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Men's MixMaster
Soft Shell Pants
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September, 2004-- Patagonia's Mixmaster Pants are the warmest soft
shell pants in their entire alpine line. Designed primarily to
meet the needs of ice and alpine climbers, as well as mountaineers
venturing into the rarefied world of expedition type climbing.
These guys and gals put a high priority on warmth and unrestricted
movement, basic qualities that when well executed, make for ideal
telemark and backcountry skiing pants
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The MixMaster's
primary outer fabric is an 8-oz nylon stretch woven (Polartec
Power Shield) face with their Deluge DWR proprietary Durable
Water Repellent finish. Patagonia claims their
Deluge DWR lasts substantially longer than standard finishes.
and that their Deluge coated garments will maintain like-new
water repellency after years of use, a key point when evaluating
the effectiveness of soft shell outdoor wear to keep the wearer
warm and dry.
The inner fabric
is single-sided R1 insulation (Polartec Power Dry). Reinforcement
materials are made from 4.9-oz nylon stretch woven fabric built
into the articulated knees and butt . These panels are also Deluge
DWR coated.
The stretch woven,
windproof, and water resistant nylon face laminated to the R1
insulation results in a pant with excellent moisture transport
qualities, and warmth in a clean, stretchy, soft shell. |
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We skied the
MixMasters more than 50 days last year, far more than any other
pants in our collection. And they were taken out in a variety
of conditions, from California's coastal Sierra with its often
higher humidity, to the mostly cold and dry climes of Colorado.
Our Mixmasters were along for some wonderfully cold deep powder
snow in Wyoming's Teton Pass, and we we even got some days skiing
in our local southern California mountains where you can hit
conditions that will take you from very cold and damp, to rain,
back to cold snow and then to sun, all in a few hours. We also
spent a lot of time with the MixMasters in the often very windy,
high alpine environment that is our main ski hill, Mammoth Mountain.
First a word
on soft shell outdoor wear: we were told by a friend before beginning
this test last year, "once you go soft shell, you'll never
go back." And it's true, just pulling on hard shells again
reminds you every time how much more comfortable the soft shells
are, Remember getting back to the car or cabin and just dying
to get the hard shell stuff off as fast as possible and hit the
shower? Well, that feeling is pretty much gone. They really do
breath, even when you are at rest, and the fabric's "hand"
is soft and pleasant. You come home and you feel like you have
been in your regular clothes all day and that you haven't had
sweat rolling down your arms or your legs and marinating in your
socks. For those of us that spend a lot of time on the snow,
this is nothing less than a revelation, even something of a paradigm
shift!
The Mix Masters
are extremely versatile. Warm, when you need them to be, and
and with their great breathability, the Mixmaster's comfort range
is extended far into the warmth of even sunny spring days. The
combination of mobility, weather resistance and breathability
of of these kinds of soft soft shell pants generally make them
hard to resist, but with the MixMasters, Patagonia has combined
all of the best features of the genre into an ultimate telemark
and backcountry skiing pant.
Temperature control
while climbing is easy, with two side zips extending about 16
inches down from the waistband. Due to the breathability of the
fabric, that's all you need, even on a spring day, just ditch
your inner layer and your good to go. Like most of Patagonia's
garments, the Mix Master is cut trim for a good look and to make
the stretchy fabrics move with you, but the non restrictive fit
also allows for a variety of under layer choices to keep you
toasty even on the coldest days. The comfort range of the MixMaster
pants is wide and accommodating, primarily due to their well
engineered combination of breathability and wind resistance.
Dry=warm. Dry also equals comfort on warm days. Breathability
is what keeps a skier dry in the winter environment, but when
the weather turns wet the MixMasters have you covered there too.
The Deluge DWR is indeed an effective and long lasting water
resistant coating. Shedding water far longer than would be expected.
Most of the time if we are on the snow and it's raining Iwe are
heading back to the barn, and the MixMasters got us to shelter
long before we got uncomfortably wet every time. From the beginning
of the season to the last day, including a little summertime
shower, there was no noticeable drop-off in the Deluge DWR's
water repellency.
All of the zippers
are easy gliding and water resistant. Burly snaps are provided
at the top of the pant and on the cuffs as well. The snap in
the waste band is a cleverly designed "slide and snap"
combo that does not pop off when you bend over to adjust your
boots or get into your bindings. There is a single, secure, zippered,
pocket on the right side leg that is accessible, even with a
climbing harness on. You can easily get to whatever you need
just prior to dropping that little rappel.
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A strong elastic
band is sewn around the bottom of each pant leg. Combined with
a zippered gusset and the snap, the MixMaster's cuff captures
the upper buckles of ski boots nicely, while giving the cuffs
a smooth profile, completely eliminating the need for in internal
gaiter.
The cuff combination
works. In fifty+ days we had absolutely no problems with pant
cuffs ridding up while trail breaking or even plunge-stepping |
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Conclusion:
Patagonia's
Men's MixMaster pants (there is a woman's model as well) sit
at the top of the soft shell outdoor apparel world. With their
excellent breathability and good wind resistance, the MixMasters
offer regular clothing-like comfort combined
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with the level
of protection active telemark and backcountry skiers need and
expect out of their technical outerwear.
The flawless
design of the MixMaster pants make them a pleasure to own, and
the quality, backed up by Patagonia's unparalleled customer service
and lifetime, no questions asked warranty, makes them
a great value as well, even at the full suggested retail price
of $275. They could very well be the last ski pants you have
to buy for many years. |
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patagonia.com/mixmaster |