Oakley Ampiler Pant - Men's - 2010 BCS

I own 4-5 pairs of oakley ski/snowboard pants. I keep coming back to the brand because they consistently pack the most important features into their gear at a reasonable price, and as always they do it with classic Oakley Style. The Ampiler pants are no exception.

Best Features:

Very Waterproof/Breathable - I got these pants just in time to see some end of season snow. Stayed dry all day, and comfortable despite the warmer temps. The thigh vents do a great job of dumping heat. These pants would probably be comfortable anywhere from about 0 to 45 Degrees without anything more than a baselayer, but would probably best suited to days under 40 because they pants are lightly insulated. They do breathe great though. I put them on indoors and did some jumping jacks to test them out, and I didn't even sweat.

Pockets - These pants have tons of pockets, and they all have water resistant zippers which is a nice touch if you're have cash or other things you need to make sure stays dry. If zippers annoy you, they all have snap flaps as well, so you can skip the zipper if you need easy access.

Construction - These pants seem bombproof like all higher end oakley gear. They have critically placed thinsulate insulation which will keep you warm without the need for a midlayer. They also have a really nice mesh lining on the legs which feels great against the skin and serves to enhance the breathability. They also added tons of little features like adjustable waist flaps, boot gaiters, no drag pant legs, belt loops, and mesh lined pockets. The seams are fully taped for maximum water defense. The pants can also be clipped together with compatible oakley jacket models, to prevent your jacket from flying and exposing you to snow when you're zipping through the fresh powder.

Fit - I have about a 33-34 inch waist. The Medium's fit great without adjustment but you could fit a waist by adjusting the velcro waist straps. I'm a skier so I like my pants fairly snug at the waist. The cut of the legs is on the baggier side, but not overly so (judging by the graphics, this model is geared toward boarders and freestyle skiers).

The other models of oakley pants I own are: Timber, Extraction, Mystic, and Brigade, and I would put these right near the top of all of them.

For what these pants were intended for, they are awesome! They are not the ultimate back country pant but will look great sessing rails in the park and hold up for building a wu-tang kicker 8 miles deep in the back country. They're are great all around pants for the price. Sizing is good, a little on the loose side, but good. I've taken these to the resort and been comfortable all day, and skinned deep in the back country and stayed warm and dry. the features are great, pocket cover flaps ensure everything stays put, crotch venting is brilliant! I've never had good luck with thigh vents as they don't seem to move much air and my legs will overheat on long back country tours.. the crotch vent seems to pump out all the hot air with every step, i love it! These pants are heavy/warm enough that you probably wont need an under layer unless its below zero. The design on the cuffs is good, they lay great over your boot and look good but have a profile that will keep them off the ground and out of the way. these pants are well built, a little on the heavy side but that's what will make them last. There is a powder skirt button under each belt loop to ensure you stay dry for those WFO yard sales, i acually had to drill out the buttons and put in larger ones to retro fit to my cloudveil jacket. I'll be curious to see how long the waterproofing will last, as it is a 15k rating, so far they work great after 2 resort days and 5 backcountry tours.