Affordable Rain Pants

Try Sierra Designs Hurricane Pants (7 oz.) or older Microlight (6.4 oz.)

http://www.sierra-designs.com/mens.outerwear.php

Alternatively, check out Golite.

http://www.golite.com/Product/ProductBySubCategory.aspx?sc=98&s=1

GoLite Reed W/B rain pants
$70
6 ounces
12 inch ankle zips

what about the marmot precips?
regular – http://www.rei.com/product/740036
full sidezip – http://www.rei.com/product/760927

REI members get 20% off full priced items until the 13th.

That being pointed out, I live and play in the rockies year round and do not own a single pair of "nice" rain pants. I have a few pairs of the older GoLite reeds with no zipper and a few pairs of tyvek pants. Also most of them are hacked off a little below the knee.

Works just fine for me.

Peter Storm model 122 rain pants, W/B Pu-coated nylon, US$10. Their ebay store has them at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/122-Waterproof-breathable-pant-LARGE-Royal-or-Olive_W0QQitemZ8427863767QQihZ018QQcategoryZ57988QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

but you can also get there via http://www.peterstorm.com/122page.htm

We use them in the rain and the snow. They last for years. Just as good as the far more expensive version imho.

Cheers

you could try the gear swap, I know I have a pair or Marmot PreCip's that I'd like to find a good home for

Tyvek pants are cheap as dirt and way around 65 g in M :-)

Also, the Montane Atomic DT Pants are 170 g and very robust. Their cut is a bit on the short side.

Roger,

Do you know how much the Peter Storm’s weigh?

Hi Andrew

Mine weigh about 135 g including added bungee cord around the waist. The elastic which is supplied is a little weak, so I enhanced them.

Not the lightest around I am sure, but at that price … ! And yes, we have worn them through scrub, over rock, and in the snow.

Cheers

How is the fit on those? Based on their leg size, I'd need a L but my waist size is probably S or M. Is the waist stretchy enough that it will fit me?

Hi Johann

I am Medium in most clothing, and my wife is Small. I bought Medium for both of us (makes life simpler), and they have plenty of room. They really are sized as 'overtrousers'. They have press-studs at the ankle to stop them flopping over my shoes.

Cheers

…

I would love to have some rain pants except I wear size 14/15 footwear and that little 12" side zips on most rain pants is not enough to get the boot over. That means I have to take my boots off to put the pants on unless I get a Marmot full side zip. Any other options?

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___80323

I've used them a lot and like them. 8.9 oz. About $30. I've had good luck with Redledge products. I have used them on the AT, CDT and in Alaska. http://www.bucktrack.com

Colter

Click on the shop tab at the top of this page and check out the Brawny Gear and DriDucks rain gear offered by this very site. I recently purchased an entire DriDucks rainsuit at a local store here in Sacramento for $20. I haven't had a chance to try it in the rain yet. The fit is a little baggy and I worry about durability because they are so light, but some of my PCT thru-hiking friends swear by them.

The fit is a little baggy…

LOL I need S in DriDucks and I'm 1,86 m tall :-)

I'll second both golite reeds and marmot precip pants for a balance of performance and cost. The reeds are lighter, but less durable. I actually prefer the fit on the precips, they are comfortable pants to hike in. I found my golite reeds to be too long (size medium just like the precips) so I hemmed them and in the process I removed the side zips reducing the weight to 4.75 ounces. The marmots weigh 8.8 ounces.

Jamie