Zip off wind pants. Anyone still making these?

[PaulW]

For cold weather hiking I really like zip off wind pants (full zipper up each leg). My current pair are trashed so I’m shopping, but for the life of me I can’t find anyone making zip off wind pants, not rain  pants, which I do find. Are these out of fashion now? Can anyone point me to a company who still makes these? Thanks for any tips.

[Brad Rogers]

<p>I’m not aware of one, though there could be.  I wonder if someone like Englightened Equipment of Goosefeet Gear would make you some?  I’d think it would be pretty simple with a side seam just to sew a zipper in there. </p>

[Ryan Jordan]

We’re still asking for these (thread from 2014)! I’ve owned two pair (one from Feathered Friends, made with EPIC; one from Montane). Both pre-2005 vintages. I can’t find anything either, and would love a pair myself. When it gets really cold in the winter, I’d much rather have these than rain pants.

[Chad Lorenz]

https://store.nols.edu/collections/clothing-1/products/nols-wind-pants

 

Don’t just take my word for it, Max seems to like them too.

 

http://maxneale.blogspot.com/2018/11/ultimate-alaska-backpacking-gear-list-part-one-clothing.html

[Daryl and Daryl]

I’ve had best luck finding these in the wind pants for running sections.  They usually only have zips on the bottoms but that’s sufficient to get over my boots if I buy a size larger than I need.  I also used to find a lot of these in 2nd hand stores.

[Link .]

Very expensive but they have 18″ side zippers and weigh 8oz

WIND PANT $ 270 . by Wild Things

[PaulW]

Well, I just ordered a used pair from ebay, but I think I just got motivated enough for a winter MYOG project. I stink at sewing zippers though so this will be interesting.

[Brad W]

Take favorite wind pants, order ykk zippers of desired length, find seamstress, done.

[PaulW]

Good idea Brad. Thanks.

[Jerry Adams]

sewing zipper isn’t that difficult, especially if it’s full length

hem both sides – fold over twice and sew through it which will hide the raw edge

then, sew each hem to the zipper tape so it’s just a bit away from the zipper teeth.  You can actually overlap the zipper teeth a bit before it snags when you zip and unzip.

[Chris K]

Apocalypse Designs wind pants:

https://akgear.com/product/wind-pants/

(Warning: Don’t click the specs tab to view the weight.)

[Haakon R]

Though the headline was a little misleading (zip off typically refers to convertible pants around these parts), it was the most recent I could find on the subject.

I very recently came to the conclusion that side zip wind pants (3/4 or full zip) should be a great addition to my hiking wardrobe. It’s really the onset of winter backpacking season that triggered the idea, but it should be no less useful in the 3 seasons without snow. The only difference being that some of the running pants with shorter zippers may work in summer, but with ski boots anything less than 3/4 will be really cumbersome.

With my first backpacking trip of the season coming up this weekend, I wanted to have a more versatile option available, and maybe bring some more air permeable softshell pants that would work well for high output in milder temperatures with the option to add wind pants on top for colder weather or low intensity activities. The weather forecast is all over the place atm. so might end up not being relevant if temps plummet, but at least it made me think it makes sense to add such a garment if the opportunity comes along.

Maybe something comes along for the spring collections, but most likely I’ll just have to bite the apple and learn to sew.

[Haakon R]

This is the best match my google-fu could produce in the short time I had available right now:

https://beyondclothing.com/products/a4-wind-pant?variant=32487447429182

They only ship within the US, so I’m basically no closer to a solution, but maybe someone else find it to be a relevant option

[Bill Budney]

I agree that light zip-off wind pants would be an excellent just-in-case thing. I’m thinking something like the EE Copperfield pants, but with a zipper so that you can get them on or off without removing boots. My thinking is that they need to be super light; otherwise breathable warmup pants are a more functional layer.

As the Daryls said, warmups are easy to find with zippers or stretch ankles, they breath better than most ultralight stuff, and are light enough (I have a few different pairs from 7-11 oz). I wear two layers below 20F (never liked tight-fitting thermal underwear); and they have worked fine in winds up to 30mph.

I use my tall gaiters for an extra just-in-case layer. They have full-length velcro, I already own them, and they are plenty warm. I have not needed to cover my thighs while hiking, even in cold wind. If I did, then a poncho or kilt would work in a pinch.

[jimmyjam]

I’ve made a couple of pairs with the kit from thru-hiker.com pretty easy, good instructions, my zippers go to about my knees, easy to pull on and off without shoe removal. Draw cord waist. They’re very light, I believe about 4 oz.

[Bill in Roswell]

I inquired Dan Timmer of Timmermade about adding pitzips to a custom Hyper D windshirt, which he could. He could pobably make custom Hyper D wind pants w zippoff legs, or long side zippers. Hyper D ranks high in breathability (no data at hand, Stephen may have some figured on it).

[Justin W]

If you’re open to trying to MYOG/DIY at all, this solution might work for you.  I took a pair a shorts that I liked and sewed velcro/hook&loop to the bottoms.  Then I took some windpant and rain pant type fabrics and made corresponding pant legs to connect to them.  It is a very easy project as far as sewing and making stuff goes.

My reasoning for the above, is not just weight and the simple, quick nature of the project, but also modular nature and I like the crotch area to breath and be cool no matter what* (that and having a short torso in my case, it is not uncommon for a windjacket or midlayer to hang down some over the crotch area anyways keeping it warm enough).  If it is raining then a skirt/kilt works decently in combo, but I also sometimes use a poncho so I don’t need that anyways.

* A previous chronic jock itch infection is why I’m so focused on having that area as cool and dry as possible. I had to do two longer trips with that skin infection (Camino and CT) and it definitely made those trips less enjoyable than they would have been otherwise.

[Haakon R]

That’s an interesting idea.

I think, for me, it would be a separate project to fulfill a different need. But still interesting.
Last year I got a pair of zip off hiking pants, not particularly lightweight, but very comfortable and well thought out. The thing that really appealed was the dual zipper system with one zip going horizontally around the thigh and another vertical zipper along the back of the leg, such that it opens up fully and can be zipped on or off without the need for taking off my shoes. If I could source identical zippers, it would have been nice to make a pair of waterproof leg pieces for those pants. Or, if not, do it from scratch, like you suggest.

[Barry B]

Dynafit stuff is pretty Euro-trim but if that fit works for you their Skimo race wind pant has full side zips and is only 4oz.

https://www.dynafit.com/en-us/dna-race-wind-pants-unisex-08-0000071503

[Haakon R]

Wow, thanks Barry. Those look very much in line with what I’m looking for!

They’re even on end of season sale in some domestic stores, so I think I’ll give it a try.

I did already buy a pair of Norrøna lightweight softshell pants with full side zip venting. I cut out the mesh venting and with some crude DIY sewing I made a pretty functional pair of full zip wind pants. Still they are about triple the weight of these Dynafits, so I think there may be a use case for both.

[Ken Larson]

https://rab.equipment/us/downpour-plus-2-0-pants?queryID=5581a55a2224fdff3a474f01bcad16a2&objectID=17026&indexName=rab_live_us_products

[Haakon R]

Hi Ken, those would block the wind no doubt, but there isn’t really a shortage of side zip rain pants. This thread is more about finding the few remaining (if any) specimens of the dying breed of side zip wind pants (non-waterproof).

[Haakon R]

I may have slept on your tip a little too long.

I had a lot on my plate when I found these pants on sale, so in the interest of making sure I had enough funds for more important investments, I put this off for a while. Always planning for the worst I came out on the other end with comfortable funds to spare, so I ordered a pair early this week. They were still on sale and apparently most sizes were still in stock, but things got weird after I ordered.
A couple of days went by with no shipping notice, and when I check my order it says processing and item out of stock.
Doesn’t make sense. Stock on the web page has been stable for months, and being a bit unfamiliar with the brand I ordered two sizes just to be sure – and they’re both showing out of stock.

I’ll just have to wait and see. It’s a reputable store so even if things look a little weird, there’s no reason to suspect foul play, but I think (sadly) I should mentally prepare myself for this order being cancelled and my search for side zipped wind pants to resume

[Tom D.]

I bought a pair last year off Amazon. There’s quite a few off brand offerings there.

I prefer zip-offs myself as well. I like to take off the legs for stream crossings, etc.

[Haakon R]

My order was eventually processed and I got my side zipped Dynafit wind pants.

According to the sizing guide on the site where I bought them they were supposedly EU sizing, and with an impression of Dynafit generally going for a trim fit, I figured M would be my size, but I threw in a Small just in case. That would prove to be a good decision. Medium was definitely too roomy, while the small was rather perfect. Lengthwise it could very well be longer, but it’s just long enough that it does the job. Legs are quite normal fitting, there is no stretch in the material, so a tight fit wouldn’t work too well. Waist is elastic with fixed elastic band in the back and adjustable drawstring elastic in the front, so these would comfortably fit as standalone pants as well as with base layer/tights underneath and a tucked in shirt.

Zips are YKK and run the full length. It has a central backpocket that could fit gels and other fast fuels, but not quite large enough for a phone. There’s a clipped adjustable web band inside the pocket that I haven’t figured out the purpose for. It could be a Skimo thing.. I’m not into Skimo so I wouldn’t know. I can’t see any obvious need for it so I’ll probably end up cutting it off.

Came in at 119 grams on my kitchen scale (4.2 oz). It’s not nothing, but light enough and I like the material. It looks/feels porous and breathable – not shiny and clammy like some UL wind fabrics.

I’d say my least favorite detail so far (first impressions) is the Dynafit billboarding, that fills the whole right leg. It is reflective though, and I won’t be using these around town, so it’s not a biggie.

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