Outdoor Research Trio Pant - Men's - 2008

So far these pants work incredibly well, in very windy conditions and temps approaching 40 F, my legs felt invincible. Couple this with a windproof jacket and you'd laugh in the face of gale force winds, if they weren't taking your breath away.

Upside: I was skeptical about the durability, but a trip out in Owens Valley with these pants indicated they are quite durable. The abrasion resistant panels cover a large amount of the pant, with a generous supply on the rear-end and skid/crampon/walking stick resistant panels and the inside lower leg. These are very (with a V) water resistant, the 3-layer nylon fabric ensures this along with the seam taping. I also imagine the 3-layer fabric provides greater abrasion resistance while retaining some water resistance on parts that aren't covered by the abrasion resistant panels. The wind resistance and water resistance make up for the lack of insulating material if you are going for aerobic activity in anything but the most severe alpine conditions. I'd probably go for an insulated gore-tex pant for demanding alpine pursuits, but this fits the bill for everything else in my opinion. The full length zips are great for taking on/off with boots on, and for dumping heat. I haven't used the zip-in gaiters yet, but it's nice that that option is there.

Down-side: The fit is pretty tight in the thigh, I normally wear 30-30 or 31-30 pantaloons and so the small size fits this perfectly. This is a problem for layering, since if I wore a medium size in this pant I would drag the bottoms and wear them out while providing more room for layering. So, while the lack of insulation may predicate layering in very cold conditions, it ultimately means you need to choose that layer wisely (or go with another pant). Irregardless, with a single layer underneath this is still a very reactive pant, not restrictive, and the articulated knees are a bonus.
The tight fit makes the belt superfluous, and the belt itself is nothing to scream about. OR should ditch it and emphasize buying suspenders to take advantage of the suspender loops on the pants.

End Note: No regrets on this purchase (which was on sale).