Mountain Hardwear Synchro Pant - Men's - 2006 BCS

I love the Syncros for backcountry skiing. They can be unzipped for venting, worn alone, worn under shell pants, or worn around town after a great day of turns. A classic Mountain Hardwear piece!

I have used the Synchro pants for two years now, telemarking in a range of conditions and environments. From skinning and powder skiing in the Alps to slushy spring skiing by Norwegian fjords. The Synchros are really great pants and almost perfect for any condition and most days. They keep water and wind out better than I expected from a softshell. They are quite warm so most winter days skiing, I use only a thin base layer. I really like the possibility to ventilate while hiking and the Synchros' 3/4 zips allow that easily.

The fit is good when I have a belt to keep them up, slim but wide enough to allow knee pads without any problem.

I really love them and they are my first choice most days doing winter activities. But, there are some things that could be improved. Firstly as I use the Synchros mainly for skiing I really would like to have internal gaiters instead of a silly draw chord when hiking in deep snow; secondly the outer material chafe a bit from wear of backpacks and my jackets' internal draw chords; thirdly the embroidered Mountain Hardwear logo on the leg is not taped on the inside and makes them not water proof on that patch, which can be quite annoying on days sitting in the lift when it is drizzling rain.

//Johan

Got these to replace my seven year old Marmot ATV pants which I absolutely loved but are no longer made. Great quality, the full length zips are a huge plus. The only thing that I can see being a problem are the horizontal orientation of the two front pockets while wearing a harness, otherwise a great pant.

Used these in the rain all day hiking in the Adirondacks and made my peak bagger buds jealous as these thing were shedding the water and held up great as we bushwacked through the tight pines. Breathed well, as I was never warm or cold going up or down wearing just these on my legs in 45 degree weather. Only reason they don't come with a 5 rating is that they don't come with an integrated belt. They do have belt loops, and I ended up making one. I've since used them skiing and the legs never seemed too warm or too cold, wearing long underwear under them. As for the fit, from reading others posts, I think it's one of those things where they either fit your body type or don't. Get them early enough before your next trip so you can get something else if they don't work for you.

One thing I've noticed about Mountain Hardwear is that it's designed for a certain body type: slim, athletic, skinny, whatever you want to call it. So keep that in mind as if you're bulkier then their stuff may be a little tight on you.

These pants are GREAT. They're not "hard shell" in the classic sense so while they're waterproof (in the laminate) they will get damp in prolonged storms, but you'll stay dry inside. The water repellent is really good though so this will rarely happen if you're using these in snow, or they're old and you need to reapply the DWR.

I've been snow shoeing in these with a medium weight baselayer in temperatures of 25-35F and they were perfect. The soft lining of the pant gives additional insulation so in slightly warmer temps I doubt you'd need any baselayer at all. You don't need gaiters and you can sit right on the snow. Perfect for this activity.

If I wasn't out in the snow I'm not sure I'd take them unless I knew it was going to be below 35 degrees and raining a lot. For non-snow and generally cool temperatures (35-50F) I'd probably wear a thin/medium base layer, some sturdy nylon pants, and take a light-weight hard shell in case it rains. There is a slight lack of mobility in these pants that might annoy on a rough trail with a backpack, and articulated pants would probably serve you a bit better. But these pants would suffice for this activity too - they're good all-rounders.

Breathability is excellent, but these are waterproof pants and so you have to expect certain limitations. However, the pants have a soft fleecy lining inside and it's pretty darn hard to feel clammy inside that. And if you're wearing a baselayer then the pants will probably draw the moisture from them. All in all, I think you're likely to be too hot rather than clammy. The side zips are awesome for cool down - I love the low profile zippers.

All in all, I absolutely love these pants. While others consider whether conditions will require their noisy hard shells, I just put these pants on and don't worry about it.

Mountain Hardwear, thank you.

These are the best ice climbing pants I've
used. I've tried a few different pairs of soft shell pants and these are by far superior. I can sit down on snow while belaying my partner and climb dripping
flows that soak my partners to the bone and laugh at them because I stay completely dry.

Good pants, price was tolerable. Wore them on summit climb to ~20k feet at about 12 degrees F. Combined with fleece long underwear, it was plenty warm -- waterproof was good even on the slushy way down the next day. No complaints.

I've used these pants at the resort twice and just got back from a three-day hut trip with days spent yo-yoing above and through tree-line. I used the Arc'Teryx mid-weight boot-length underwear alone under these pants in temps between 32 and 0 degrees F. They were awesome - stayed up well with a full pack on, using only a belt. Fit is great, cut is perfect for making tele turns. Highly recommended!

I've got about 100 days on a pair and have taken them into a variety of conditions from 55 degree really hot days to -20F. Go linerless on a really hot day and a simple wool liner for anything from 35 to 0F and you'll be fine, wind and snow or none. 3/4 length zip (all the way to the bottom) is great and they are such incredibly light pants. Fit's not good for shorter wider people or if your thighs are like tree trunks.

The only wear in these pants after 100 days of use is as follows: the three layers at the cuffs (brushed lining, conduit, and exterior shell) are separating and the lining has worn holes from being sandwiched and rubbed between my boot lace hooks and snowboard bindings. Oh yeah, and a zipper handle on the vent zipper popped off. After 100 days of resort and backcountry boarding, that's pretty awesome I'd say. These things are still waterproof and windproof as they are when I bought them new, though quicker to get damp since I haven't refreshed the DWR in a while.

WATER PROOF !!! very warm!. i was mountaineering in 20 degree weather wearing only these pants. unzipping the sides really helped to keep cool. fit great, especially if you have to put layers on top.

The synchro fabric is perfect for backcountry skiing. It breathes well enough (there are huge vents if necessary) and is as waterproof as anything I've used. Water beads off - end of story. Durability seems pretty good and you can't deny that the exterior taping looks sharp. I'm 5'8, 140 lbs, usually a 30-31" waist. I got the small and it's slim but not skin-tight, just the fit I was looking for. All things considered I highly recommend these pants (bibs) and can't think of a single complaint. Just remember to zip up the vents at the top - waterproof/breathable fabric doesn't mean much when snow is pouring in the side of the pants.

Durable, warm, water proof, and really comfortable. Great zippers on side to let you cool down when the sun peers through the clouds. Only down fall is pockets hard to reach into. For outdoor activities though, couldn't ask for better.

Pretty good pant all around. Warm and waterproof with excellent venting. Wish it came with it's own integrated belt. great for snowshoeing.

SImilar to these toher reviews, this is the best all around pant I have used. It's no more expensive (in fact I got it cheaper) than many of the fleece pants so many climbers are wearing, but these keep you dry. The full side zips allow the ability to adjust the temperature and wear these for just about anything from snowshoeing to climbing. I wore these up Mt. Rainier in July last year combined with REI lightweight MTS long underwear. Hiking up the Muir snowfield in the heat of the day as well as starting out in the cold at 1:00 am I was able to use the same pants... Dry warm. these are the best!

I like the pants except for two aspects. First, the fit is oddly tight in the thigh, hip, and crotch area. I say odd because the waist fits fine -- actually a teeny bit loose.

The other aspect I dislike is the absence of ankle gaiters -- they would really make for a more versatile set of pants if they were included.

They work for me. I use them in a wide temp range, snow-shoeing and winter hiking with or without layering....lightweight, warm & windproof.

The synchro pant is very light and performed great for me on the slopes for a recent skiing trip. Looking forward to putting them to the test in the backcountry. Would be better if they had an integrated belt.

This pant is great. It is pretty light weight and warm at the same time. The life-savers are definitely the full side zippers, though. These zippers keep me ventilated on the approach trail. These pants would be perfect not only for mountaineering and ice climbing, but for cold weather backpacking, as well.

Have to say, these softshell pants pretty much do the job! I have stayed warm in freezing temps, without any thermal under layer. Water resistance is good. The only negative for me is the fact that there is no built in belt, there are loops but those can be a pain in the...! Sizing is good in the leg (I'm a standard medium - 32/32) but the waist is slightly larger than the expected 32...again, the built in belt would have helped this problem. Overall though, well worth the money!

These pants are awesome. I would recommend them to anybody who does any sort of winter hiking or climbing. I wear them all the time and never leave home without them.

I've had these pants for about a year and every time I have used them I have been pleasantly surprised with their performance. I initially bought these pants to use on a trip with some friends into the Olympics to build igloos and to replace some pretty sad skiing pants. The pants performed well, but what really surprised me that after sitting in the snow for half an hour, not a single drop of water had seeped through. They have also kept me warm and dry on some wet, windy, and cold days skiing at Crystal. All in all a nice softshell for moderate snow conditions.

Ski a lot and wear knee braces under pants. Also Im real picky about ski clothes, usually wear arcteryx stuff, but dont like the pants I bought in past. These Synchro pants are super, they fit as well as promised and are easy access and easy to adjust. I really like the side zippers.

I'll probably buy more!

I really like these pants for skiing and winter backpacking. I was just in the White Mountains and they performed flawlessly. However, in my opinion the sizing is a little off. The L size fits my waist just fine, but is small in the seat and thighs.

I wanted a lightweight and flexible pant for hiking and nature photography. Exceptional fit and well constructed. They are very rugged and took some abuse from my video tripod without any signs of wear.

The sizing is not very generous. I'm a 34 waist and the mediums were way too small. A friend - typically size small - fit into these mediums perfectly.

To echo another reviewer, you'd think they'd be loose in the thigh, hip, but (for mobility) and a snug in the waist to keep 'em up.

Bummer for fat, old me.

The conduit laminate seems to breathe very well, and the fabric has a good feel - flexible, lightweight, yet durable. Also, the non-elastic waist is a nice feature. But, the cut of the pants is too short for me, and the waist is large for the size. Also, the crampon patch at the ankle is very stiff, fitting poorly under gaiters. The crotch is not gusseted and the knees are not articulated. I'm not sure what Mountain Hardwear had in mind when they designed these pants, but they are better suited for wearing to the mall than to the mountains.