Great fabric, awesome pant, with minor caveats

By dls4 Ranked #271 - Men's Softshell Pants February 11, 2011

If these pants fit you (skinny-ish), then they are utterly fantastic. I've practically been living in them all winter in the east. Great for lowland touring and winter hiking (even sitting on your ass in a weakly-heated apartment). The fabric is rad. Durable, super-stretchy, breathable and windproof enough for most below-treeline conditions. A bit fleecy on the inside, which is great for insulation but makes them a bit sticky with certain types of underlayers. Haven't had them on the slopes yet, but they are awesome for lots of motion. The cuff just barely fits a snowboarding boot, and forms a pretty good seal on the instep.The issue with the pockets... meh. Kind of a nuisance, but the fit sort of negates the whole issue, as they are tight enough through the thighs that you don't really want anything in there. Sure, zippers would be great, mostly to keep the snow out. But the open pockets make them a bit more casual and not quite so "ski-panty". Other than that, the design details are well though-out. Shaped edge patches, nice big thigh pocket, bulldog stitching and construction.I think these will be a kickass mountaineering pant, with an added shell for ridgelines or exposed routes. Really good flexibility and warmth, while still very easy to wear them for two weeks straight and never even notice. Perfect for mid-summer in the Cascades or even spring tours in the Sierra.Lastly, I snagged these on SAC late one night, but would definitely be willing to pony up full retail–overall, superb job by Stoic at this price point.

View Details: Stoic Tour Softshell Pant - Men's

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