>>552754Why is that strange?
It's pretty common work attire here to wear boots with shorts. Just recently we had some drain layers install a sump in our back yard when it was pouring down with rain. Both were wearing jackets and boots, one of them was wearing rain pants, the other was wearing stubbies (rugby shorts, they're quite short and his jacket almost entirely covered them).
I exclusively wear shorts when tramping (hiking to you guys) because they're so damn comfy. If it rains, then I would rather get wet legs that dry out easily than get wet pants I have to put on the next morning soaking wet. If it's sunny, then I won't get so hot. If it's cold, then you'll see the wonderful New Zealand outdoors fashion that is thermal polyprops with shorts and boots.
I think the main exception to the shorts rule here would be hunters. My dad has hunted for years, and he always wears pants. They protect your legs when you're stalking (we don't sit in fucking blinds all day waiting for deer, we go out and find the damn things) and keep you warm, which is a big deal if you're hunting red deer or tahr in places like Siberia Valley.
