Can anyone comment on Rail Rider Eco Mesh Pants.

http://www.railriders.com/men-eco-mesh-pant-with-insect-shield-p-837.html

I've been looking for pants that I can wear in hot and humid conditions in Texas. (80 - 100 F) (26-38 C) with 80% to 95% relative humidity. Can't be shorts or zip-off legs due to the bugs, brush, sun and the fact that I just don't like shorts. I hear that the Thorofare pants are too sheer and don't breath all that well so they don't sound like they will work.

Anyway, anyone with experience with the RailRiders or with other suggestions, I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks,
-Mark

Mark,

I really like my Mt Hardwear Canyon pants. The only thing I cannot speak to is humidity.

Regarding the Eco Mesh pants, they have side zippers to reveal the mesh material (similar to their shirts). I passed on them because the brush will eat them up. I do have the RailRiders Adventure shirt and it is awesome in hot weather.

Mark,

I'm with Nick on the RR Adventure Top- a great piece for warm and hot weather. I also have the RR Weatherpants which use the same "2ply 3oz Quick Drying Duralite Nylon" as the Eco Mesh Pants (only without the insect shield and the reinforced sections). The Weatherpants have "reinforced seat and knees of railtex nylon" which seem to provide an extra level of durability during rocky scrambling- overall these pants do what they are designed to do very well in my experience. I wish they had some stretch to them, and that they handled snow better, but then they would be different pants!

I also agree with Nick that the mesh on the Eco Mesh Pants could be vulnerable to brush, but suppose that with some care one could zip and unzip the vents depending on trail conditions. In very hot weather, I have been hiking with convertible pants with the bottom attached but almost entirely unzipped- not a perfect solution, doesn't handle bugs, but when it is hot it sure is a relief. Makes the Eco Mesh Pants look interesting.

James

Mark,

I've gone through three pairs or ecomesh pants over a course of three thousand miles. I have done a fair bit of off-trail travel through New Mexico scrub. The mesh has yet to fail in any substantial way.
I really like these pants for protection from the sun, scratchy scrub and bugs. These pants aren't perfect though. Mosquitoes were able to bite through the pair of ecomesh pants I purchased in the summer of 2008. There are no ankle zips so you also need to take your shoes off to put these pants on.

I wear them all the time in the summer season out here in AZ. I think they are great. Granted they are looking a little frayed after a season of hiking in the desert with all kinds of thorny things around, but I have never had them tear or fail in any significant way. For me an excellent alternative to stay cool, while getting good leg protection from the sun.

Nick, James, Heesoo, and Andrew-

Wow, thanks for the input. That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I will be doing on trail hiking mostly with occasional bushwacks off trail. I have a pair of very old and very frayed Cloudveil Peak pant that need to be retired before I get arrested for indecent exposure:-)

I already have a RR Eco-Mesh shirt which I have found to be pretty good for the South Texas climate, so thanks for the info on the pants.

-Happy Trails,

-Mark

Edited by markhurd on 04/14/2009 10:37:00 MDT.

I used one pair of RR Eco mesh pants from northern CA to Canada on the PCT, then the Colorado Trail, then the CDT (same pair of pants for all of them). That is incredible.

Zack, That IS quite a testament!

Edit:
I just ordered a pair to try, based on that statement.

Edited by Thangfish on 04/14/2009 15:48:24 MDT.

Zack,

I guess you must have liked them. Were they basically your only pants or did you switch pairs?

-Mark

Edited by markhurd on 04/14/2009 15:36:19 MDT.

I'm having a hard time deciding what model to purchase. I like the Versa Tak's but hate the cargo pant looks on them. I like the Eco Mesh look but hate mesh anything.

Choices...