Replacement for Thorofare pants

[Chris Ramias]

I had a pair of BPL Thorofare pants that recently gave up the ghost. I've been looking for replacements and everything I'm looking at seems to be too heavy. Anything from 10-16 ounces seems normal. I usually wear shorts but loved the Thorofares because they were light enough to throw in the pack in case I needed pants for a short duration. While it may be ambitious to hope for replacement pants that weigh 4 ounces again, I'd like to think I could find a pair in 5-7 ounce range. Any help? Zipoff legs and other features like that are superfluous, I'm looking for as simple as possible.

[Brian Lindahl]

Most around here use windpants with their shorts. Any reason why those won't work? They run around 2oz to 5oz.

If you're not fashion-conscious, a lightweight baselayer would work as well to add some warmth to shorts. Good for sleeping in, also. Best bang for the warmth would be Mec T2 (4.6oz) or Capilene 4 (5.4oz). The grid fleece weighs less than normal material for the same warmth/thickness.

[David Chenault]

Much as I like them, I find my Montane Featherlites a bit warm on the occasions when I want pants for bug protection.

Patagonia Tropical Flats pants are a good option.

[Lapsley Hope]

Railriders.com

[Randy Martin]

Arcteryx Rampart Pants.

[Benjamin Moryson]

Check out the Rohan Ether Pants

[Mark Verber]

I haven't found anything that compares to the thorofare for low weight, comfort against the skin with the bonus of decent weather resistance. If I have to replace them (I still have two pairs left in the closet) I would consider one of two pants. My Arcteryx Rampart (waist 32") weight 9oz a bit higher than your target… but in my experience they have a fantastic fit, are well finished and so far has been pretty durable. After the amount of wear my Rampart pants have gotten, the Thorofare would be pilling. The other option would be light wind pants. It's been years since I have used any, but the Montane Featherlite windpants worked pretty well as something I could quickly layer over my legs. So long as I wasn't hot/sweaty, the material was fairly comfortable agains the skin.

–Mark

[Frank H.]

Ask BPL where they got their material and buy it. Then just make your own pants.

[Mark Verber]

> Ask BPL where they got their material and buy it.

I believe it was a special run of a extra light version of Pertex Equilibrium. My bet is that you would need to order a fair bit of material for them to do a run. Also, a lot of people don't have the sewing skills to construct well fitting pants.

That said, if someone gets a bolt of the material, I would be interested in some :)

–mark

[A W]

"Montane Featherlite windpants worked pretty well as something I could quickly layer over my legs. So long as I wasn't hot/sweaty, the material was fairly comfortable agains the skin."

Mark, so in hot weather, you would go for the Ramparts over the Featherlite pants?

[Mark Verber]

Yes, if I was going to wear pants in hot weather I would rather the Ramparts. If I wasn't going to wear the pants until both I amnd the evening had cooled off, then the featherlite would be fine. But when I am hot enough to be sweating I want my clothing to be air permeable (Rampart better than Featherlite), and ideal calendared (Thorefore and some of Royal Robbins pants, but not the Rampart and very definitely not the Featherlite).

–Mark

[Steven McAllister]

I like my Railrider Eco-mesh(I think they are called), because they are such a good compromise for long pants.

They are lighter than most full length pants and also better ventilated when the panel is zipped open.

I find I wear them instead of shorts because they are almost as light and almost as cool, but offer protection agains bugs, UV and brambles.

You can zip up the ventilation panels when it's cold.

More flexible than other hiking pants or shorts.

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