Trousers/Pants for wet weather in the cold

[flyinglion2000]

Hello

In prepartion for the coming winter, I am looking to acquire a pair of hiking pants / trousers that can protect against rain and other wet conditions. I will primarily use them for hiking but as I am planning a trip to the snow this year if I could use them in those conditions (assume rain sleet snow and wind) that would be great too. I hate getting cold or chilled. I would probably layer them up with woollen longs if required.

Can anyone recommend me any particular brand and model of pant please.

I see Macpac currently have a sale and their eVent trousers are heavily discounted - Prophet and Resoltion so I am seriously tempted in that direction. But as I buy from overseas as well I am happy to consider other brands.

Had a truck thru past posts and brands such as Millet, Rab and Mountain Hardwear (as well as the Macpac) came up but these are old posts and I could no longer find the models referred too.

thanks

[wayno]

prohet pants are rally for climbers, uses more heavywweight fabrics, 800gm, good if you're doing a lot of bushbashing, overkill if your'e not

there other event pants are ok but short zip, if you are going to take your trousers on and off a lot could be messy if your boots are very dirty, might need to take your boots off.

outdoor research are good. the north face.... have a look at mountain designs, goretex is their best fabric

[Moondog55]

If you already have windproof/rainproof pants just use what I use, polyester microfibre track pants, good for almost all the weather we are likely to see up high.
I would be using polyester underwear myself, the wool can take far too long to dry out and I always assume I am going to get wet.
my major change this snow season are the Patagonia micropuff pants

[ULWalkingPhil]

I own a pair of the Macpac Prophet eVent rain pants, I purchased them from the Sydney store a year ago during there easter sale, for the same price they are on sale now.

I've worn them a lot in the past year especially during the winter months. Breathability appears to be very good. I wear a light pair of Macpac Merino Longs under them. I have not been anywhere so cold that I've had to wear any other layers.

I wore them during my hike at the Blue Mountains a year ago, Day temps was about 10-14C, I did feel a bit cold on my legs, could have done with a warmer base layer. The trousers felt cold. I was hiking at a fast pace, while I kept moving I was fine, when I stopped my legs felt a bit cold. They are a little heavy, mine weigh 872 grams according to my scales, But in saying this, when ever I've taken the Prophet pants with me on a hike, I've always worn them, Never carried in my pack, so the weight don't bother me. I don't feel the weight so much wearing them. At night I just hang them up to dry and put them back on in the morning. There very comfortable to wear and durable.

Getting into and out of them with shoes on is not a problem, Ventilation are great if needed with the full side zips on either side.
The major drawback with them I've found is there weight, but like I said, I don't notice the weight while wearing, I wouldn't like to carry them in my backpack. During our summer months, I don't bother with rain pants, so they stay home.

I did notice on my first overnight hiking trip, a few days after purchase, I went and hiked the Coastal Hike at Royal National Park near Sydney and the eVent trousers where wetting out. It was not till I washed them and retreated that they started to perform. I wash mine after every hike. I think it's very important you wash them a lot.

I've since purchased polyester underwear to wear under my Prophet trousers for the upcoming winter, I'm planning on some hikes in some fairly Cold area's, such as the Bunya Mountains in QLD and the Gold Coast hinterland during winter and the Overland Track in October at Tasmania. I'm hoping that the Patagonia Capilene 3 under garments will keep me warm with the Prophet trousers. I don't want to buy another layer if I can help it.

[flyinglion2000]

Thanks for the suggestions and feed back.

I am also looking at the Arcteryx Beta AR Gore-Tex pants as well. Interestingly these are stated weight of 491g whereas the Macpac are nearly twice that - I thought eVent was a lighter material??

Man - I hate shopping for clothes

[wayno]

event is just a membrane bonded to nylon,, companies make the nylon fabric as thick or as thin as they like which largely determines the weight, there is also a tricot backer for three layer garments which adds more weight over the two layer garments...
the prophets use a heavier material, some parts are reinforced with even thicker nylon, plus the prophets are a higher cut than normal trousers adding more weight, and it has braces as well.
so weight is more an indicator of how heavyweight the nylon face fabric is....,

[forest]

I've some RAB Bergus eVent pants which work very well.
3/4 length leg zips (Which you can double as top vents in the thigh area if need be)
The long zip is good for getting them on over boots etc, minimal grit gets in the panst with the leg fully open.
Quite a long leg length, bit long for me at 5'11" but if your a tall one that would be a bonus.
Only 307grams in Large. I agree with Wayno that it's the heavier shell fabric in the MacPac ones that's adding the weight.
I picked mine up direct from the UK for about $120 posted.

Very happy with them and I'm yet to bust them in the scrub. They are plenty durable for my uses and a few spots I thought they would a been ripped to shreads but they are fine, light doesn't mean weak always.

I've never needed more than some 200gsm merino long johns under mine in the cold weather when moving. I'd be too hot with more than that on the go.