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Karrimor Alpiniste Pant
Tested
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Price:
£65.00
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Weight: 274 grammes (men's
L)
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Features:Polartec
100 microfllece fabric, zip fly, elasticated waist,
handwarmer pockets, zipped security pocket on thigh,
articulated and reinforced knee, extended ankle
zips
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Recently Karrimor's clothing has taken a bit of a back seat to the
longstanding rucksac range, but the Alpinste technical clothing has
always been classic, reliable kit with no unnecessary
frills
and gimmicks.
The Alpiniste Pant is no exception. It might seem unexciting next
to the latest stretch soft shell, but if what you're after is simply
a pair of 100-weight fleece pants, then look no further. They're
nicely cut with: an articulated knee - capped with reinforcing fabric
for wear-resistance, handy handwarmer pockets, a useful zip fly and
long ankle zips that make them easier to pull on over boots, or if
you have extraordinarily long feet or uncut toe nails. Mobility is
good, with the knee articulation working well and there's just enough
elastication in the ankle to allow them to drape neatly over a boot
cuff.
Fabric The fabric is classic Polartec 100 microfleece. It's
comfortingly warm and luxuriously soft against the skin, dries fast
and isn't overhot. That makes it brilliant post-walk or climb
legwear, great for hut, tent or caff. It's also good for active use
on very cold, still days. But it's not very wind resistant, which
reduces its effectiveness once it starts to get blowy and means you
need to team them with some form of wind or waterproof shell in
classic UK winter conditions.
The lack of any sort of crampon patch at the inner ankles also
means it's potentially vulnerable to spiking if you're out on the
white stuff, and for climbing use you'll want a pair of braces to
reinforce the elasticated and shock-corded waist, though it does the
job for walking just fine.
Last but not least, the Alpinistes pack small and at just 275
grammes are pretty damn light as well, which makes them ideal as a
winter backpacking evening pant to go with those down booties you
always promised yourself.
Great for lounging about in and as a change of trouser at the end of
the day when the fleecy warmth is a fantastic morale booster, and
there's nothing wrong with the cut or the features of these classic
fleece pants. Mobility is fine too. Light weight makes them a great
chill-out trouser for winter backpacking as well.
For more active use in classic UK winter conditions though, we'd
prefer something made from a more wind-resistant fabric, either
Ultrafleece / Karisma or Powerstretch, both of which offer roughly
the same level of insulation, but with a greater breeze-blocking
capability. Karrimor's own Lhotse Pant in Powerstretch is arguably a
better garment for typical UK winter use and has most of the same
features.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
Good combination of lightness, warmth and well thought-out
features make these a great après walk winter pant and ideal
for cold condition backpacking back-ups as well. For more
active use in typically blowy UK conditions, the relative
lack of wind resistance is a bit of an achilles heel and
means overtrousers are a must when the wind gets up. For our
money there are better active fabrics out there, notably
Ultrafleece and Powerstretch. If you want some packable,
lightweight warmth though or only operate in still, cold
conditions, these do the job.
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