Patagonia Simple Guide Pants and Hoody
April 14, 2012
Patagonia does “simple” just about as well as it can be done. I keep looking for anything not practically perfect about their stuff and I can usually not find it. I keep trying all their fancy new stuff and I like it all. The Simple Guide Pants and Hoody just seemed like a bit of a throwaway request as I looked for things to feature this spring; they’re not flashy or new or shiny or groundbreaking; just a basic set of very light softshell pants and jacket. I didn’t think I’d have much use for them and I didn’t know what I’d have to say about the set, which just goes to show how wrong I can be about what it is I’ll use or like. Since the package arrived from Patagonia, I’ve hardly gone a day without wearing them.
I loved the way the pants fit; nice and slim without being tight, with a perfect rise hitting just over the tops of my hipbones. Plenty comfortable walking, climbing, or just sitting around. See, a lot of people wouldn’t really “get” how important that is, but I think most women have had a pair of pants that felt comfortable for walking but had that “dig-in” feeling when the wearer sits down. Not these – they are awesome. They feel like pajamas (okay, they ALMOST feel like pajamas); you forget about them no matter what you’re doing when you have them on.
The hoody is Patagonia’s “regular” fit (as opposed to “slim” fit, meaning that it’s a bit relaxed to give the wearer plenty of options for underlayers. I was able to layer the Patagonia Ultralight Down Jacket under this hoody to great effect and without any restriction in movement. It’s just a “relaxed” fit, not baggy, so order your regular size and you’ll be happy.
Both the jacket and pants have been my go-to for everything from walking the dog to climbing a ridge, to a five day camping/ice climbing venture. Actually that last part was super stressful as I usually don’t wear gaiters when ice climbing and as a result a lot of my pants are riddled with holes at crampon level. I loved these pants so much that I had some anxiety about cutting them up so I borrowed gaiters from a camping partner. Coincidentally enough this was the first ice climbing trip I’ve been on that I didn’t end up ruining a pair of pants. Hmmm. Those two things can’t be related…can they?
Like I said, features are basic. Pants have two hip pockets and one leg pocket. Jacket has one inner pocket and two zippered handwarmer pockets. No pit zips, no vents. You don’t really need them as the fabric is quite lightweight. Not heavy on the features but just what you need – like the name says, they are simple but effective. I can’t imagine going anywhere without these for all but the bitterest of the winter months (too light for that); they’re so versatile, comfortable, and useful. The temperature range is truly incredible. On my camping trip I wore these pants with a base layer in low-teen temps and on their own into the high 40s and they were reasonably comfortable at both extreme ends of that temperature range. During spring, summer, and fall in Alaska they’re going to get a TON of wear, I can already tell.
It’s hard to find anything to complain about with Patagonia stuff but I will say that the pants could be a tad bit longer. Tall ladies will want to look for the longer-inseam length. Other than that I don’t think you could do any better if you need a nice light jacket and pants for variable conditions. I beat them up and they still look brand new. They wash well (and I should know, since I’ve worn them so much already they’ve been washed several times) and pack down pretty nicely. A wonderful surprise from a company I already held in high esteem. At $99 for the pants and $149 for the hoody, it’s top-quality gear at a reasonable price point.
Helly Hansen Odin Mountain Pant
March 31, 2012
Holy crap these pants are awesome. They have Kevlar. They are customizeable. They have a great size range. They fit well. They’re warm. They cover all the bases. They’re brilliant.
I guess I have to elaborate, but if you’re in the mood for a quickie review, just stop there and you’ve got the gist of it.
For those who want more detail, check it out: you can set these pants up anyway you want – as bibs, as regular pants, with or without powder cuffs, integrated with the matching jacket (they zip into the Odin Mountain Jacket if you so desire that setup) – they’re fantastic. It’s easy to see that they are designed for the mountain professional. The strategic zippers are a great feature. Finding that the powder cuffs just zip right out was awesome; I hate powder cuffs and usually just cut them off my pants. HH had already thought of this and made theirs removable on the Odin Mountain Pants.
I also like the transition from regular pants to bibs and back again via a waist zipper. I usually stick with the bibs configuration, but if you prefer just pants they work fine that way as well. I like the bibs because they’re warmer, provide one more pocket option on the lower rib cage (though this pocket would be better if it were a teeny bit bigger and could more easily accommodate an avalanche transceiver)
There are two nice pockets on the front of each thigh which is something that most women’s gear lacks. Good pockets are a must and so many manufacturers haven’t figured that out. I like the front-of-legs pockets because they’re always accessible and a lot more flattering than the look you get when you stuff something into hip pockets. The leg pockets are also better when using the pants with harnesses and/or longer jackets. My field notebook fits in there nicely which is great when doing snow science stuff.
Sizing will kind of run the gamut. I can usually wear either a small and tend to find that mediums are just too big and baggy, but I found that the Helly Hansen small was on the itty-bitty side. I can wear it, but for full mobility I swapped to the medium. The M is a little bit big for me but not too bad, and at least women smaller than me will have something that fits them well for once. I’d really like to see gear for women made in numeric sizes rather than just the S/M/L models. it would be great to have women’s pants in lengths as well, like guys have, but now I’m off on a tangent. Back to the Odin Mountain Pants. My only real problem with the size mediums is that they’re obviously made for a taller woman, and at 5’5″ I’m not exactly short. I have to pull the shoulder straps all the way up, pulling well past the end of the elastic to make them fit. Even then they’re still a little loose but it doesn’t actually bother me when I have the bibs on.
These are without a doubt the best professional-grade pants I’ve tried in the last five years. No question. I love Helly’s commitment to making women’s gear to meet professional standards, and I’m grateful to them for their amazing ad campaigns featuring women outdoor professionals – not just in the women’s market, but in the outdoor market. Helly Hansen ads in ski magazines feature women If you roll up on the Helly Hansen boot at OR, you’re likely to see a larger-than-life billboard of a female athlete; something not exactly normal for companies that make gear for both sexes. It’s a testament to Helly’s regard for women that their gear is great and they value their women athletes enough to put them front and center on such a consistent basis without fear of alienating the male market (most likely the reason more companies don’t feature women in their ads, which is lame). Thanks Helly Hansen for a great piece of gear and for having so much respect for women in the outdoor industry!
Item submitted for review by Helly Hansen.
Mountain Hardwear Winter Wander Pants
January 14, 2012
If I were shopping for pants online and came across the above picture, I’d just scroll on by. I don’t really understand the idea of using unflattering pictures for gear, especially for pants like this pair, which are really nice and look really good. That’s why I chase down these pieces for review; you never really know until you get your hands on them.
When I asked Mountain Hardwear if I could try them out, they almost didn’t want to send them because this pant is evidently a staple of their collection and, as their PR staff put it, the Winter Wander Pants “don’t need any help.” They usually like me to focus on new product. But I begged, because I really want to help you readers find better pants, since you’re always asking me about it. And I’m sure glad I did, because these are indeed a great pair of pants.
A few caveats, though. The Winter Wander pants are a pretty basic softshell. They are designed to “shed water and snow” but I don’t think I’d wear them in precipitation; the finish is just not durable enough. I also don’t use them for very cold weather; brisk fall days (Alaska-style brisk; into the low 30s/upper 20s, maybe, though I wore them last week in low 20s and they did OK for a short time) are the most they can handle unless you are really exerting yourself. That said, I do really like these pants and have been using them this winter, but usually with a long coat or down skirt to add a little extra warmth on my legs since the pants are just a little too thin. I might try wearing them as a midlayer while skiing, because they’re cut slim enough to fit under other pants.
The fit is why I like them so much. They fit like jeans; nice low rise, slim cut around the hips and legs, and a flare at the hem. I wear them with my big winter boots and pull the pants down over the boots, which keeps the snow out. Even my stylist (remember her?) said they looked really cute and she usually clucks at me for wearing outdoorsy stuff. They’re great for wearing around town on stormy days because they barely look like snow pants at all. The softshell fabric is pretty thin which is why they’re not particularly warm, but that’s also why they’re so flattering. I love the design and the fit, though, and I’d like to see this fit tried out with a tougher and warmer softshell material.
They fit pretty true to size in my experience and I believe they come in a short length if you’re not willowy and tall. I am pretty average height and the regular length is perfect for me. They’re not the warmest or the toughest, but they’re pretty good and I hope that MHW saves the design to use with other, warmer materials.
Featured Brand: Columbia Dolomite Pant
September 5, 2011
Total pant love, here. It’s no secret I’m a huge fan of Columbia stuff and they’ve really hit a home run with this flattering, lightweight pant that. This is THE cut that I’ve been trying to find in hiking pants. I’m not a fan of baggy, floppy hiking pants (especially the ones that taper at the ankles, ugh and double ugh) but most of the ones that were designed to be a little more fashion conscious were too constricting or too boot-cut, which is a problem when you’re out hiking and climbing; those floppy hems get COVERED in mud. The Dolomite pant hits the perfect note.
Andrea from Columbia PR suggested I try these pants and included them with a pile of samples for the season. She warned me that my regular size might end up being too tight, and yeah, she was right about that. She sent me another pair a size up and they are almost perfect. Don’t get me wrong, they are still a slim-cut pant and if you’re not comfortable with showing your body shape, these may not suit you, but I REALLY love them not only because they look great, but because their lightweight, stretchy fabric and slim cut make it easy to slide on a pair of rain pants over, should you get caught out in inclement weather while hiking. They are kind of boot-cut-ish, but not so much that the hems get totally caked in mud and dirt from brushing against each other.
The most genius feature of these pants is the adjustable waistband. I’ve seen many try and fail, and this is the first one I’ve seen that actually works. It’s got a wide elastic band sewn into the waist that you can adjust to be tighter or looser. Since my waist tends to be small and my booty tends toward the badonkadonk, I usually windup with pants that are tight in the ass but still loose in the waist – terrible, and a common problem from what I hear. The Dolomite pants really do fix all that!
The one sizing issue that I have come up with, and my one criticism of the pants is that because they run small in circumference, some of the other proportions are off. They are meant to be a lowish rise pant, but because I have to wear a size up, the rise is too long for me, giving me a bit of a sag. Now that I’ve written that, though, I realize that with pants this lightweight, a sag is much, much preferable to a camel toe situation, by far. So maybe I’ve no complaints after all.
I’m pretty convinced that despite their thin fabric, the Dolomites are pretty tough. They really have shown no sign of wear this season and they survived my yearly roof-cleaning session, which involves crawling around on abrasive tiles trying to get the moss off while managing a very bizarre fall-protection system involving anchoring myself from my chimney. From this adventure, I found that the Dolomites are great for wearing under a climbing harness as they don’t bunch or catch on the leg loops. The waist was high enough to sit under the waist belt of the harness quite comfortably. I’d take these pants climbing for certain. I’d take them traveling, too, and pretty much anywhere because they are so comfortable and they never end up looking sloppy.
A great addition to these pants would be a reinforced knee-and-booty version for a little more abrasion protection. We don’t have that yet, but we can always dream, right, Columbia?
Strangely they are kind of hard to find on the online shops. Many shops only have the men’s version, boo! You can get them direct from Columbia.com for full price of $70, but I found them at AltrecOutlet.com for over 50% off, a great deal! That last link will get me a teeny tiny commission if you buy, which should make you feel good while you’re saving almost $35, so everyone wins!
Mountain Hardwear High Step Pants
July 7, 2011
The picture above links to Backcountry.com which will give me a tiny commission if you buy the pants from them. I hope you do, because commissions are sweet!
These pants are not impervious to bleach, as I am sadly aware. I reveal this because it could be possible that I haven’t exactly treated these pants with kid gloves, which is a shame because I really like them. I think they are meant to be climbing pants, based on the fact that they have a little rear-leg pocket for something or other, but I only use them for around-the-house/lounging pants. I hate that they have a bleach spot now because if I wear them anywhere else I look like I live in a trailer court. Bah.
For climbing, they’d be all right. They’re made of stretchy cotton (like sweatpants) so they are not abrasion-resistant. For a climber who might occasionally throw a knee on a hold (not me, no never!) they’d wear through pretty quickly. For a gym climber they would work out a little better, I’d think. I’ll try them the next time I make my annual pilgrimage to the climbing gym and let you know.
I really liked these pants when I got them in this season’s sample shipment from Mountain Hardwear. They were so cute and comfortable and perfect; with a lowish rise and a nice conical wide waistband that was so comfy and flattering. However, in the time I’ve been wearing them, the waist has stretched out a bit and now I can get a bit of a sag going. That’s not quite as flattering, as you might expect. They might work better for a person with a smaller hip-waist ratio, but in general I’d advise buying a size smaller than usual and just going with that. If they are a bit tight at first, they’ll loosen up. The main draw of the High Step pants is that they are so comfortable you won’t even believe it. Oh, and if you get bleach on them you can color them back in with a matching Sharpie.
Prana Moab Pants
April 28, 2011
Prana contacted me after reading my four year old review of their Bliss pants, which I can’t say that I liked but can say that after all this time are still going strong. Prana thought I’d like to try some of their other gear and sent along the Moab pant, which is recommended by none other than Steph Davis herself. I was stoked to try them because great outdoor pants for women are so hard to find.
I asked for a pair in my regular size. Not having worn Prana in a while, this was a gamble, as I’d no idea how they would fit. At first I thought they were a little too form-fitting for my taste, but after only a few wearings and washings, they’ve broken in well and my regular size fits great. I also tried on a size up, but that was a miserable failure which I find weird – more on that in a minute.
The Moab pants are a tough, quick-drying, abrasion-resistant pant, which is super great because with all the lightweight options out there, it’s nice to have pants on the market that can take brushcutting and climbing abuse and survive. I’ve worn them hiking and out on the town, and they rise to both occasions. While hiking, I didn’t really notice them much, which is a major plus in my opinion. The last thing you want to have to think about is your clothes – you want them to just do the job so you can forget about them. The Moab pants worked for me in this regard for the most part. I did have trouble with wearing them with one of my backpacks – the smaller, lightweight pack worked fine but the larger pack contacted my sacrum right at the beltline of the pants, which pushed the pants down. Not a good combination! Because of my long-legged, short-waisted build, I’d hesitate to wear these pants with a big or heavy pack due to this issue. However, hiking without a pack and hiking with a lightweight/smaller pack have been just fine.
The fit of the Moab pants is very intriguing to me. From this review and the accompanying picture, I assumed this would be a more loose-fitting, drapey type of pant. Evidently Whitney and I have completely different body types, for I found the fit to be body-skimming in the waist and ass, and even a little slim (but not tight) in the thighs. The fit loosened up after some washing and wearing, which is good because the size-up strategy did not work for me AT ALL. The size up was just as snug in the ass, but just looser in the waist (ugh) and legs, making me look like I had weird elephant legs. It’s bizarre to me because Whitney reported having to order one size down from her regular, and the Moab pants are baggy on her, whereas even one size up from my regular does not result in baggy pants for me. To me this kind of clarifies that Prana pants are usually cut for straighter, slimmer figures rather than curvy, muscular badonka donks like mine. Still, the pants flatter me and fit fine, with none of that dreaded back-of-waist gap that signals ‘bad fit’ to me. Be advised, the rise is low, but not so low that you show any crack – still, some people might find that it needs a bit of getting used to.
Still, I wasn’t completely sold on the pants at first. I like the low rise and the flattering fit, and they’re nice for hiking, but for me the low rise eliminates them from climbing potential because I kind of hate it when my pants are lower than my harness. However, maybe I should actually try it before I knock it. I like the built-in webbing belt, which is nice if the fit is generally good, but won’t save you if the pants are too big. At least it’s not a drawstring! And the pants are sized numerically so that you can dial in the fit – none of this S-M-L crap. I was intimidated by the snug ass/hips and the low rise, but now that I’ve worn them a few times I like them more and more. I even bought a pair of my own with my own money (very rare for gear-tester mentality, believe me, even though I did buy them on supersale) which is a good sign that the Moab pants are worth checking out. I just wore them for a search and rescue dog demonstration and I notice that they don’t retain dog hair, which is a MAJOR PLUS in my book.
I’m appreciative of this effort from Prana. As I mentioned, women’s pants are one of those categories that is commonly neglected by the industry. Jackets and tops, they have dialed, but pants are still hit and miss (and the selection really isn’t as good as it needs to be, as Whitney points out in her review). It’s gratifying that a company has made some steps to improve women’s pants design, and from the fact that the Moab pants are sold out all over the place, I’d guess that other women feel the same way.
If you want them, you better hurry. They are sold out everywhere except, seemingly, here:
Click here to be taken to CampSaver.com for the last pair of size 8 Moab pants. Except for the pair I’m about to return to backcountry.com…in either case this is an affiliate link. If you click and buy, I make a depressingly tiny piece of money.
How To Size Your Mountain Khakis
February 16, 2011
If you haven’t heard of Mountain Khakis by now, you are living under a rock. MK is based out of Jackson, WY and produces a line of some of the toughest and most unique women’s outdoor lifestyle pants on the market. I know, because I keep trying to destroy mine and they keep resisting.
I’ve grown to love all the MK pants I’ve tried, and to me what stands out other than the craftsmanship and the unique, mountain life-based styling, is the fit. Where most manufacturers are going to a slim-cut leg or staying with the tried and true bootcut, MK styles their pants in a flattering yet roomy fashion for women who need to move but need tough pants with no foofy spandex or stretch component. There are a few MK styles that do have stretch, but the majority don’t, which is unusual and kind of cool. We all need options, you know?
I realized that I hadn’t yet discussed ALL of the MK styles so I needed to do some reviews, but I wanted to put all the MK info together because each style has its little idiosyncracies and I thought that you MK fans might be interested in some in-depth info about how each style fits and how you might be sure to order the best size for you.
The Alpine Utility Pant is a total classic. This is the pant you want when you’re splitting wood, cleaning out the stable, tossing around hay bales – you get the drift. I dig the Utility Pant in a size up from my regular so I not only have room to move, but to attain that insouciant slouch one can only truly get from pants that are just a tad too big. The Utility Pants in my regular size are all right, but they are higher in the rise than I prefer, giving me that mommy jeans kind of vibe. I despise a high waist, ESPECIALLY in pants that don’t have stretch. How can I enjoy half a large pizza and two pints of beer in a waistband that’s cutting off my ability to digest food? So, buy a size up in these babies. In general the styling is towards the straight leg which is handy for work stuff, because you don’t want to trip on your boot cuts when you’re wielding a chainsaw. I said this in my original review and I’ll say it again – these need a hammer loop, please, AMK!
The Cottonwood Cords are a little idiosyncratic. my regular size is nice and slouchy, with the low rise of the pants really working for me. The thing about these is that the actual waistband of the pants is a little smaller than typical for low-rise pants. So the slouchy fit never gets TOO slouchy, if you catch my drift. I actually have these pants in both my regular size and a size down and they both work for me. On my bloatier days I find the waistband of the smaller pair a bit too constricting, but my regular size is always dependable. These are straight leg as well, with a bit more flare than the Utility Pants. Not flare like flared jeans from the Gap, but the leg definitely gets steadily wider towards the hem. It’s nice – relaxed and different than the usual and a tad anti-trend. I like anti-almost-anything-popular so I think these cords kick ass.
Teton Twill pants are designed a lot like the Cottonwood Cords. A relaxed fit, with a firmly bias-cut waistband and a flared leg. They have the same material (I think) as the Alpine Utility Pants, only without the reinforcements. The material might even be a little bit softer and thinner, but I don’t know for sure. These are styled like a traditional khaki in a lot of ways but still have that “work pant” vibe about them. You can wear them to the office a little more reasonably than you can wear the Utility Pants though. These are true to size. One size up is WAY too baggy and one size down is way too small.
Granite Creek Pant – what used to be the Snake River Pant – is the most mystifying for me. I tried three different sizes before picking the right one for me. I think the key to these pants is breaking them in. Every size seemed to be all wrong until I buckled down and wore them a few times. These are quick-drying, low-rise, technical pants with a casual, serious-mountain-person air. The waist is small – it’s sometimes takes a strategic effort to get them over my hips – but the pants still adopt a bit of a slouch even in my usual size. I like that, because if they didn’t slouch, they’d be too snug in the ass. For the first few wearings, my regular size had the dreaded rear-waist gap so I had to wear a belt lest I show my day’s choice of undergarment. After 4-5 wearings they’ve adapted to my body shape and no belt required anymore. A size up for these is okay, depending on body type, but you’ll probably need a belt. I’d say regular size, and make sure to break them in. One amazing thing about the Granite Creek pants is that you can beat the crap out of them and get them insanely dirty and they not only wash perfectly but they practically wipe off. I got mine armored in mud and I just shook them out after they dried and wore them to the office anyway. No one was the wiser.
Cargo Capris – the Bermuda Triangle mystery pant. My regular size and a size up seemed to both fit fine. So…buh? Could be a sample thing; maybe I got samples instead of production. Who knows. Regular size is safe for these, just remember – no stretch!
So there you have it, the Geargals Guide to Sizing Your Mountain Khakis. If you liked this info, please let me know – I think sizing is one of the more difficult parts of buying gear in this age of Internet shopping!
GoLite Softshell Collection
February 5, 2011
GoLite sent a softshell grab bag consisting of the Wind River pants and the Black Mountain Thermal jacket and vest. I’ve been liking this set for a while, but hadn’t given it a proper test in the NW because it’s rainy in the NW and rain and softshell are not compatible. What are compatible are cold, dry conditions, softshell, and exertion, so I tested this set extensively this winter by skiing in SW Colorado and most recently while ice climbing in Ouray last week. Basically, I’m in love. I’m a big softshell fan by nature (hm, that might actually reflect on my love for cold dry conditions, but I digress – as per usual) so I was very keen to get back on the softshell train.
I was surprised to find that the size Medium samples sent my way fit reasonably well. I usually get all whiny and bitchy when I get Medium samples, because they’re always too big and believe it or not, it’s really hard to figure out whether something is good or not when you’re drowning in it. It seems that GoLite has not yet succumbed to the Great American Size Creep in which sizes are becoming bigger and bigger; what used to be a M is now a S, and what used to be a S is now an XS, and what used to be an XS just doesn’t exist. GoLite’s sizing is pretty decent though I suspect I could go either way (S or M). The jacket and vest were a tad roomier in the torso than I typically like and the pants fit everywhere but the waist, where they were insanely too big and required a belt. I had other items in this GoLite shipment that were mediums and were indeed to big, so maybe err on the smaller side if you’re going to purchase.
Since the waist of the pants was too big, I had to wear a web belt and suffer through an annoying break-in period in which the pants weren’t very comfortable. I’ve learned from this gear testing gig that pants need to be worn a few times in order to feel just right. That makes it really hard to figure out if you want them just by trying them on in the store. Hence this web site. We come full circle, no? Anyway, once I wore the pants a few times with a belt, they felt better as is usually the case. I found the one belt loop in the back to be inadequate; it is way better when there are three belt loops in back; this seems obvious but was left out in this case.
The pants look great, with a low rise and flattering boot cut which was just big enough for my ski boots. The inner gaiter was not at all big enough for my ski boots, though, and I contemplated cutting it out. I’m glad I didn’t, because it worked really well for my ice climbing/mountaineering boots last week. The inner gaiter only has one stirrup loop, though, so I couldn’t tie the pants down around my boots like I usually do for ice climbing – instead, I threaded the strap to my crampons through the loop and that worked like a charm. I’m still not sure why there’s only one loop there….maybe because we’re trying to “go light” and two loops would be heavier? I really don’t know. But I made it work.
The pants also come with suspenders, which in my opinion is just a waste of time and weight on women’s pants. First of all, no suspender can solve the issue created by the curves of a woman’s body. The suspenders go over your shoulders and down the curve of your shoulder blades, and then contact NOTHING until they get to the pants. This creates a very unflattering clown-like bucket look. My climbing companions joked about putting my spare layers and lunch in the pants bucket, and that’s not a bad idea, though I really don’t want to eat a sandwich after it’s been in my pants all day. There is also the problem of peeing. I am not a fan of anything that makes me take off layers to pee. I just want to drop the drawers, do my thing, and zip back up. None of that off-with-the-jacket, off-with-the-midlayer, remove the suspenders, drop pants, do business, repeat in reverse order for me. No, those suspenders won’t do at all. They are detachable, though, so they are easy to remove. I just don’t get why they are there at all in the first place.
I like that both the jacket and the vest are a nice long length; well past the hipbones. I was able to fasten my climbing harness over both layers and they stayed put nicely. The downside of this is that I could no longer use the pockets, and there was no Napoleon pocket which would have been a nice addition.
Performance-wise, the entire set is very good. All the pieces are light, breathable, and very stretchy, allowing for full range of motion. Bells and whistles are kept to a minimum, with only two pockets per upper body item and three on the pants (hip pockets and one thigh pocket) which is fine, though I do appreciate a Napoleon pocket on jackets as I mentioned. High friction areas are reinforced a bit, which is nice, especially for me as I knee-jammed front-pointed my first real mixed pitch LIKE A BOSS the other day. That dirt stain on the knee of my white GoLite pants? Um…I must have leaned up against my dirty car. That’s it, it’s from the car.
I’ve worn this set during activity in some seriously cold weather and it’s been great. Like any softshell, once you stop moving you better throw on some more layers, but while you’re moving you’ll stay warm and dry. It’s pretty tough material for something so lightweight, and it mostly survived some crampon stabbings with only the expected damage. The pants could be a bit longer, but the sleeves on the jacket are nicely long so I’ll take it. I’d estimate that this set is good in exertion to temps well into the lower teens, and possibly lower if you’re really working hard. I have both the black and the white, and I recommend the white for a snazzy look, though it’s likely you’ll get dirt all over them like I did. I’d love to see a selection of pants in other fun colors, but for some reason the outdoor industry is loathe to let go of the black pants, bright color jacket scheme. At least the white pants are a nice change.
Lole Romp Pants
December 6, 2010
Whenever I get a new item to review, I have to figure out what the item is for, and then go do that thing and see how it does. If the item is for something I don’t do, I have to either find someone who does it and have them use it and do the review, learn how to do the thing itself, or use the item for something else and see how it does at that. Do you follow? If you are lost, don’t worry. I’m a bit lost now too. So, back to the pants: I think I am supposed to be doing yoga in these, but I don’t do yoga. A sweaty room with 25 women who are pretending to be all zen but are really so high-strung that someone leaving or entering the room is enough to set of a flurry of passive aggressive sighs and frowns followed by an over-entitled Internet rant is no place for me. People, the point is to meditate and relax in your own self-made bubble of peace, not freeze frame the rest of the world just the way you want it and make everyone else do your bidding while you maintain your paper-thin veneer of fragile calm. See, I don’t even DO yoga and I know that. I’d pass these pants to a yoga person but I actually don’t know any yoga people – my crowd is not really the yoga type. There is no chance of me subjecting myself to yoga just to test pants, so I have used them for other stuff. “Other stuff” in this case means hanging around the house and martial arts practice. I didn’t actually wear them TO karate class, as we must all wear a gi in those classes, but I practice at home too, so I didn’t have to do pushups for wearing them.
They’ve pretty much replaced all my other pants for those purposes. They are really nicely made and the quality of fabric and stitching is evident. I love lounging around in these pants in large part because whatever this fabric is, it doesn’t let cat or dog hair stick to it. In my house, this is a pretty big deal.
They did require a bit of restyling. I wasn’t a fan of the elastic drawstring cords around the hems, and the plastic thingy that you use to adjust them was getting in my way when I walked. I cut the cords and pulled them out and all is well, though the plastic grommets do make a tapping sound when I walk on the hardwood floor. They are a tad long for five-five me, but I don’t mind that, or at least I mind it less than too-short. Without the plastic grommets I probably would never notice.
I’m pretty stoked that these pants have pockets. They are well-done front pockets, too, so they don’t puff out like ugly side pockets. I can lounge around the house AND carry the important essentials with me. The fit is nice; with a low waist (thank you Lole) and a relaxed fit. The fabric is very light, doesn’t wrinkle, and, as I mentioned, sheds cat and dog hair, but doesn’t supply any warmth factor so choose your temperature range wisely. I was sent a size M as a sample size and I usually wear a small, but the mediums work for lounging around. They are definitely baggy and the smalls would be more flattering, so I’d say that they are probably pretty true to size.
These pants really have that quality feel and are well designed and constructed.
Mountain Khakis Alpine Utility Pants
November 27, 2010
I’ve been wearing these damn things for three days straight now, so I better just write about them already. I’ll just say it – these are a “Carhartt alternative,” made for working on things like machines, ranches, home projects, what have you. If only I’d had these during my cabin killing expedition last year. Wait, I haven’t told you about that yet. It’s a good story, so stay tuned; maybe I’ll write it up. But before I do that, I have to get this review done.
It’s pretty obvious these are working pants. Still, I was saving them for a special occasion for some idiot reason. Maybe it’s that I didn’t have any reason to wear them for a while – I’m finished with my full home remodel (thankyouverymuch), I had already gone cabin killing, I finally own a car nice enough that I can’t work on it myself – what could I use these for? I should have sent them to one of my review crew who is a trail ranger in Alaska, but I didn’t. Sorry, faithful writer.
So they sat for a bit. They were so nice and new and clean, I couldn’t bring myself to use them at all. Then I realized I’m not in Alaska this winter and therefore I don’t need to save a “special” pair of utility pants. Yes, in Alaska, there is such a thing as your “dress Carhartts”. I bit the bullet and wore them to the dirtiest of all dirty places, the horse barn. Miraculously they made it out without getting stained (or torn, like my jeans did the first time I wore them there. My SEVEN jeans, may I mention). Pretty soon I was reaching for them a lot. They were tough enough for anything, and always bounced back from stains and dirt. Their stiff, tough fabric started molding to my body shape, so here I am, driving across the country in them. Ladies, you know pants have to be comfortable if you can wear them driving for three days.
The fit is a little different than you might expect from a work pant. They’re kind of cut on the slimmer side, and they don’t have any stretchiness to them, so order a size up if you want room to move. I’m in a size above my regular and they’re still pseudo fitted but roomy enough to climb in without being crazy baggy. The legs are cut straight so you can have a bit of room without a boot cut shape. I’ve used them for a lot of stuff, from work to play – they are actually quite nice to climb in as they are so tough they protect your delicate anatomy from scraping on those big bad rocks. I know it’s not very fashionable of me to climb in utility pants but for some reason I find it appealing, what can I say. There’s a reason I’m not on any best dressed lists, and you’ve never seen my picture in one of those calendars of female athletes who seem to be really good at sports but really bad at remembering to wear clothes.
Is that the mother of all tangents, or what? God, I’ve got to get this review done so I can get some sleep. Back to the fit – my waist is on the small side as is that of many women athletes, so I could get away with availing myself of the side buttons that cinch the waist down, but I don’t mind a bit of droop and I suspect the folds caused by cinching down the waist would be more annoying than having to hitch up my pants every now and then (perhaps a belt might help, there, genius?), not to mention that said folds are not that attractive. Big pleats on my ass? No thanks. I’m not sure who could get away with that look, but it’s not me.
As long as you leave those buttons alone, they look really nice. They’re made of tight cotton duck denim, which means they are pretty darn warm and have to get really wet to soak through. No stretch equals no sketchy spandex to melt if you get too close to a campfire. The fabric is abrasion resistant and easy to care for (a must, in my book). The back hem, the one that drags on the ground when you walk if you are short, is doubled for a reason that I suspect is not limited to the dragging issue, but as you can tell this is not the most well researched review so it’s anyone’s guess what the rest of the reinforcement is for.
So finally a new utility pant for women. I like that the cut is slim enough that I don’t have to drown just to wear comfortable pants for working. They are, like everything else MK, very nicely put together. They could use a few more utility features, like a hammer loop and maybe reinforced knees, so maybe MK will put together another iteration of these pants just for those of us who can’t get enough of double cotton duck.
And with that, I’m off to rehydrate and prepare for one…last…day of driving. Yes, I’m wearing the utility pants again tomorrow. Four days in a row and you really can’t tell – these pants can hold their own.
