So I'm looking to buy a pair of lightweight (<< 1lb) waterproof-breathable pants for alpine climbing. I want then to be waterproof, more importantly I want them to be breathable. They'll probably spend most of their time in the pack but once they're on they're not coming off and it's clammy enough down there already.

Every company seems to make at least three different styles of said pant. In the $150 range they're made of Gore Pac-Lite or Gore XCR. Around $80 or so each company has their own special laminate. Mtn Harware has Conduit, Montbell has Versalite, Marmot has Precip, etc.

So I'm looking for informed (and uninformed) opinions on how breathable these various fabrics are, i.e. I once had a Precip coat and it was the clammyest least breathable POS I ever owned.

So...spray away!....whatcha got? hate it or love it?

Thanks

Darin

I second the on Precip. I've got the pants and they are NOT breathable and don't have full sidezips which pretty much means you either wear them all day or not at all. I only use them for hiking in pouring rain or through wet brush. The good thing about them is that they only weigh 7oz.


I like thin Schoeller pants for climbing. I haven't often felt the need for more waterproofness on my legs than the DWR coating provides and you can't beat the breathability and functionality.

If I were going to get a WPB shell jacket today, I think my first choice would be the Integral Designs eVENT Jacket . Maybe they make pants too? I dunno.

BTW: NOLSE courses - 0, Retail Experience - 0.

For style & function, you can't beat Italian Wool Knickers!

skin is waterproof and highly breathable. go naked!

I've got the Arcterix hybrid pants. They are good but no fly. I only own them b/c I got them as a gift. When they're worn out I'm going to buy some $5 polyester pants at Value Village b/c they're just as good.

I don't find that pants need to be made of the most breathable fabric. I use Marmot full zip precip and oracle pants a lot and they are fine. If you are too hot, take your pants off! On the other hand, pants that are not really waterproof are very disapointing when it is cold and wet. Schoeller pants are great, but won't keep you dry in a downpour or in deep wet snow (but they do dry fast after the rain). I have a gore tex pac lite shell jacket that breathes quite well, and the new "Mithril"soft shell from OR breathes very well, but is a bit heavy at 24 ounces for a size large jacket. The only time I have real problems with any WB shell is when I wear too much clothing. Have not tried e-vent yet. Is it great?

You know you want these! It will haunt you in your dreams!

These looked nice

eVent is supposed to me more breathable than Gore-Tex. How about these? Not cheap, though.

I have the MHW Epic pants you mention. They are okay. Not super breathable. Goretex is still more breathable IMHO. On the upside they only weigh 10 or 11 ozs. But recently I've been carrying wind pants that only weigh 3 or 4 ozs, since (like you) they spend most time in the bottom of my pack.

You know, this is really where an unlined nylon pant comes in handy; no WPB pant is gonna feel much better than another IMO and besides, once the DWR is worn off nothing breathes at all.

anyone know where to get paclite or xcr ultralight pull-on pants with no zippers at all? or very short ankle zips? i want to do my own tailoring.

Redledge pants are extremely light and extremely cheap. They claim that their "TH4" fabric is WP/B. I have a pair and sliced through it easily with a crampon, but that's a price to pay for the light-weight. Haven't been in real wet or sweaty conditions yet to verify the WP/B. I think their website is temporarily down. I got the pants at the Army Surplus store in Boulder, CO for $30. Not a bad deal if you think you'll be keeping them in your pack most of the time. redledge.com

Red Ledge thunderlight TH4 is reputed to be on the "less breathable" end of the scale, according to data posted on backpackinglight.com a few years ago. I like the stuff because it's fairly cheap, sturdy and light - it takes being thrashed through brush pretty well. Have gotten mine from www.campmor.com, but I'm sure google/froogle would turn up other sources.