Pant Recommendations Please

[Greg Mihalik]

I’m looking for durable pants.  My Black Diamond Schoellers are 15 years old and starting to show signs of wear.

I need zippered pockets,  a 3rd front pocket,  and non-stretch fabric – or mechanical stretch with no elastic. Water and dirt shedding would be nice.

Suggestions appreciated. TIA.

[Arthur]

Railriders Men’s Bushwacker Weatherpants.  mine are 8+ years old.  just a few pin holes and some Pine sap on them, but really tough.    I wear them all the time except in really hot weather.  They do very well in keeping cactus needles off too, not perfect for sure, but better than most.

[Matt Dirksen]

A couple years ago, I got a pair of Dead Bird Gamma LT pants through a warranty exchange.

They are light, comfortable, quite wind resistant, well articulated, and rather durable. Even though I initially thought I wouldn’t use them during the summer, I was surprised how often I would reach for them in lieu of other pants, especially due to their balance between form fittedness and durability. Unlike a lot of options out there, they aren’t baggy.

AND, if I were to require something even more durable, I’d check out the options over at Kuiu.

[Garrett]

Railraiders  would be my recommendation as well

[Sam Farrington]

Found better pants by going through the climbers’ pants sections of the larger BP stores.  It was EMS, but that has since gone to REI.  Found some pants made of soft shell material, very stretchy, light, and have both zipped and non-zipped pockets.  Think they are called Marmot ‘Rock Star,’ or something like that.

They got their first test leaving a mountain top cabin when an unexpected ice storm lasted most of the night.  The next day had to backpack down the icy mountain trail without foot traction, and loop back several miles over more even terrain to the trail head in the rain (It warmed up a bit at lower altitude when day came).  While they were not totally WP, was comfortable packing all day in the cold, and used the pants thereafter.  They also breathe well on hot days and pack up small in the pack.

So would suggest looking at pants used by mountain climbers.

 

[BlackHatGuy]

Montane Terra pants. A truly great backpacking pant (though I only use them in the cooler months, they do have side zips at the thighs). Here’s a review at SectionHiker.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Duluth Trading co. makes excellent “Dry on theFly” nylon cargo pants in light and medium weights unseen fleece lined in medium weight nylon.

I’ve seen the Rail Riders nylon pants but the DT pants are just as good for less $$.

[Bruce Tolley]

+1 on Dead Bird Gamma LT pants

Cheers!

[Greg Mihalik]

^^^

OK. Gamma LT are ordered.

Thanks All.

[Greg Mihalik]

^^^

Received and Returned –

I’m 5’9, 170#, with a 34″ waist in most pants.

A Gamma LT medium, with a 34″ waist, fits me like tights.  Nearly skin-tight from the calves up.  No thanks.

 

Rab Vectors are a more traditional fit and work for me.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

There are no pants. There just aren’t. Not if you are 5’3″, 150lbs and like real pockets. You can have gigantic pants that go up to your boobs and drag on the floor, but there won’t be usable pockets. Or you can have usable pockets and pants with legs so skinny you have to have a waist that sticks out an extra foot. Pants no longer exist. Only mutant pant-like objects in the pants department.

[Author]

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