If you want the best way to explore the outside world, meet new people, and challenge your body, then hiking is your best option. It’s an excellent workout for both your mind and body and will benefit you in the long term. And the best part about it is that it’s suitable for everybody, whether you’re skinny, overweight, young, or old. And if you’re looking for the best hiking experience, then the pants that you choose to wear will play a big role in that. And for skinny guys especially, finding hiking pants that fit right can be quite difficult.
So if you’re struggling with finding the right pair for your body shape, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve gathered the testimonials of fellow skinny hikers to come up with a list of the best hiking pants that worked great for them.
In this article, we’ll talk about if skinny guys should go hiking, its benefits, and the best hiking pants for them.
Should Skinny Guys Go Hiking?
This is a pretty common question among fellow beginner hikers that aren’t sure if this activity is suitable for their skinny body shape. To answer this question, we first need to understand how hiking affects skinny guys.
How does Hiking Affect Skinny Guys?
According to research done by the journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, walking exercises such as hiking lead to significant declines in body weight, body fat percentage, and fat mass. And since the majority of skinny guys barely have any fat, this energy-burning activity will most likely use what muscles they have left (in their upper body since hiking promotes lower body muscle growth) as a source to compensate for the energy consumed especially if it’s done during longer periods of time.
How Can Skinny Guys Avoid The Effects of Hiking?
Now that we have an idea of how hiking affects skinny guys, we need to understand how they can avoid its effects. If you’re going on a short 1-hour hiking session, then all you need to do is compensate for the energy consumed by eating a lot more calories during your day than the ones consumed in order to have a calorie surplus. This way you don’t have to worry about losing weight.
However, if you’re going for longer hiking sessions, the best way to minimize its effects as much as possible is by bringing high-calorie food to your journey. Keep in mind that whenever you feel hungry, that’s your body signaling that it’s running low on energy so keeping some kind of food with you is a great way to constantly fuel your body during this intense activity.
Another thing you can do during these long hiking sessions is to regularly train your upper body since it’s the part that your body will most likely use when it runs out of energy. Every morning, try to do push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. I also recommend bringing a resistance band with you on your journey for maximum efficiency. Keep in mind eating well and enough, in this case, is also really important and should be your top priority.
The last thing that I recommend doing if you’re planning a long hiking journey in the near future is by gaining as much weight as you possibly can beforehand. This way, you’ll have a sort of leverage that your body can use as a source of energy when needed. Eat a lot of food and don’t worry about gaining too much weight because you’ll most likely lose it all during your hiking journey.
Best Hiking Pants For Skinny Guys
The list below is based on quality, comfort, suitability for skinny legs, and testimonials of many skinny hikers that find these a perfect fit for them:
Outdoor Research Ferossi Pants
These are Outdoor Research’s best-selling hiking pants so you know they’re going to be good. They’re super stretchy so they fit great around skinny legs and they’re extremely comfortable to the point that you can wear them casually and not only for hiking. They’re the slimmest hiking pants on the market and I highly recommend them for skinny guys.
Nike Tights & Shorts
As a skinny hiker, you should also consider wearing tights and shorts. They pretty much do the same job as hiking pants by providing comfort and protection. And the best part about them is that they fit perfectly around skinny legs and are super versatile. They’re also lightweight which will make you feel dry, cool, and supported. And with their stretchy design, they help you move at full intensity even during intense hiking sessions. Pair them up with some Nike shorts, and you got yourself the perfect alternative of pants for skinny guys.
Coalatree Trailhead pants
This pair of hiking pants is also a great option for skinny guys. Not only is their material breathable and flexible but they also offer a nice stylish look. They resist wind, water, and snow, and they dry super fast even if you’re caught in a rainstorm. And since they’re a little bit thicker than other hiking pants, I recommend them for cooler weather. They deliver a nice stretch and deep pockets and are great to wear in every occasion.
Montane Terra Pack Pants
Another great option for skinny guys. They’re super packable, fast-drying, and ultra-lightweight which means they’re suitable for walking, hiking, or even as mountain wear. They’re made from a stretchy material that hugs even the skinniest of legs. And they’re mostly suitable for hotter days based on their fabric. They pretty much have all the features necessary for your intense hiking journeys as a skinny guy.
Conclusion:
As you can see, even skinny guys have a lot of great options to choose from which can make their hiking journey a lot easier and a lot more comfortable. Remember to always eat well, before and even during your hiking session to avoid weight loss as much as possible.
And as a bonus tip, if somehow these pants still don’t fit you right, I highly recommend buying your favorite hiking pants in terms of quality and fabric and getting them tapered by a tailor to suit you perfectly.
