The waterproof trouser debate

Epic like that still not quite waterproof mind. Rohan use(d?) it in their epic bags. Not at all a bad idea, and especially if strongly disliking overtrousers!, mind. 

(Tammarack very nice yes )

Surely not a crucial problem though? If you've got fast drying and shower resistance, which you can get quite easily now, then you're really not having to wear overtrousers that much anyway.

My biggest worry has actually been their durability. They're about the only piece of outdoors clothing I can remember genuinely destroying.

Peter Clinch wrote (see)

The issues people have with it [Paramo] are weight, warmth and looks

Particularly in their trousers I dislike the lack of stretch that necessitates a relatively baggy cut, compounded by the need to have two layers there. And because they're a wear-all-day thing rather than overtorusers, the rustling gets on my nerves all day rather than just while it's raining.

So even for jobs where I'm happy to be wearing an Analogy jacket I still don't like the trews. Though it should be emphasized it's not because they don't work.

My usual hill-wear is Tracksters or, if it's cold, something soft-shell (ME Schoeller Dryskin trews if cold, MEC Powershield sloppets if it's COLD). The Tracksters dry out very fast and aren't too uncomfy unless completely soaked in a deluge, the Dryskin isn't quite so fast drying but keeps out showers acceptably well and the sloppets need Proper Rain (TM) to fail to cope. I use some light full zip ME overtrews when it gets too much for any of those. I don't like them much, but I like them more than getting soaking and they don't take up much pack space. And all my preferred trouser options work well beneath them.

Pete.

redscotti wrote (see)

I've been walking this spring with montane featherlight trews. Pack away to nothing. Not waterproof but do shed showers easily and dry quickly. They are windproof too so even when wet I find they're not cold.

Guess it also depends on how fast you move and how high you go. What works in showers on eg long distance footpaths will not be suitable in torrential rain on a high mountain ridge.

I'm happy to get wet as long as I'm not cold and find I dry quickly when moving once rain eases (and change immediately into dry clothing once back under cover at the end of the day). But wind chill can be a killer once you stop or slow down so I pack a windproof primaloft top to keep me warm at breaks or even wear if moving slowly in an exposed situation. But some people prefer to be totally isolated from the weather around them.....

I often go for the mix, featherlite over tracksters - and if it's all-day wet and cold, then paramo.

Plenty!

Yes it can rain very hard and persistently in the Lakes, but thats not actually hugely common. The typical weather is hugely changable stuff with showers coming and going at some point. Often reasonably hard but also often reasonably short.

Basically the sort of weather where one set of clothing you can wear all day unless it goes badly downhill can really help retain your sanity.....

Often entirely fine with a windshirt/non membrane soft shell though. Trousers actually slightly trickier for me outwith winter because Cioch's (otherwise genuinely excellent) trekking trousers don't have such great shower resistance.

(Not the Paramo style ones of course! Some sort of midweight nylon canvas, seemingly designed for warmish climate trekking.).

Hence me ending up wearing overtrousers more than my waterproof jacket

Thanks for all the posts people, i've just logged on now and theres alot of great advice to proccess and look into....

To Didster....I normally wear light weight walking trousers, all year round. I have a pair of Rab alpine trek pants, Montaine terra's, and also a cheapo berghaus equivalent...if its cold and dry i'll wear merino leggings underneith, and eVENT trousers accordingly....which I've always been comfortable in when its cold, its just when its been abit milder iv had the problems.

To Ben Turner, thanks for the advice on the paramo, the Velez especially, I've never used paramo before and i'm going to go and check a pair out this week  and check the sizing.

Thanks to all for your responses and posts!

jacko.

SD wrote (see)

I have a ULA rain wrap which keeps me dry without getting wet from the inside, also windproof so adds warmth as needed. Ignore skirt jibes

Martin Carpenter wrote (see)

Ultralight outdoors gear have got their rucksacks at least so they might be able to get you one? Not in standard stock though.

When I was last on the hills I used a light, very breathable Nike polyester track suit bottom sprayed with waterproofing (just to keep the light ran off) with baselayer and brought along the £9 Llidl jobbies that were mentioned in a previous post. This was in late February - temp from 5c - 12c; location - brecon beacons; conditions - mainly dry but with some drizzle and light wind. 

This did the job very well. If the weather looked a bit iffy I would be inclined just to wear the wicking / baselayer and the waterproof layer as I don't sweat that much on the leg area. Cheap and cheerful - I need to keep costs down as I've got quite a bad 'gear addiction'