Review of Hiking Pants manufactured by ‘Adventure Worx’
The pair that I reviewed is a ‘standard hiking pant’ (i.e., it cannot be converted into shorts or three-quarters), grey in colour. I understand that it is a sample piece being tested before this product is launched in the market. Apart from the manufacturer’s logo, it had no other information or label on it.
I have used it in dry and warm weather conditions.
Plus points and possible areas for improvement
Synthetic material
- Lightweight: which is a big advantage for long-duration hikes
- Quick drying: advantageous for wet weather which is normally accompanied by cold temperatures
- ‘Quiet’, i.e., while walking the fabric does not make the crackling noise typical of hard nylon fabrics which can be irritating and not convenient for activities like bird watching
- Stretchy: Stretch in the fabric – felt comfortable while walking in hilly terrain; did not sense any part of trousers being stressed out of shape
- Water repellant due to water repellant (DWR) coating (I tested the pants at home by pouring water over them and then washing them)
Overall, I liked the feel of the fabric even though I used the pants in warm weather conditions.
Fitting
- Sleek fit – this reduces chance of material catching on something in passing. And, rather smart looking!
- May be a tight fit for a person slightly heavier in the waist area – a parallel model with pleats could be considered
- Gusseted crotch may i) be more comfortable for some (I did not personally feel the need), and ii) add to the strength of the joint
- The leg-hem is narrow enough for me – so there is no need for a cinch to be used in windy conditions in cold weather
Type of pants
Since the material is synthetic, a ‘convertible’ or ‘roll-up’ design may be better for versatility in different regions with varied weather conditions
Pockets
- Front pockets
- Are deep which is good for objects like large-sized cell phones
- Mesh allows for ventilation, which is good for warm weather
- Shallow-diagonal: when wearing a backpack, I found it hard to access objects kept in front pockets – full-diagonal (‘slash’) pockets could do away with this problem
- Rear pockets are ‘patch pockets’, i.e., with no flaps or zips; I would be wary of using these while hiking
- The ‘coin pocket’ (erstwhile ‘watch pocket’!) is handy for storing small objects like lip balm while hiking, or maybe some money for the chai stalls on the trail
- Two things that I personally prefer and are missing in these pants: i) at least one zippered pocket where I like to keep small items like coins and lip balm and ii) cargo-style outer pockets on thighs which are convenient to reach while hiking (cargo-style pockets may not fit into the ‘looks’ part for some buyers)
Belt loops
- Wide enough to take most belts
- ‘Tucked’ type of loops adds to robustness: e.g., a clipped carabiner-keychain will not fall off if the first set of stitching on a loop comes off
For my review of a 55-litre backpack (seen here in the photographs) click here
Shantanu Pandit
www.outdoorpandit.com