These things are ski pants, cold weather hiking pants and all-round outdoor wear.

They are more waterproof than I expected -- and with some long underwear underneath, kept me warm on the slopes of Killington.

They fit snugly, so you might want to consider ordering a size up if you prefer baggier clothing.

great for hiking, backpacking.
thin, stretchy, breathable fabric is tough and comfortable.

I bought these pants for the spring skiing season and Glacier travels. I wanted something light in color for those sunny days. The Pants are a light weight softshell (thin). The inside surface is soft enough to wear them by themselves i.e no long underwear. I even plan to use them on some summer hikes this year also. The cuff is a little tight to pull over my G-Rides. It is possible to pull them over the boot and zip up the side zipper but I just leave them unzipped. There is a piece of fabric that covers the area between so it is no big deal to leave them unzipped. You'll need a thin (1/2" wide) belt for these pants I made one from some extra webbing. I would recommend these pants to anyone. Very comfortable. I am 6'4" with a 34" inseam and 34" waist and large fits me fine.

OK, i am doing one of the guided Rainier things and the two guide outfits recommend different soft shell pants from the same manufacturer. one costs significantly less than the other. considering how i have already dropped a pretty penny, i decided to go with these pants. and they worked out very well. would buy again...

These Mountain Hardwear Alpinist pants are a super versatile pair of pants for everything from alpine rock climbing, ice climbing, backcountry skiing, or winter hiking. They work great as a do-it-all pant for all of these activities. If the temps are cold, just put a pair of long johns on and you are set. These are techy, but not too techy. Highly recommended if you want one pair of pants that will do it all.

It is highly recommended to all who is climber, but not good to hiker or traveler. 4-way stretch is good for activity and easy to set up gaiter to avoid abrasion. Using on fall is acceptable.