I'm gathering opinions for a new pair of hiking pants, and would like assistance.

I have been wearing Railriders for a number of years and they are great for spring, summer and winter. I would like to find a pair that will hold up to Tongass Rain forest falls. Looking for pants, not rain pants, so I want pockets and a zipper, and I want them to be either waterproof and highly breathable or very very water resistant.

I'll give on weight for something that works.

Thanks in advance.

Edited by Umnak on 12/06/2010 15:19:42 MST.

Bump -- being in the last time zone sometimes creates challenges for responses.

Still looking for suggestions

arcteryx gamma lt for lighter use or gamma sk for heavier winter use

im a total anti yuppie ... so as much as it pains me to say it, dead bird woven softshell pants have been the best me in those situations

Eric,

Thanks for the response. I too am not one to jump into a pair of pants because they are what everyone is wearing. My biggest problem is the nearest store with any supply is over 500 air miles away from home. Want to narrow the field before hitting the shops in Anchorage or Seattle.

Anything like those Gamma LT/SK but a less expensive?

Rab vapor rise pants are my hands down favorite winter hiking pants. Can't tell you how water resistant they are as I've never had them in a hard rain, but have had them in snow. They breathe exceptionally well, are warm, and have pockets.

Aaron

patagucci, rab, OR, MH all make similar softshell weave pants ... Just make sure its not a membrane and not fleece lined

i can only speak for dead bird and MH ... But the woven softshells i have are very water resistant to ext moisture ... Much more so that wind gear or even the windstopper stuff i have

however they will absorb sweat easily as yhey are wicking and once soaked take longervto dry out than a windshirt

as to durability ... I glissade down the mountainbin my gamma sk and bushwack/rock climb in my gamma lts

Nothing wrong with fleece lined pants, as the vapor rise are. Again, they are extremely breathable, and I've never had an issue with them being wet from sweat. In fact, I usually sleep in them after hiking in them all day. Great pants. Highly recommended for any cold weather backpacking.

Apologies to the OP if I'm kicking this OT- lay down the law and I'll make my own thread...

Fleece lined doesn't seem too bad, at least something like the Vapor Rise where it's fleece plus Pertex- the definition of softshell, more or less. :) I personally wouldn't want anything like a stretch weave plus fleece, at least if I'm thinking of the right thing- seems too warm and not breathable enough.

Personally, just trying to find something for winter hikes, snowshoeing and/or curling. I'm new to curling, but feature set seems more or less the same as I like for hiking.

Only thing I've seen locally is the couple softshell pants First Ascent has as well as MH Winter Wander pants. The MH Winter Wander pants were cheaper, they had that going at least... :P

No problem on the drift of the thread, all information is useful.

I'm good for winter pants; just wear the rail riders with long underwear. It is the wet, cold fall that poses the problem. I've worn an Alaskan designed/made soft shell jacket in these conditions and can see the utility of pants made from something similar. I don't need fleece lined for the fall, and am not partial to it in the winter.

I'm familiar with the companies mentioned except for First Ascent and Rab. Are these available at retail or just on line?

thanks

first ascent is available in any eddie bauer store

if all you need them for is the shoulder seasons check out event pants ....

I asked a similar question and landed on the lighter softshell pants. I got some OR Pursuit pants, but there are many more. The REI Mistral pants are big on my list.

TNF prolix pants or Patagonia Traverse pants

Both of these pants are a superlight, stretchy softshell pant that is pretty water resistnat and dry very fast. Certainly cheaper than the arc'teryx pants. They are very versatile as I use these as my "rain pants", bug proof layer, and put long underwear beneath them for evening warmth while backpacking in the summer, hiking pants in the fall and spring, and running pants in the winter.

Edited by gabe_joyes on 12/07/2010 09:06:07 MST.

"first ascent is available in any eddie bauer store"

Not all EB stores carry First Ascent.

Joseph, you mentioned Anchorage or Seattle trips. There's an EB retail store in Anchorage, and it carries FA, and there are several EB retail stores in Seattle, but not all of them carry FA. (info per EB website store locator)

Thanks for the First Ascent information. I am heading to ANC later this week for a couple of days and recall there is an Eddie Bauer in the downtown mall. Nice to see them back in the real gear business, rather than just selling plaid shirts.

I've never seen RAB in a store in the states, but then I haven't been in many stores in the states! The RAB Bergen pants are great pants for cool, wet weather, especially the option to vent the legs when appropriate. They're very well constructed (like all RAB gear I've had). Joseph, if you wear a medium I'd be happy to ship my pair out to you at your expense, let you see them and take a hike in them, and then ship them back at your expense.

Edited by idester on 12/07/2010 14:59:55 MST.

Doug,
That is a generous and kind offer. I may take you up on it if I don't find something in Anchorage later this week. The realization that soft shell pants with a DWR might fill the need has me allocating some time to explore REI, Mountaineering Store and the full fledged Patagonia dealer in town. Thankfully they are open late each night.

For winter hiking I treat my 5.11 nylon pants with NikWax Direct Wash-In DWR and dry them.

Then I spray them with Revivex twice and run them through the drier on med. heat for 15 min.

That treatment combo is VERY water repellant.

BTW, When I wash them I don't use any soap or detergent. the wash-rinse cycle with water alone is sufficient to clean them

Edited by Danepacker on 12/07/2010 21:32:12 MST.

They are kind of expensive but I got a pair of beyond clothing soft shell pants and they are awesome. Made in seattle. Custom though so they are a bit pricey, but depending on what you want for extras. I got zipper pockets, 1 thigh pocket, ankle zippers and i also wanted them to be pretty bomber so i got reinforced material on the backside, knees and inside of ankles. I think with no extras they are like 150.

After two days in Anchorage I settled ( that is the operative word ) on a pair of Ex Officio Boracade pants. In a city of over 300,000 -- and arguably a place where people play outside -- I found no Patagonia Mountain Guide pants, a couple of Patagonia Simple Guide pants (that were the wrong size)none of the Mountain Hardware recommended pants and, at REI just the Mistril and the Acme. I actually purchased the latter but then found these Ex Officio pants that were similar weight at less than 1/2 the price. The REI Acme also just didn't fit well enough to spend $170. I will provide my impression of them later this week after we do an overnight trip back in Juneau.

Thanks for everyone's input