Hiking pants recommendation

Quick update:
I put the Skyline joggers on hold as I came a cross the Patagonia Terrebonne joggers on sale at a domestic retailer. Tempted by a much simpler order and return process I gave it a shot and ordered them in both small and medium.
The mediums were much too wide in all areas, the small was a better fit, but too short. Quite the bummer, but not totally unexpected and at least I have free return.

I also came across a similar new offering from Revolution Race (Gradient pro UV pants) – I have a very high hit rate with them when it comes to pants, but neither the fit nor the material was able to convince me this time.

The quest continues, but as the weather around here still hasn’t realized the calendar says we’re well into summer, I’m dialing back the effort put into this. Still wearing my puffy jacket every other day, so UV-pants pants for hot weather is pretty far down my list of priorities atm.

So, the heat finally came around to my parts as well. With a vengeance.
From near winter conditions to full on summer in a blink of an eye.
With just blue skies and temperature records left and right for over 3 weeks straight, the quest for hot weather pants was once again moved to the top of my agenda.

After some research and weighing my options, I somewhat surprisingly decided on the KUIU Tiburon pants. I say surprisingly because they’re not mentioned in this thread as far as I remember. Sadly my efforts did not pan out in a received product as I were soon to discover KUIU has recently ended shipping to Norway (and a bunch of other countries).

Other pants to consider are the Ketl mountain vent light pants , the fabric is a stretchy/airy  mico-perforated polyester that holds little moisture and dries very fast.They come in regular and tapered fit, I would definitely avoid the tapered fit unless you have non-existent calf muscles.The regular fit is already quite tapered.

This was a great suggestion that I managed to scroll right past initially.
It’s an unfamiliar brand to me, so somehow I had them mixed up with Railraiders which are also a previously unknown brand to me. I had realized the Railraiders were obscenely wide, so due to the mix-up, the KETL suggestion didn’t even register as a viable option.

As it happens the KETL Vent pants were suggested to me again by a dude on reddit that tests a lot of hot weather gear. Ironically he didn’t even like them himself due to poor fit, but with the benefit of doubt he thought it could possibly be a different experience on a different body type. On the surface the poor fit wasn’t exactly counter evidence to my mix-up, but it was something about the way he described the fit that triggered a sneaking suspicion that this brand name hadn’t registered correctly in my head, so I was now convinced this suggestion deserved a deeper dig.
It was indeed a different brand, and judging by pictures and description there was a lot to like here. Not even just these pants, but a hole slew of their offerings had combinations of details and features I’ve been looking for, but very often in vain.
Not knowing yet if their execution matched their marketing skills, and with a rather harsh user story regarding poor fit buzzing in the back of my head there was no reason to go over board on my first order. I did order two pants though, to get above the free shipping threshold. Imagine that! Free DHL Express shipment to Europe for orders over USD 100. Some stores charges almost that for this shipping option alone.
I ordered the Vent lwt active pants slim fit in size small w/ 32″ inseam and the Tomfoolery Chino travel pant slim fit also in small w/ 32″ inseam.

I haven’t had time to use them a lot yet, but they arrived super fast – 2 days ahead of schedule and 1 day before I were headed  for a combined coastal cruise and backpacking / hiking trip to northern Norway. The early arrival triggered a last minute revision of my load out to now include both pants. I’ll try to make a more in depth user review later on, but first impressions are pretty good.
The sizing was spot on with both pants (yes, sadly this could be definitive proof that I have non-existent calf muscles). I’ll say that I recognize the described poor cut on the Vent lwt’s, but it’s probably way less pronounced in my size. The pants does have an ever so slight case of diaper cut, i.e. some excess material where the poo-poo leaves the body. For me it’s not really noticeable unless I deliberately pull on the material to reveal it, but if it doesn’t prove to serve any function with regards to venting or range of motion I’ll consider changing the cut a little bit when I feel my sewing skills are up for it. The Tomfoolery pants OTOH have a slightly different cut and fit absolutely perfect. I rarely get a better fit even when going to a physical clothes store to get regular pants and try them on first.
Actual use is too limited to say something conclusive, but my preliminary impression is that they are indeed very light and comfortable. Comparable to joggers (especially the slim fit version with tapered legs), but better features for hiking IMO; well made pockets that are secure and exactly where I want them, and no elastic at the hems. I’m not yet convinced that they are considerably (or even noticeably) more breathable than other thin pants I already own, but it could be just a calibration error from my expectations being set too high due to the fancy perforated material. Also the hue of the brown color that I chose, is darker than I’d consider ideal for sunny conditions. To be fair the pictures on their site are very honest and true to life so I knew this going in, but I still went with brown because all my sun shirts that I’m likely to match with these pants are grey. So while the grey pants are probably a more functional option, the idea of a top to bottom all grey outfit did come across a bit dorky and boring.

For any non-US residents following this thread I should also add that KETL is the first US store I’ve ordered from that does the tax (VAT) collection up front, which means no added processing fees, surprises or delays after shipment. This paired with a fast, reliable and free shipping option makes for a very positive customer experience.

The ‘25 version of the Ferrosi no longer seem quite as durable.

I bought a new pair having lost some weight.  The first day out on Quebec’s “National Trail” were their undoing as the trail was lightly used and required a surprising amount of bushwacking and climbing through dead fall.  They never tore or outright failed despite dealing with some passage through thorny undergrowth but they pilled  up noticeably in just the first day.

i also just finished a week of backcountry fishing, lake hopping and circumnavigating through bush and cliffs for about 6 hours per day.  The pants are a pretty beat up fuzzy mess.

My previous version seemed to survive this type of abuse without much visible wear.

A few of the days have featured temperatures in the mid 90s with very high humidity (humidex approaching 110) and the pants remained remarkably cool enough.  They managed an onslaught of deer fly keeping me bite free (though treated in permethrin).  The bushwacking required consistent cliff scrambling and the pants are still wonderfully stretchable. So their good qualities remain.

But the new fabric wear gives off a hobo chic from all the pilling and pulls that I’m not sure I can get behind.

Duluth Trading “Dry-on-the-Fly” pants are great. Light but tough and with a crotch gusset. Shorts too.

Got mine years ago and they still are in decent condition.

ALSO I have their fleece lined nylon cargo pants that are every bit as well designed and made as the Rail Riders much pricier version.

How do the cotton blends work in winter? Fjallraven, Kuhl and others have great reviews, but goes against conventional wisdom. As usual, I’m confused

Cotton blends have always been good, like 60/40 cloth. If tightly woven, the thread swells a little when wet, which slows water ingress, resulting in a breathable and somewhat water resistant experience.

But it’s heavy compared to modern all-synthetic fabric, and can absorb a lot of water when it gets truly drenched.

I’d call it old-fashioned rather than unconventional. Nothing really wrong with it other than the weight, but don’t fall through the ice while wearing it.

And it isn’t what Scott (the OP) is looking for. Ferrosi or Rail Riders for his Summer-oriented request.

How is the fit on the Railriders? Nice pants, but a 20% restocking charge plus return shipping? That’s nuts.

RailRiders Eco Mesh pants are pretty baggy.  I wear 34×34 Levi’s and have the Mx32 RailRiders.

Thanks Brad.

I wear around a 36. USA sizing. The medium is 34-36.  I’m afraid they’ll be baggy at 34 and tight at 36 where as the large may be too big. Trying to find loose, but not baggy. I don’t want to pay $30 to find out.

They have elastic in the waist and mine fall down with a pack on if I don’t use the (included) belt.

Thanks again, but I think it’s REI for me.

How do the cotton blends work in winter? Fjallraven, Kuhl and others have great reviews, but goes against conventional wisdom. As usual, I’m confused

The “conventional wisdom” is an over simplified talking point that lacks nuance.

One of my favorite winter outfits used to be the Norrøna Arktis Anojakke (it’s a jacket, though the word anojakke is a mashup of the norwegian words for smock/anorak and jacket) and pants, that were available until the early 00’s.

Thick and densely weaved 100% cotton.
The problem is versatility, as the ideal conditions for such a garment is (very) cold and dry weather. And even in suitable conditions I prefer to have some way to dry them out every night, so it’s not something I tend to wear while winter backpacking. For daytrips from my mountain cabin, it’s a very nice option.
Besides low thermal conductivity and feeling very breathable, another benefit I appreciate in the winter is that cotton (and most blends) are decently fire resistant, so I can warm myself on big sparkling fires without worrying about embers burning holes in my clothes.

I sadly don’t have my Norrøna set anymore, but I still use cotton regularly. When weather conditions and expected activity level is right, there’s not much that beats it for comfort.
In later years I’ve used Etaproof / Ventile cotton jackets from Klättermusen as well as cotton blends from Fjällräven and Revolution Race. Use them year round in dry conditions, but I generally don’t bring them on outings lasting longer than my trust in the weather forecast.

Thanks  Haakon. That’s the impression that I had. From the promotions, I did wonder if the blends somehow made a difference. Apparently not much.

Wrangler Outdoors. Walmart. Stretch fabric. Articulated knees. Enough room where it matters. Two hand pockets, two rear, and two side. All with mesh.  Durable fabric. No tears. $28.