging it around on buses, boats, trains and from one hostel to another. Jeans are heavy and bulky, leaving you with less space for other items.
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.
Most backpackers prefer traveling through countries in or near the tropics, where they won't have to take lots of bulky, warm clothes. Jeans are very hot and uncomfortable in these parts. They can cause chafing that is at best uncomfortable but is usually quite painful. With cool, loose trousers you won't have this problem.
You may think that nothing is as versatile as a pair of jeans, but this is not true. With drawstring trousers in a solid earthy or dark color, the possibilities are endless. The wide type makes comfortable sleepwear but can also look quite smart if you wear them with a nice shirt or even a fitted T-shirt. The type that is quite tailored already can be worn anywhere, whether it's for adventure sports or a night on the town.
You may find that an unexpected advantage of the drawstrings is that they're adjustable. Most backpackers lose some weight during their trip. This is usually because of a combination of more exercise, different foods and the odd bout of traveler's diarrhea. While you'll soon find that your jeans need a belt to keep them from falling down, drawstrings can simply be pulled tighter.
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.
The main advantage of choosing cotton trousers is that they're light and compact. You want your backpack to weigh as little as possible, since you'll be lugging it around on buses, boats, trains and from one hostel to another. Jeans are heavy and bulky, leaving you with less space for other items.
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.
Most backpackers prefer traveling through countries in or near the tropics, where they won't have to take lots of bulky, warm clothes. Jeans are very hot and uncomfortable in these parts. They can cause chafing that is at best uncomfortable but is usually quite painful. With cool, loose trousers you won't have this problem.
You may think that nothing is as versatile as a pair of jeans, but this is not true. With drawstring trousers in a solid earthy or dark color, the possibilities are endless. The wide type makes comfortable sleepwear but can also look quite smart if you wear them with a nice shirt or even a fitted T-shirt. The type that is quite tailored already can be worn anywhere, whether it's for adventure sports or a night on the town.
You may find that an unexpected advantage of the drawstrings is that they're adjustable. Most backpackers lose some weight during their trip. This is usually because of a combination of more exercise, different foods and the odd bout of traveler's diarrhea. While you'll soon find that your jeans need a belt to keep them from falling down, drawstrings can simply be pulled tighter.
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.
