Wet weather pants

Why do some military rain pants have zippers running almost the whole length of the leg?

It isn't just another pocket or decoration.

If you're miles from camp and the rain starts coming down, the last thing you want to do is sit in the mud, pull off your boots, put on rain pants, then lace everything back up.

Long side zippers let you pull wet-weather pants on **over your boots**.

A few things worth looking for in rain pants:

• Room to fit over the clothes you're already wearing
• Side openings large enough to clear your boots
• Sealed seams instead of just water-resistant fabric
• Reinforcement in the knees and seat if you'll be around brush, rocks or camp
• Enough ventilation that staying dry from the rain doesn't mean getting soaked from sweat

There's a reason military wet-weather clothing is often a little heavier than ultralight hiking gear. It was designed with some very different priorities.

Sometimes a few extra ounces are worth carrying when the weather turns ugly.

That's one of the things we enjoy about old military gear — learning **why it was designed the way it was**, and then finding practical ways to keep using it today.

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