Gear

Looking for (probably eVent) trousers for the warmer months.

 Got eVent hat, eVent jacket, so last battle is the trousers.

I am lacking experience with decent trousers, I've used the cheap brands (Regatta, Peter Storm) and found them simply not breathable enough and "too warm" if you wear trousers under them to stop them sticking to your skin.

The buyers-guide indicate the legs are not as sensitive to breathability, I'm not sure I believe that but (see above) I don't have any experience with decent breathables.

My trousers need work in all context:

• on a bike, so that's articulated knees, ability to make tight for at least to the upper-calf, with reinforced hardwearing area from crotch down inner-thigh.
• hiking, so long zips to get over boots
• protect workclothes, so respond well to washing and not too warm.

Currently have Paramo Cascada, they're great, but far too warm to wear over anything, and Rainlegs but they meet only some of the above criteria. I have Nikwax'd work trousers to make them showerproof, that works to a degree (more so to make them dry quicker and they shed a little better in places like the rear of the calf). So would like to focus on a solution in the next few months.

Tried on various trousers, they all seem quite heavy & stiff. eVent is stiff+noisy (Cascada is a milder rustle). eVent trousers seem to be about £85 but other fabrics exist around £55. Having used £10 leggings for the last (cough) 30 years, don't want to buy £55 ones to find I should have got the £85 ones, and similarly don't want to buy £85 to find them delaminating just past warranty.

Any advice? 

Matt,

       thanks for the OMM suggestion, is there any breathability figures? OMM states "Material: Gelanots elastomeric/hydrophilic laminate"  and Gelanot's website doesn't state any breathability figures.

 I'm sceptical on "breathable", because I got some Sealskinz "breathabile" gloves which hold water (and coldly next to skin).

Montane quote 8KG/m2/day for Atomic DT and 10KG/m2/day for their Venture (eVent).

There is a shop within 15 miles of home with the OMM Kamleika Pant in stock I can try for fit. 

Hi Nige

I'm with you on those Sealskinz gloves - mine felt cold and damp too.

I've been very happy with paclite overtrousers rather than eVent (recall that I produce heat like a nuclear power station, and need my jackets in eVent).

My troos are Berghaus Paclites with long zips, which are great for hiking, and have quite a tailored cut, so wouldnt flap or bag on a bike - but they don't have articulated knees...

Cheers Judy

Nigel

Would it be worth considering Fuera Trousers and treating them with TX Direct to make them water resistant (not proof). Probably more breathable than fully waterproof trousers and tick a lot of your other boxes. 

A similar consideration is Montane Featherlites but not sure if they would be mors clingy against the skin if sweaty.

HTH

I recently bought the montane venture pants after using millets "breathable" leggings for about two years,with the millets leggings I always became soaked in a short space of time either through leakage or condensation and in my opinion were a waste of time.

As for the Montanes so far so good,they fit me very well and have so far kept me dry.Before the crappy millets leggings I had a pair of goretex overtrousers from about 1984 but unfortunately my expanding waistline meant I couldn,t get into them anymore.They worked well in preatty much all conditions aswell.

The Berghaus paclites are excellent overtrousers when walking. They are breathable enought for legs, and the long side zips mean you can vent them. Once on I generally leave them on after the rain has stopped until I'm am confident it isn't going to start again for some time, rather than removing them asap. They are not cut for cycling, at least on me, and are rather constraining. So I got the OMM ones. They are very stretchy and you have complete freedom of movement. Fine on a bike. Not as breathable as paclite, but not bad. Only short ankle zip tho.

The featherlite pants are not stretchy but seem cut for cycling and work quite well as a wind proof when cold and a light rain guard. Even tho they will leak in heavy or prolonged rain it takes quite a while before I reach for the full waterproof trousers as cutting out the wind is usually enough to keep my legs warm. This time of year I usually cycle in long tights. When putting them over shorts they are not as nice over bare legs, as they do not really insulate at all. 

 I suspect of I had got the OMM pants first I would not have bought the paclites separately for walking, and never realised what I had been missing. In the colder months some people use the OMM pants as their main trouser rather than an overtrouser.

 So, in your position I would probably get the OMM pants and if budget will stretch the featherlite pants too.

Cycled round to the "Compass Point" shop in Lytham, although when you get there its called something totally different like "Go Outdoors" or something, but found it by postal address and the photo of the view from the front.

 I'd already rejected eVent trousers, there are ones nearly as good on breathability but less weight+cost, so I narrowed it to Paclite, Montane Atomic and the OMM KamLeikia, and this shop had all of these (and a changing room being used to store skis and a hoover).

The OMM Kamleika is not as stretchy as you'd expect, having come in wearing lycra , no knee articulation and if you simply from standing squat down then there is a lot of tightness around the knee constricting movement. If I was girly with waxed legs then might slide over a little better . Tried small, they actually could be worn but squatting practically impossible. Medium was ok but a little volumenes around the hips (like meant for women?). I checked the labels, unisex not a women's size.

 The Paclite was just noisy, woosh-woosh.

The Atomic looked extremely flimsy, I wasn't comfortable they'd last long, without the strethiness of fabric I can see an awkward position of legs just splltting the seams, I've had that happen with some Peter Storm pants.

So I opted for the Kamleika, on a bike you're not doing a full squat but more a half-squat and the stretchiness is ok and for most walking stretchy enough, you could certainly walk all day in them and enjoy the lack of woosh-woosh from the others. They look well made and very little to go wrong with them. They basically look like jogging trousers, tight, but waterproof.  There is enough spare fabric to pull on over work trousers, the zips are long enough to put on over boots, and they pull up high enough with tie-cord to adjust to whatever you're wearing. In "DandyMountainMan" post above he said ankle zips - the ones I have have zips up to the knee (a product change???).