Question:
I'm looking for waterproof trousers to go with my Rab Demand Pull-on. They'll hopefully sit in my bag the whole time, so the lighter the better. But... I really want full-length zips so I can put them on over crampons. Perghaus paclite trousers are tantalizingly close, but the zips aren't right. Help! Answer:
Hi there,
Gear here, Richard 'Pants' Gear. As you've noticed, few lightweight
overtrousers are available with full-length zips, I think because the
assumption is that anything used with crampons and big boots will be
more heavy duty and, of course, full-length zips add weight to the
garment.
 Fortunately there are some
options out there. Mountain
Equipment's Rainfall Pant weighs just over 300 grammes
per pair, is made from their own brand Drilite Plus fabric and has full
length side-zips along with articulated knees and Velcro ankle
adjustment. Retail price for them is £60. They're a good,
no-nonsense option.
Another lightweight option, is Marmot's
PreCip Full Zip Pant, they basically do what they say on
the label, being a lightweight rain pant – 255g or so – with a
full-length size-zip. We like the Precip fabric and these even have
pockets for convenience despite the low weight.
A third choice is The
North Face Strider Side Zip Pant, which again has
full-length side-zips for easy donning. Fabric is rip-stop HyVent and
weight should be around 270 grammes. I'm sure there are others out
there, but these should get you started.
All three should do pretty much what you want. It's also worth bearing
in mind that Gore-Tex Pro Shell is becoming increasingly viable as a
lightweight option, so you could probably find some relatively light
and more technical Pro Shell legwear – think crampon patches and some
reinforcement – that will be close in weight albeit significantly more
expensive.
Happy zipping,
Yours with full leg protection,
Richard G
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