Discussion: Hitchhiker seeds - prevention?

Was wondering whether anyne has a method to do some prevention of collecting any hitchhiker seeds, like the Virginia Stickseed. I am thinking of being able to treat clothing (pants, shirts or shoes) with something ahead of time, before going out in the forest, so they don't stick so easily.

Some materials definitely pick up more seeds than others do. I used to have a pair of shiny nylon wind pants that were reasonably resistant. There exist Teflon pants. Don't know if it would work.

@jjcote - I usually wear very thin rain pants, and nothing sticks to them. But even those are too hot in the summer, so I was hoping for something like a spray - I guess Teflon is not a bad thought, there are Teflon sprays out there.....

Good question. When mapping I used to come home covered in those hitchhikers. In Florida I think the plant is called Caesar Weed but they are usually called hitchhikers.
Cheap nylon rain pant (Goodwill <$10) work well.
By the way the risk of spreading these seeds to new colonies is one of the main reasons why park officials do not like orienteers going off trail. So at one state forest event I had a contest to see which team could bring back the most seeds - keep them on their clothes and dispose in a bucket, instead of shedding them in the woods. At the end of the day that was a whole mess of seeds not left in the forest.

If you want to try that, read the label carefully. Some sprays are an oil mixed with teflon, but there does exist 100% dry teflon spray. Whether it will adhere to fabric is another question.

Did you try Merino wool leggins?

Why Merino wool and what makes it so special

@yurets - you actually put me on an interesting trail - I am researching up and down if synthetic fibers could also be lanolized, or at least blends of synthetic and wool, cotton or linen.

Treklite ThronKnickes do not pick up many hitchhikers and ate more durable than wind pants.

GoOrienteering, Any chance you have pictures of the TgronKnickers?

They shed the hitchikers very well (some will stick to the mesh in the inseam area), and are quite tough compared to most other O gear. The only flaws: the weak holding power of the draw string clamp (the string is slippery), and they are extremely utilitarian / not o-sexy.

ThornKnickers Front


ThornKnickers Back


ThornKnickers Worn