Does anyone run in these? Or are they strictly for hikers? Tried on a pair at the store today, they fit really well, and I really liked the fabric. I typically run with a pair of compression shorts on underneath anyhow, seems like they might be a nice compromise for cold/warm transitions. At the very least, maybe for my R2R2R hike next spring.
Take Charge. Train Harder. Suck Less. No Excuses.
I've run in them before. I love them for the extra pockets. At the same time the ones that I used didn't have a good tightening mechanism for around the waist. I got tired of pulling them up all the time.
I don't typically run in my hiking clothes - the seams are in all the wrong places for running. But it sounds like a compression short would fix that.
But hey, man - if they are working for you, then run in them!
I haven't used convertible pants, but my shorts are very similar with cargo pockets to carry goodies. Mine are supplex, which I really like - comfortable, dry fast after it stops raining, and doesn't absorb as much rain as other materials.
I can't deal with the cargo pockets. For me, they bulge out too much and tend to swing back and forth, causing chaffing issues. But I found a pair of shorts at Bass Pro Shops that I think might work well. They remind me of a fly fishing vest with a great deal of compact storage space. I think with a pair of compression shorts underneath they may be a good option for some longer outings.
LB2
sugnim
If it's a warm/cold kind of day, I typically wear compression shorts under pants. When I get too hot, I take the pants off, tie them to a tree, and get them on my way back. This only works on out-and-back runs, but it works great.
By "cargo", I meant having a lot of pockets. These were compact, not the bellow pockets you see on some pants. I couldn't find an example (bought them 8 yr ago) but then went to Bass Pro Shops and found these which are very similar to what I've got. 3 flat pockets on each side - hand pocket on seam, then a large patch pocket and a smaller one on top of that. No zippers to mess with, but some velcro. I do wear compression shorts as base layer year round. Mine have been in rain for 7+ hours and no problems.
I'm actually kind of liking the idea of having some cargo pockets to store extra stuff in, since I'll have to self support myself for 50 miles in the GC. Hmm. I could stuff a sandwich or three in the pockets and be a happy man.