Pants layering options

Patagonia Microburst pants might be an option to consider for a shell that appears more durable, albeit at twice the weight, vs Marmot Precip pants. The Microburst are priced pretty low at Patagonia's website ($245 reduced to $99):

http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/product_focus.jsp?OPTION=PRODUCT_FOCUS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&style_color=19023-984&ws=true&patcatcode=WS.WEB_SPECIALS.FEATURED

JRS

I have a full zip pair of fleece pants I use in the winter. I too would like some sort of lightweight shell. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find really lightweight full-zip wind pants (or something similar). At some point (when I remember to do so) I would like to try some thin, nylon, basketball style warm-up pants. These are the type with buttons on the sides (allowing players to just yank them off). I assume they also make them for soccer players (in which case they might have some DWR coating). Even plain uncoated nylon would add a bit of warmth and help keep the snow off much better than fleece. If I remember to try this, I'll let you know.

A really light and cheap system would be a lightweight synthetic or wool baselayer next to skin such as Smartwool lightweight or Capilene 1 or 2 with a pair of R1 pants ($29 on Patagonia.com web specials) at 8oz for when the normal baselayer isn't warm enough. You can wear the R1 alone or layered over the lighter baselayer. The R1 should give comparable warmth to a heavier fleece pant but be much more packable and lighter. If you don't need size zips or waterproofness the Golite Whim pants are 5oz and $50. Marmot Precip full zip pants are about 12oz and $100 dollars or so. They are not the most breathable but you can vent with the side zips. The R1 pants would also pair well with a softshell pant such as Patagonia Guide pants or Simple guide pants and you can carry along a pair of upsized Precip full zips for waterproofness. Patagonia also has the Mixmaster pant for $105 which is basically a pair of Guide pants with a R1 bonded onto the inside which can be paired with the baselayer of your choice for consistetly very cold temps.

Big Sky Products has the full zip Epic pants. They really are a nice set of very water resistant pants. Of course, they don't have the best customer service reputation.

I already have the Pat lightweight capilene bottoms and expedition weight capilene bottoms. The things is it is pretty tricky to put the exp weight ones off and one while out and about. I did also try a pair of the Thermawool Midweights but they seemed to ride weird through the thighs.

My winter layering system includes merino smartwool baselayer, lightweight nylon hiking pants, rain pants (either Golite Reed – no side zips or TNF w/b – full side zips) and Patagonia Micro-puff pants.

The Micro-puffs usually stay in the pack until camp or and extended lunch stop, and are also useful for sleeping when underestimating the weather. I don't have to be too conservative on my sleeping bag if I carry the pants.

I used to have full-zip fleece pants but I bit the bullet and went for the more expensive Micro-puffs because the fleece pants were not only much heavier but added significantly more bulk to my pack.

When it's really cold or I'm out for more than one night, I pack an extra merino wool baselayer and have been known to were both pair simutaneously