Ultralight Down Pants: Light, Warm, and Versatile

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An ultralight sleeping system is a core component of an ultralight backpacking gear kit, and it requires careful planning so the components are coordinated with each other and appropriate for the expected conditions. This article is the second of four articles covering the insulated components of an ultralight three-season sleeping system capable of handling colder temperatures. Such a system - consisting of an ultralight down mummy-style sleeping bag, down jacket, and down pants - minimizes weight while providing maximum warmth and versatility without compromising safety or comfort.

This article will focus on down pants for campwear and sleepwear. Why down pants? Because down is the most thermally efficient insulation for its weight, so down pants provide the most warmth for their weight (assuming thin shell fabrics and minimal features). The ultralight down pants reviewed in this article weigh between 6.8 and 8.4 ounces for size Large.

This article reviews and compares three ultralight down pants that I consider to be suitable for ultralight backpacking: the MontBell Down Inner Pants, PHD Minimus Down Trousers, and the Western Mountaineering Flash Pants. Note that there are several warmer down pants available besides the ones selected for this article. However, most of them are targeted to mountaineering or the "hook and bullet" sports, and they are simply heavier. Many of these have lower fill-power down, many use heavier fabrics to provide more durability, and they often have leg zippers to allow them to be put on easily without taking boots off. These features are nice when they are needed, but they are overkill for ultralight travel and add extra weight.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
The Conditions
Specifications and Features
Comparative Measurements
Comparative Loft
- Montbell UL Down Inner Pants
- PHD Minimus Down Trouser
- Western Mountaineering Flash Pants
My Picks for Different Situations and Needs
- Trim Fit and Lighter Insulation
- Warmest and Highest Loft/Weight Ratio
- Most Durable
- Best Value
- Author's Favorites
Alternative Legwear

# WORDS: 2850
# PHOTOS: 9

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Mar 23, 2010 at 11:50 am #1256850

Addie Bedford
BPL Member

@addiebedford
Locale: Montana

Companion forum thread to:

Ultralight Down Pants: Light, Warm, and Versatile

Mar 23, 2010 at 12:55 pm #1589912

Greg Foster
BPL Member

@thefost

Thanks for the excellent review!

How can the minimus pants be purchased for $183 in the US? I'm only seeing them for a whopping $234.

Mar 23, 2010 at 1:19 pm #1589927

Ross P Hemphill
Member

@rbimli
Locale: PNW

Richard Nisley has said that loft is not an accurate method of measuring the warmth of down insulation, and has provided information and data which appear to support the assertion. BPL seems to think otherwise: are there any position statements, rebuttals, etc which explain why? (This point is frustrating given BPL's stated commitment to the scientific/objective method.)

Whatever the case, thanks for the article! Of course, BPL continues to be a wonderful resource, whether or not it's "perfect."

Mar 23, 2010 at 5:57 pm #1590042

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

Arr, can you link the thread about measuring warmth?

Mar 23, 2010 at 6:01 pm #1590044

Bradley Danyluk
BPL Member

@dasbin

Here we go again with the loft measurements…

(Please refer to my post on the Eddie Bauer jacket review – to which I never got a reply).

Dissapointing.

Mar 23, 2010 at 8:35 pm #1590096

ROBERT TANGEN
Spectator

@robertm2s
Locale: Lake Tahoe

For What It's Worth: Nunatak sells large-size down knickers that weigh 8.5 oz. Full-length large pants weigh 9.5 oz.

Mar 23, 2010 at 10:54 pm #1590135

Jeremy Greene
Spectator

@tippymcstagger
Locale: North Texas

How well do each of these hold the back of the waist when you sit down? That is one of the issues we are trying to solve in our down pants. (I've currently decided that this is just perfectionism since no pants I've seen really stay put. Not a problem with most jackets anyway…)

Mar 24, 2010 at 4:57 am #1590179

Ken Larson
BPL Member

@kenlarson
Locale: Western Michigan

Here in Michigan I wear the MontBell Down Inner Pants in early spring and late fall and they work well. (In the winter months MontBell Down Inner Pants with Icebreaker 200 Long Johns.) The two variables to keep in mind for warmth: sleep system (what is over you, on you and under you) and your physical state. Below are Nunatak’s Pants and Knickers for comparison…..super equipment for cold sleepers and cold weather.

Mar 24, 2010 at 3:35 pm #1590438

Addie Bedford
BPL Member

@addiebedford
Locale: Montana

We've added a "Warmth" section above. Will didn't have this method worked out when he wrote this particular article, though he plans to include it in future articles where loft is also measured.

Mar 25, 2010 at 12:31 pm #1590807

Ken Larson
BPL Member

@kenlarson
Locale: Western Michigan

Will Rietvelt, have you made any *warmpth tests using the Cocoon UL 60 pants as a comparison, to the three down pants you have reviewed?

Mar 26, 2010 at 7:26 am #1591038

Will Rietveld
BPL Member

@williwabbit
Locale: Southwest Colorado

Hi Ken, no I didn't measure the Cocoon pant for comparison. Sorry. I am including the Cocoon pullover for comparison in my down jacket test. Best, Will

Mar 27, 2010 at 6:31 am #1591355

Ken Larson
BPL Member

@kenlarson
Locale: Western Michigan

To further explore my question that I posed to Will, "have you made any *warmpth tests using the Cocoon UL 60 pants as a comparison, to the three down pants you currently reviewed?”….. He replied he had not. Still interested in an answer to my question I communicated with Richard Nisley to see if he could give some insight or a definitive answer to this question. His reply to me is as follows. Richard also has presented some data concerning other down pants alternatives that expands this *warmpth question for those of you that are contemplating winter camping and are thinking about expanding your winter wardrobe for next year.

“The Cocoon UL 60 pants use 68 g/m2 PG Delta insulation. The Iclo value (best case – never compressed and un-quilted) = 2.04 oz * .68 clo per oz = 1.39 = 1.75 MET camp chores thermo-neutral temp = 44F.

Using an IR surface temperature test I would anticipate the mid 80’s F for the surface temp.

The Iclo values for the down pants Will tested are as follows:

Montbell UL Down Inner Pants ( 2 oz of 800 fill) = 1.74 Iclo = 40F

Western Mountaineering (2 oz of 850 fill) = 1.84 Iclo = 39F

PHD Minimus Down Trousers (3 oz of 832 fill) = 2.40 Iclo = 33F

Other down pants alternatives in the general range that Will covered include:

Mont-bell UL TEC Down Series (2.4 oz of 800 fill) = 1.96 Iclo = 38F

Western Mountaineering Flight Pants (3.0 oz of 850 fill) = 2.39 Iclo = 33F

Nunatak Kobuk Knickers (4.0 oz of 800 fill) = 2.70 Iclo = 30F

FF Helios Pants (4.9 oz of 800 fill) = 3.17 Iclo = 25F

Nunatak Kobuk Pants (5.0 oz of 800 fill) = 3.22 Iclo = 25F”

Apr 3, 2010 at 4:02 pm #1593923

Dan @ Durston Gear
BPL Member

@dandydan
Locale: Canadian Rockies

I thought I'd share some helpful information I got from http://www.e-OMC.com.

The helpful customer service rep (Nolan) measured the WM Flash pants and recorded:

Small:
inseam: 27.5 inches
waist: 28-31 inches

Medium
inseam: 29 inches
waist: 31-33 inches

As the BPL article mentions, these are pretty short legs. I wonder if they are intentionally short so they don't interfere with boots and/or so the down doesn't sneak out the bottom of your pants and get wet.

Based on this article, I'm disappointed with the Flash pants. They came in way over the weight spec (8.4oz vs. 6.5oz listed on WM's site) and with a poor fit, so now I'm left choosing between the less lofty Montbell ones, or settle for poorly fitting and unnecessarily heavy WM ones. I was hoping to get loftier WM down pants for the same weight and price as the Montbell ones but I guess I'm going with Montbell. e-OMC.com has the Montbell's on for $125 with free shipping right now.

Apr 5, 2010 at 9:07 am #1594387

F. Thomas Matica
Member

@ftm1776
Locale: Vancouver, WA

I really enjoyed the scope of this article.
I have a pair of the older style Montbell pants. I'm not doing any extended cold weather trips in frigid weather, so taking an extra pair of long johns or fleece pants, or both, is not beyond reason for me.
I appreciate the very light weight of the Montbells and, as Will points out, they work very well for the typical spring, summer and fall outings in the NW.

Apr 8, 2010 at 1:46 pm #1595799

Mitchell Keil
Member

@mitchellkeil
Locale: Deep in the OC

I have owned my pair of Montbells for about 4 years and can attest to their utility in most 3 season conditions. They have held up remarkably well for such thin fabrication. I usually use a pair of woolies top and bottoms when wearing both the down pants and the UL jacket and then put on my loose fitting trail pants and my Patagonia Dragonfly windshirt over them. This 3 layer combo has kept me warm sitting around camp down to about 20 degrees. I have been able to keep this sedentary position for as long as several hours while I read or listen to audio books with no discomfort. It also allows me to pack my light MOntbell SS #4, which is fairly accurately rated to about 35 degrees, and sleep comfortably down into the 20s using my downmat 7 shorty for a pad. Developing a complete sleep system really keeps the weight down and provides tremendous flexiblity especially while you are actually out on the trail.

Apr 8, 2010 at 3:14 pm #1595846

Ike Mouser
Member

@isaac-mouser

nunatak has a nice upcharge there. geez. I have hiked in weather down to 15F and never needed down pants. Used icebreaker 200's + my suplex convertibles, thick wool socks + x-static liner. If i had to i could layer on my rain pants for extra warmth. I would use down pants in camp if i was to use them. But in those kind of cold conditions, once i get to camp, in a matter of minutes im wrapped up in a pad, tq, and uq in my hammock anyway. I have a another pair of icebreakers as well, 150wt bottoms. i guess if i had to i could layer those over my 200's for even more warmth.

Does anyone know how quantum fabric holds up to abrasion/use?

Apr 16, 2010 at 12:43 am #1598556

Greg Foster
BPL Member

@thefost

Ended up getting the WM down pants in a size small. 28-31 waist seems about correct, and they weigh in at 6.54 oz.

Apr 17, 2010 at 9:43 pm #1599092

Dan @ Durston Gear
BPL Member

@dandydan
Locale: Canadian Rockies

Ben from GooseFeet (http://goosefeet.webs.com/apps/webstore/) made me a custom pair of down pants which I'm pretty excited about. Ben made them to my specifications and in my color choice with 800+fp down and Momentum fabrics. They were just sewn today so I won't have them for a couple weeks, but the specs look great.

According to Ben, they weigh 206g (7.26oz) with a generous 3.2oz of down. These pants are a custom fit, but they are roughly size medium. 44% of the weight of these pants is the down which is a significant improvement over the pants is this review (MB = 29%, PHD = 32%, WM = 24%).

I imagine Ben is interested in selling more of these, so give him a shout if you're interested.

Should be a big hit at Starbucks:

Apr 19, 2010 at 8:18 pm #1599824

Brad Rogers
BPL Member

@mocs123
Locale: Southeast Tennessee

Dan, those pants look sweet!

Nov 18, 2010 at 5:55 pm #1665822

Hikin’ Jim
BPL Member

@hikin_jim
Locale: Orange County, CA, USA

Small:
inseam: 27.5 inches
waist: 28-31 inches

Medium
inseam: 29 inches
waist: 31-33 inches

I don't suppose anyone has comparable data for the Large and XL sizes?

HJ

Nov 18, 2010 at 6:07 pm #1665831

Ben Smith
BPL Member

@goosefeet
Locale: Georgia

Jim,

I found a page that has sizing info here.

The pants that I make with standard 0.9 oz fabric are 7.25 – 7.5 ounces, with 3.5 ounces of down, are custom made to your size, and are $140.

– Ben Smith

Nov 18, 2010 at 6:16 pm #1665834

Hikin’ Jim
BPL Member

@hikin_jim
Locale: Orange County, CA, USA

Ben, Ben, Ben. You sure know how to tempt a guy. :) That's basically the same price as the Flash Pants, but with what sounds like a lot more insulation. What fill power of down are you using?

Thanks for the Flash Pants info,

HJ

Nov 18, 2010 at 6:20 pm #1665836

Ben Smith
BPL Member

@goosefeet
Locale: Georgia

Jim,

I do 800 fill as standard, but I can do 900 fill for an extra cost. The fill is almost as much as the WM Flight Pants for 0.5 ounces more than the Flash Pants.

Of course you can customize the amount of fill you get as well… $10 +/- per ounce (for 800 fill).

Nov 19, 2010 at 7:57 am #1666028

Hikin’ Jim
BPL Member

@hikin_jim
Locale: Orange County, CA, USA

Ben:

I took a look at your website, but I didn't see anything related to pants. Is there a link you can give me where I can see photos or read up a bit? If not you can email me a at jimdotbarbouratgmaildotcom

HJ

Sep 18, 2011 at 9:29 pm #1780727

Ian Clark
BPL Member

@chindits
Locale: Cntrl ROMO

A tempting trail that just dead ends? Did anyone try out the goosefeet pants? I find no mention of the product on their website.
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