Men in Tights!
by Cate Mowell
Have you ever found yourself getting dressed
for a springtime backcountry excursion, thinking: “Khaki
cargo shorts are just the ticket. But what if my legs get cold?
I know, I’ll wear my Patagonia Capilene long underwear bottoms
underneath. Genius!” Don’t lie. You’ve all done
it. I’ve seen you: in the backcountry, in trip reports,
and in the grocery store early in the morning buying GORP.
This strange fashion statement has always
puzzled me.
I say fashion statement because it couldn’t
possibly be legitimate layering. If you get too warm do you then
remove both layers, stand there in the nude for a moment feeling
virile, then put the shorts back on? It makes no sense, and it
defies everything I have ever learned about staying warm, or
cool, in the outdoors.
Now stop, before you panic, jump on your
fixed gear bike, and pedal your heart out to get to REI before
it closes, check this out: We asked the soft goods buyers at
three leading outdoor shops to give us their pick of the best
looking and most functional spring and summer skiing and hiking
pants available. Here's what they came up with… |
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Arc’teryx Palisade Pant
Autumn Talsky-- Owner,
Mammoth Mountaineering Supply & The Alpine Approach, Mammoth
Lakes, CA
“The Arc’teryx Palisade Pant
for men (left) and women (right) is our pick for Eastern Sierra
adventures from late spring through early fall. The pant is cool
enough for long hikes, breathes well, and dries fast. Its stretch
nylon/Lycra Terra Tex fabric is tough so that it won’t rip
when scratched against rock on high alpine routes. It has an
athletic fit and a soft waist band that keeps you comfortable
even while wearing a backpack.”
CATE’S THOUGHTS:
As Mitch would say, these “rule.” A pant worthy of
being worn in public as well as into the BC, the Palisade Pant
is tough and functional but also really, really ridiculously
good looking.
Arc’teryx Palisade Pant,
$99, www.mammothgear.com |
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Patagonia Simple Guide Pant
Kate Rosso-- Owner,
The Elephant’s Perch, Ketchum, ID
“The Patagonia Simple Guide Pant is
our best selling pant winter and summer, in both men’s (left)
and women’s styles (right). It fits well and is an ideal
pant for Nordic skiing, warm backcountry days, hiking and travel.
The weather gets hot and dry in Idaho during the spring and summer
and lightweight nylon wicks away moisture from your body then
dries quickly. Our customers love the elastic waistband and that
it is easy to pull on and off.”
CATE’S THOUGHTS:
I love Patagonia’s four way stretch fabric, high quality
construction and their incredible lifetime warrantee. The downside
is the elastic waistband: even when I cinch the drawcord I have
to tug at the waist of my pants to keep them from being pushed
down by the belt on my pack.
Patagonia Simple Guide Pant,
$125, www.elephantsperch.com |
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The North Face
Paramount Convertable Pant
Detlef Hagge-- “Low
Man on the Totem Pole,” Mountain Travelers, Rutland, VT
“In the Northeast we want clothing
that keeps up with our fast-changing weather. Our mornings can
be chilly, but by 10am the temps are likely to creep up to the
mid-90s. These convertible pants turn to shorts in seconds and
they’re both water resistant and quick drying; important
features for this area since we’re often hit by surprise
afternoon thunderstorms.”
CATE’S THOUGHTS:
This is a great looking pant and it’s packed with pockets.
The downside is that it is slim fitting (i.e. not steezy) and
according to at least one user review I found online, the fabric
may eventually pill. That being said, you can’t beat the
$65 price tag and the shorts have an 8” inseam so you’ll
never look like the Magnum P.I. of tele skiing (well, unless
you rock the Tigers cap and ‘stache).
The North Face Paramount Convertible
Pant, $65, www.mtntravelers.com |
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Next: Cate field tests and reviews a few
eyeware winners... and maybe a loser or two...
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