powderhound Posted November 12, 2006 Posted November 12, 2006 Has anybody used these? Any comments? They are pretty new but I am thinking of getting some new pants for ice and alpine and these are on the top of my list. Just looking for any input. Quote
dbconlin Posted November 12, 2006 Posted November 12, 2006 They sure look funny. And USD 319..whew! 890 grams...damn. I think it is a nice idea, the combination of hard and softshell, but maybe not really necessary. I suppose depending on climate and activity I could be wrong, but why not just go for softshell? These pants seem heavy, overbuilt, etc. "Warm mesh lining...side zippers for ventilation...drop seat..." no thanks. Quote
powderhound Posted November 13, 2006 Author Posted November 13, 2006 Well when I am ice climbing in hyalite I like the hardshell on certain spots to help keep the water off and the softshell in other spots for felxbilty. Mostly for pure ice climbing. Quote
dbconlin Posted November 13, 2006 Posted November 13, 2006 I guess for shorter trips where weight isn't so critical they are probably very well built and very comfortable and I am sure they will perform great, based on Mammut's reputation and other garments of theirs I've seen. So if the hardshell component is important enough to outweigh the weight and expense, could be a good buy. Quote
Plinko Posted November 13, 2006 Posted November 13, 2006 I've got the Mammut Transmission Hybrid pants and they kick ass for touring/skiing Hard shell where you need it most, and soft stretchy goodness where u need it. Kinda spendy here in the states, but damn fine stuff. Quote
Alpaholic Posted November 13, 2006 Posted November 13, 2006 They do look like sweet pants. Plus your pictures will turn out great, guaranteed! Are they a little overkill? I suppose that's personal preference. As far as the hybrid concept goes, for certain applications it does seem to excell (I think ice climbing is one of them). Some may say it's mearly a step down from the breathability of a fully softshell pant like the champ (which rocks!) and you are therefore just going to end up getting wetter from the inside and less able to dry from evaporation. This is true if you are in constant exhertion and will be able to generate the heat necessary to dry out the softshell pant the whole time you are out. However, a hybrid with a hardshell panel at the seat and in front, below the knee may be nice in a situation (like belayed ice climbing) where you are stopping at every pitch and may end up with said parts in contact with snow/ice. I thought hybrid pants were a little gimicky when i first saw them but after testing them side by side with fully waterproof/breathable and fully Schoeller pants over a weekend of ice climbing, I actually liked them the best. Bottom line: They kept me dry enough, warm enough and free-to-move enough to be my favorite and most comfortable option. Plus they work great for skiing...though probably too warm for the up-hills. Now, a concern with the mammut pant you mention is weight (890g as noted above). Not only because it's just plain heavy but also because you can move better in a lighter pant. The hybrid pant I used in my tests was only 510g which is scant compared to the Extreme hybrid. I'm sure mammut has a lighter model... The question is are you going to need the robustness and extra warmth of an 890g pant? Perhaps if you want something that will last forever it's a good way to go. Perhaps it's better to save the weight and maybe have to buy another pair in a couple years (more likely they'll be replaced by the next coolest pant first)... but they sure do look cool!...totally euro. Quote
powderhound Posted November 13, 2006 Author Posted November 13, 2006 What pant did you use that was 510g? Quote
Alpaholic Posted November 14, 2006 Posted November 14, 2006 REI Taku pant. 18 ounces = 510.291416 grams Got 'em for next to nothing so thought I'd give them a try. Something with Schoeller or Malden Mills would probably be even better. Quote
jlag Posted November 14, 2006 Posted November 14, 2006 The Transmission and Atlas Hybrid are the lighter hybrid pants made by Mammut. Those Extremes that your looking at are heavier/burlier due to reinforcent and mostly the fleecy liner on the inside. Quote
Ade Posted November 14, 2006 Posted November 14, 2006 AT $319 presumably they come with a free "They saw me coming" badge? WTF. Quote
crackers Posted November 14, 2006 Posted November 14, 2006 I got a preproduction (?) version of the jacket to try out. There was a piece of masking tape in the pocket. It had writing in Chinese on it. I asked a handy chinese friend what the writing meant. She said: 'needs significant improvement, not very good.' Quote
powderhound Posted November 14, 2006 Author Posted November 14, 2006 I got a preproduction (?) version of the jacket to try out. There was a piece of masking tape in the pocket. It had writing in Chinese on it. I asked a handy chinese friend what the writing meant. She said: 'needs significant improvement, not very good.' serious Quote
crackers Posted November 14, 2006 Posted November 14, 2006 I got a preproduction (?) version of the jacket to try out. serious I have the jacket in front of me now. It's got to be a preproduction piece. As somebody who works with manufacturing this kind of thing, I have to say that my particular jacket is not production quality. I have every confidence that Mammut will have fixed the issues in this sample jacket before selling them. I can also say that the WB400 / Nanosphere combination is a really nice solution for anything short of ice climbing on wet days. But I would recommend going over the seams carefully. Quote
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