Isis Bernina Pant
November 4, 2008
I get to try out a lot of pants. Shell pants, soft shell pants, rain pants, ski pants, climbing pants, pants pants pants. So it’s really not too easy to capture my interest with pants design, but Isis has done it with the Bernina pants. Instead of having a front closure, they have side closures, which I was skeptical about at first. Gimmick alert, I thought to myself as I set out to test the pants. All other side-closure pants I’ve tried usually don’t stay closed. Once I even had to climb down from a peak holding my pants up because the stupid side zipper just wouldn’t stay shut. Isis knows what they’re doing though, and after a few excursions in the Berninas, I’m sold on the design.
The lack of front closure makes it more comfortable to carry packs, avalanche transceivers, and radios by eliminating the bulk associated with front closures. Usually a pack waist strap will end up right where the pants closure is, and this usually means the pack waist strap has to be pulled below the pants closure or the pants closure gets pushed below the pack waist strap, and everyone knows where that ends up – Bust-A-Sagville, population: you. The Berninas sport double-snap closures on both sides, ensuring that the side zippers are free from pressure and will therefore stay shut. The full-length side zippers, usually unflattering due to bulk, are virtually unnoticeable but make for easy on/off. Elastic gussets on the back of the waist improve comfort without allowing the pants to shift, and grippy cuffs keep the flying snow on the outside where it belongs. Snap closures on the cuffs ensure defense against precipitation no matter what boots you’re wearing, and they can accommodate ski boots as well as hiking boots.
The Berninas are high-waisted, but the design is so good I actually don’t mind. It’s so nice to not have a front closure competing with my backpack waist strap and my transceiver harness that I don’t even notice the high waist. The elastic on the waist is limited to two gussets on the back, which really seems to be the way to go. It’s functional AND flattering, since the gussets make the back of the waistband fit snug to the, well, waist. Imagine!
The Berninas are tough, too – they’re completely waterproof and resistant to tears and rubs. They feel substantial but not bulky; just perfect for a day of spring skiing or a long day of ridge climbing. As I’ve pointed out in other reviews, Isis makes only women’s gear, and it’s apparent that they have put a lot of thought into their design to expand gear options for women. They even made high-waisted pants that I like – doesn’t that just say it all?
Isis Peony Brief
November 4, 2008
Your most important layer is your base layer, and your base layer starts with your underwear. If your intimates make you uncomfortable, not even good outer layers will make up for it. Isis to the rescue! Gone are the days in which women’s underwear had to be uncomfortable. The Peony brief is made of soft, lightweight, chafeless fabric that wicks moisture and doesn’t dig in. You can barely feel that it’s there, which is really the point of good underwear. The whisperlight fabric and wide waistband make for a great fit, and the cut seems to be wedgie-proof. The waist is a tiny bit high for my taste, but I can live with it because I just can’t get over how great the fabric is. It’s silky soft, incredibly stretchy, and stays dry even during the most strenuous exertions. It’s completely chafe- and dig-in-proof, and did I mention the wide, soft waistband? It won’t pinch or leave marks.
Isis makes gear for women and only gear for women, and it shows in their design and attention to the female form. I know that these are only underwear, but it’s nice to feature a company that makes gear for women its number one priority – you know that they don’t have anything else to do other than make women’s gear better and better.
While I wear a size small in most everything else Isis, I tried a medium in the Peony and it works for me. The fabric is sufficiently stretchy that as long as you get the size kinda right, you’ll be comfortable. Now, what else do they make out of this fabric?
Mountain Hardwear Epic Pant
November 3, 2008
Waterproof, these are. Breathable, these are not really. OK, enough Yoda-speak. If it’s precipitating like mad outside, these pants will keep you dry, no question. If you’re exerting yourself, you might get wet anyway since there’s only so much breathing a completely waterproof fabric can do. Something’s gotta give, you know? These are great for the snow since if it’s cold out, you won’t be sweating as much. They do have the dreaded “Women’s Outdoor Gear High-Rise Waist,” which, you know, ugh. You’ve heard of mom-jeans, these are mom-rain pants. But my only real complaint about the design is the elastic cuffs. I see the argument for the elastic, and it’s supposed to help keep your pant cuffs dry, but I find that the elastic ends up creeping up my legs, leaving my pant cuffs exposed anyway. This effect is exascerbated if I’m wearing bulky boots – the elastic wants to migrate to the point of least resistance, which is usually above the tops of the boots. Dork alert.
If there was a built-in gaiter, it would help keep the pant legs in place, but I’d prefer a straight cut anyway. There is something about pants with elastic cuffs that will always scream MC Hammer to me. Bottom line, though, is that if you like the fit, you will appreciate the water-blocking power of the Epic pants. They’re lightweight, so don’t think you’ll be wearing these to round up the dogies in the puckerbrush and still have anything resembling pants at the end of the day, but if you’re reasonably careful you will get by without any rips or tears.
One note on the sizing – these are sized S-M-L and there is a BIG difference in sizes, at least between the S and the M. I checked the mediums repeatedly because they were so much bigger than the smalls, it seemed that they might have been mislabled men’s pants or something. I’m a size 4-6 so I usually wear a small, but can get by with a medium sometimes – but not this time. The smalls seemed to fit fairly normally (maybe even a bit more snug than usual) but I was drowning in the mediums. I was really flummoxed at the sigificant difference in sizing. Just another illustration of why women’s outdoor clothing should ALWAYS have numerical sizing and not this S-M-L garbage. If you’re in between, you’re not going to have the correct fit.
