Companion forum thread to:

Montbell Thermawrap Pant Review

It seems a little unfair to compare to a virtually out of stock and presumably out of production product (the UL 60 Pant is only available in XS & XXL as I write this).

Especially considering the cost savings of the Montbell as compared to the UL 60's.

I'm a fan of the Integral Designs PLQ Pants! They come in at 9.3oz in a Medium and are only $140. Simple,great insulator,fair price, and can actually find them instock. The Montbell Thermawrap seem to be feature rich at the cost of 3 oz more than the BMW Cocoon and PLQ Pants. If were to be using them in Winter pursuits then maybe, but if I'm just trying to add a couple degrees to my sleep system then I'd prefer the BMW Cocoon or the PLQ Pants.

I bought a pair of these pants at the beginning of this year, and would recommend them to anyone who needs a winter insulating layer. I was on a photo trip to Hokkaido, Japan and these kept me warm while standing and sitting in snow for hours in -15c weather.

They pack down nicely, hold up to a little rough handling with no problems, and allowed me to withstand cold beyond most of the other photographers on the trip. I have not done any exertion/hiking in these but the small amount of weight makes it an easy decision to bring them in case extra warmth is needed.

Andrew

I have a pair of the Montbell Thermawrap Pants & I loves them!!!
To me, the extra features, especially the full length side zips, are well worth the extra weight/bulk.
I have a much wider comfort range with the full length side zips.

In milder temps, I can leave the next to skin layers home & wear the Thermawrap pants in the eve & morn with out needing to take the hiking pants off to make the change.

I used these pants on a winter trip in January '08 to Big South Fork NRRA, Tennessee. I slept under a cliff, with no tarp or tent. It got down to the single digits Saturday night/Sunday morning. While in camp, I wore them over Icebreaker 200 wt. bottoms and a pair of lightweight nylon Campmor hiking pants. They worked out great, I wasn't cold at all. The wind was gusting and changing directions, so I didn't get close to the fire, with all the sparks flying about. I sat around for about 2 1/2 hrs. before I hit the sack. It was great not having to take off my boots to put on these pants. I removed them before I crawled into my WM VersaLite bag for the night, but took 'em inside to keep them warm for morning.
I had also worn my Thermawrap Parka on this trip.

The full side zips are great, esp. when your boots are a mess and/or when it is very cold and windy. The pockets are very handy and the front zip a great convenience. I have size large. I normally wear a 35" waist and 30" inseam.

Dan

I bought a pair of these on-line last week. They're a nice pair of pants, but it's worth noting that, at least on the 2009 model, they don't have a full length side zip. To me, a full length side zip, is separating at the waist, which is what I expected. This allows you to don or doff the pants without removing snowshoes, skis or crampons.

These have a 7/8 zip, which comes up to just below the bottom of the zip up pocket. You can definitely get them on and off over boots, even a pair of Makalu midweight mountaineering boots, but there is no way I would try it with crampons on.

Edited by Rod_Lawlor on 07/13/2009 19:42:44 MDT.