SoftShell Pants

[JonMain]

What are your favorites?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

What are your favorites?

 

I'd like to know what ones out there have zip off legs or are ventable (side zippers). Seems a lot are not.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I think a lot of the really light weight soft shell materials are so light that adding zippers for vents and zips gives the pants an uncomrtable feel and adds a lot of unnecessary weight. For the thick soft shell materials I see a lot more full side zips other accessories becuase from a comfort and weight basis it is not as big an issue. I think that with really light softshells (dynamic or lighter) if you want shorts, bring em along in the pack. Otherwise get the pants in a light color, and roll up the legs if necessary, most of these light weights breathe so well, vents dont seem to matter too much. In terms of favorites, I have some OR granite pants that are super durable and I like a lot, only downside is the pockets on mine dont zip. I also have some moonstone cirque pants which are really nice, however a little short in length. I also have some really heavy weight moonstone softshells that are geared more towards cold weather climbing. They are really nice too, but they arent available for sale. I think that soft shells are becoming a very generic category with a lot of variation in materials such that the choice in garment/fabric is very usage dependent and just specifying soft shell is not enough. Instead you should specify a light weight, mid-weight, or heavy weight soft shell, and whether you want an emphasis placed on durability, wind resistance, water resistance/proofness, or breathability.

[Dru]

Zip Off pants are so 2001. Sorry.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Patagonia Guide Pants, not the Super Guides which have gators and suspenders either. They are perfect and simple and very comfortable. I wear them all year around.

However, they stopped making them for a while but they are bring them back this Fall, with a few improvments, which I've seen and they are actually good improvements, not crap.

Also the Patagonia Talus Pant I believe is pretty simple and nice, but I don't know if they have a zipper.

The Black Diamonds seem to work good for many people.

I'd reccomend not getting softshells with a liner and if you get too thin the wind will go right through them, like the REI Minstral. Also watch for extra matierial in the crotch. You want a good close fit down there else you could chafe! (ewwwwwww).

The Patagonias are a good thickness and the zipper goes both directions, so its easy to take a piss with a harness on.

[kenp]

I have a pair of campmor windblock fleece pants, full side zip, fly and pockets. They run a bit short and after 1 season, seem to be holding up well. much less expensive than the name brands, I'm sure that's why I received them as a gift

[JonMain]

I'm looking for a pair of pants for mountaineering - long climbs in the snow. My primary emphasis is on breathability, followed by wind and waterproofness. Something that is comfortable during both cold winter mornings and sunny spring afternoons is ideal.

[slothrop]

MEC's softshell pants are nice, except the size that fits my legs is too big in the waist. Gotta wear a belt or I get plumber's butt. They are quite comfortable in a wide range of temps and levels of exertion, and more durable than the REI Mistrals. They have an unobtrusive elastic cord at the ankles and well-placed pockets (accessible when wearing a harness).

[dbb]

Softshell pants are great. I get the light weight ones (dynamic) so that I can layer under them in winter and still use them in summer. I had a pair of the MEC feretta pants for 4 or 5 years and ended up trashing them, but wearing them a ton. I don't think MEC makes scholler pants out of Scholler Dynamic anymore (?) just the Extreme fabric. I recently replaced my ferettas with a pair of the Arc'terryx Tweave pants (Gamma LT? I dunno) because they had the best fit of all the brands I tried. I've heard Tweave is also a much better fabric than Scholler.. so that's my vote. these pants are also on sale at mgear.com for like 140 so quite the deal too...

[rbw1966]

I've got a pair of Mammut Champ (schoeller) pants that I wear year-round. Durable, comfy and have the added cache of being euro. Even after several years of wear they still shed water pretty well. If its really cold out I wear long johns under them.

 

I also recently got a pair of cloudveil schoeller pants. They don't seem to shed water as well as the Mammut but they are warmer. I just got them this winter, but I suspect they are going to be way too warm for summer use.

[Redoubt]

I have the MEC Ferrata Ultras (Schoeller Extreme) and love them, but they are too warm for year-round use. I also have the REI Mistrals (Dynamic) and prefer that fabric weight for most stuff (although I hate the fit of the Mistrals). Like Dave said, a layer below them (or a shell layer over) makes them good for winter. But even the Mistrals are too warm in the summer. I think my next pants will be something in Dynamic or similar weight, but in tan or beige or something other than black. A pair of the Mistrals, for example, in a lighter color would make them far better for use into the summer.

[willstrickland]

I have an older pair of Moonstone pants that were only made for a year or two. They were the early version of schoeller extreme (I think). It's a medium thick softshell with a very thin fleece laminanted to it. I'd buy several more pair if I could. These fit me better than anything, have big side zips, but not full length (no zips under your waistbelt, ankles). Great for colder weather, or skinny people who get cold easily.

 

Last year I picked up some Gamma LTs (tweave fabric), the ones AlpineDave cites above. These are unlined, lightweight, and ideal for year round use if paired with long underwear. Very nicely constructed, and the tweave fabric seems to be very good stuff so far. But, Arcy'teryx cuts them pretty slim and I'm almost exactly mid-way between sizes. Maybe I'll pick up another pair the next size up. Mine are a very light almost white color, much better than black (how much sun do you get in the winter anyway?).

 

Next pair might be from Beyond Fleece. The custom fit/features/fabric choices for the same price as "off the rack" stuff from other manufacturers is appealing.

[JonMain]

Check these out Ibex Guide Lite Pants. These have had good reviews, though the site I'm listing may have an Ibex bias.

 

The Black Diamond BDV pants are made of Scholler Dynamic but are the same weight as the Ibex, have non-articulated construction and far fewer features.

 

Looking at the Arcteryx Gamma LT pants I noticed something interesting. The New Gamma LT pants are only 10 ounces, a nearly 6 ounce reduction in weight as compared to the Older Gamma LT pants. I'm assuming this weight reduction is due to the use of Tweave Durastretch Lightweight in the new version as opposed to the standard weight Tweave used previously. Does anyone know how the new fabric performs? The only hangup I see from the armchair is that the new version is offered only in black and grey, whereas the older version was offered in black, khaki, etc.

[JackY]

 

I have this problem, er I mean I have a friend that has

a problem. He keeps ripping his scholler pants with his

crampons. Any advice for patching scholler?

[Bill_Simpkins]

Be more careful with your spikes man.

[rbw1966]

needle and thread worked for me.

[nonanon]

I have this problem, er I mean I have a friend that has

a problem. He keeps ripping his scholler pants with his

crampons. Any advice for patching scholler?

 

Tape slices together from the outside and then paint a thin coat of Seamgrip on the inside. Leave it dry overnight and pull the tape in the morning. Big cuts can get two coats, but I've yet to have a repair blow open.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

backcountry.com has some deals on some of the pants listed above