Freehiking

I have seen the garments sold as hiking skirts. They look practical for long multiday hikes - knee length, tough material, pockets, modesty strap... I don't do those kind of hikes, maybe an overnighter in the mountains with family a few years between; my typical hike is two to six hour day hike carrying water and snacks, that's it. I'm going bare minimum. The thinnest lightest ladies skirt would be my choice and I'd call it my hiking skirt. I don't want it too see through to shock anyone but I would pick translucent enough so that if anyone wanted to get close and look they could tell what's in there. The Velcro part would be nice but I could manage with a step into and elastic waistband. I'd want it just loose enough at the bottom to fall between my legs when sitting while snug enough near the waist so it's obvious I'm a man. Ideally I'd be able to pee hands-free like I do in my shorts.

What is your gear pack like?

 

^^^^

I’m a pretty serious outdoorsman. 10 essentials, enough food/hydration to last me for an overnight stay and a 75 liter Gregory Pack even on a normal day-hike. Don’t really remember how the nude hiking thing started other than to say that I was getting into nudism and serious hiking around the same time and decided to marry up my two passions at some point.

A lightweight hiking skirt adds minimal weight and the thought of wearing one is kind of fun. But more importantly, it’s a great way to cover up quickly. The problem with shorts is that it takes a bit to get them on over clunky boots in situations where speed matters. So I usually do the shirt thing, not necessarily because I think it’s going to be long enough to cover my junk but because there’s enough fabric to manually cover it all quickly and therefore stay legal.

 

Gotcha, wow, you are taking the excursions seriously! See, I live on acreage, I'm outdoors the better part of most days, so I don't really need to get my hiking fix in except occasionally for a change in scenery. I do a daily mountain bike ride on my trails for my cardio. I also go dirt bike riding now and then, and that can be some brutal exercise. I guess all that's a bit different from an urban/suburban outdoorsman.

 

It’s all good. We all get in our outdoors time in our own ways. One of my close friends is big into mountain biking. I would put myself more in the rural/suburban category. Definitely not urban, don’t let the “New York” thing lead you astray. LOL. I’m a true upstater. A couple of my finer outdoors moments are captured in my “media“ submissions on my profile page.

Sometimes I wish I lived in someplace like Arizona, where I could hike nude in the mountains year round. But my life is here and I really have no major complaints. Nice talking to you.

 

Checked it out, that's some epic hardcore climbing!
The following year we hiked up to goat lake (some 30-40 miles SSE of point success) and looped back out in an overnighter. That's about as hardcore as I've done.

I'm not "big" into mountain biking. I just do a daily ride on the homestead for exercise. I'm much bigger into dirt bike riding but that's a much bigger time commitment than I can manage for daily exercise. Check out "dirt bike channel" on YouTube for the kind of bikes I'm taking about.

Upstate NY is nice. I know the winters can be tough but otherwise it's an easy choice over relatively barren AZ IMO. I've been to Croton a number of times, white plains a couple times, and had Thanksgiving in Cobleskill several years in a row. Of course Niagara a few times, who hasn't. I'd like to go ride around the finger lakes someday. But I also want to ride around Mexico. So much to do and so little time... Cheers!

 

I'd have thought that whatever kind of junk you have--a rusted-out washing machine, or a traditional Chinese sailing craft--fitting it in any kind of pack would be a tough challenge. I doubt if a shirt would be enough to cover it! It doesn't sound like lightweight hiking, anyway. No junk here, but I hike with a thin skirt that I can wrap quickly if I ever need to cover my crotch. Or if I'm expecting to meet people, I just walk in it and feel as if I haven't compromised too much.

 

Hehe I don't know when the term "junk" came to mean genitals. Probably about the time that shorts got lengthened to the knees. I don't know which is lamer - the lame ideas or the sheep who go along with it.

 

LOL. Too funny guys.

 

Idaho! Checked out both the Dirt Bike channel and Goat Lake. Very cool on both counts. Have visited Idaho three times I think. Just passing through twice and hiked/climbed Borah Peak in 2008. Was internet friends for awhile with another Idahoan with some New York connections.

Sounds like you know Upstate NY pretty well. Have spent my entire life north of Albany ... as far north as Plattsburgh and the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid area but mostly where I am now. Went to college in the Finger Lakes region. Can’t complain a bit. It’s been a good place to spend a life.

 

Back to hiking skirts though ... looked up a few and will continue to research, but this one kind of looks like it’ll do the job.

Adventure Skirt by Purple Rain Adventure Skirts

 

Yeah I've checked out the purple rain skirts. They look quality and utilitarian. I'd get one myself if I were going to through, or section, hike the AT, Continental divide, pnw or similar. I just don't foresee that, what with all the other things I would like to do. They look kinda large and heavy for good weather. My cutoffs are super comfy for day hikes and are very much like wearing a mini skirt. And if there's a foreseen chance of getting wet I go in modified mesh shorts (I used those hiking goat lake loop). They all allow me full range of motion and hands-free easy access for urinating (and the occasional trailside play).

 

For 72 bucks, you've got to like it a lot! But then, it's hand sewn with love in Oregon, so it's not your typical Asian sweatshop product. It's apparently a stretchy material but doesn't have any kind of closure, so you do have to pull it on over your feet. It depends what you want a skirt for--to wear all the time, or to get covered in quickly when you're naked, but this thread is titled "Freehiking", so it's the quick cover-up that's most relevant. Also, the Purple Rain skirt is 20 inches long in the Medium size, which seems like more coverage than I'd want.

 

^^^

Well, of course, you’re right. But stepping into one of the Purple Rain skirts would be quicker I think than trying to step into a pair of shorts. But admittedly not as fast as a wrap-around, which would also be less prone to getting muddy during the transition. Honestly, I’m a little distracted by the whole idea of hiking in a skirt so may not be thinking this out properly. LOL.

I looked at these wrap-around skirts as well but they are generally a little more feminine ...

Maui Moonlight | Length 2

I guess I’m kind of looking for that balance between looks/fashion, versatility and performance. Honestly, I’d have no issue whatsoever starting out at any trailhead anywhere with a pair of those Purple Rains and then slipping out of them and going full nude (except for boots) when I felt reasonably comfortable in doing so.

 

Well, honestly it's just as quick to step into my shorts as it is one of my skirts. With boots on. Although I hike in Chacos avoiding hiking in freezing temps. Either item you have to step in one foot at a time.

Jeans are $4 at Goodwill. Making the shorts takes some time and a sewing machine but it's not hard. There's a bit of a learning curve but enjoyable. It's a minimal investment for maximal return. The "fashion" is a matter of taste. I fashion them to the length we used when I was a young man. I'm more interested in comfort, hygiene, and vitamin D creation than in avoiding sneers or chuckles, which don't bother me and aren't that frequent. The smiles of approval more than make up for it. Besides, I have no reason to be concerned about what any random person thinks about fashion.

It may be great for me but not for everyone. One advantage of the shorts over skirts is they can expose a lot more leg to the sun while still able to cover the frontal exposure when sitting. Another is pockets, the jeans pockets hold a lot of stuff securely. I typically pocket a water bottle, phone, smoking materials, vehicle keys, and a paper towel. I can hike without a shirt or a pack blocking the sun. I would probably think twice before scrambling with strangers close behind. That would be more than just a peek. There would be some people who would lodge a complaint, I would predict unfortunately. But I've yet to be in that position. I don't know of a time people looked up my shorts but I don't mind.

 

Here I'm modeling my hiking kilt.On the left it's at its full length, 17 inches, and on the right I've rolled it at the waist and it's more like 14 inches. Depending on conditions, I'd wear it full length or roll it--or if there were a lot of people around, I'd wear shorts if I had them.

 

Not bad at all, Amontillado, but full nude still presents a better aesthetic, IMO, for a fit body. This is a very frustrating thing for me. I mean I fully understand how we came to be at the place where we are as a society, but it is soooooo very maddening that folks like us have to jump through hoops and have emergency plans in place simply for doing something as innocent and natural as walking naked in the woods/mountains.

 

Not sure I see the point in that really.....if its just for emergency cover, wouldnt a thin, loose pair or running shorts suffice, thats what I use, but only if really necessary.

 

Switching gears a tiny bit, while I have not yet purchased a hiking skirt as it’ll be 7 months before I get to think about hiking nude again, I did order up 3 pairs of these suckers that should be great during the intervening months.

I bring it up in the Freehiking thread because they are made by SummitSKINgear and also because they are buy two get one FREE.

No link, just a photo because I don’t want to be accused of spamming. LOL.

 

They have an interesting visual similarity to protective riding gear.

 

The image on the right is clearly more appealing to me - and I'm not sexually attracted to my fellow man - it just looks better.
It offers improved airflow and for me it would feel better too.
Yes it would need to be unrolled for seating when one feels hiding the goodies is required.