Great Fit, Questionable Finish

By Rush Ranked #18 - Men's Ski Pants November 30, 2011

The cut of these are great being slightly narrower in the waist and upper leg than your typical modern day pant with a slight flare to the calf to comfortably fit over your boot. Great design overall with articulated knees, pleated pockets so they stay flat when there's nothing in them, sealed zippers, zippered thigh vents, pretty large velcro tabs around the waist to cinch down the size, thin felt on the inside of the waistband and a reasonably rugged kick patch on the instep, although a far cry from the durability of those on most Pro Shells. The fabric feels surprisingly lightweight for a Performance Shell, and a little disappointing based on my perceived durability for a $400 pant. The gaiters are also made out of a tightly woven mesh rather than a nylon that I imagine would wear & tear after not long. It might be a little odd to note, but these are very noisy pants. The kick patches on the instep make a ton of noise when they rub against each other and the pant fabric is very crinkly. Overall, I love how these pants are cut and designed, but the finish leaves me wanting something more. It's hard not to compare these to the Patagonia Primo, and so, if you don't mind a baggier cut, I'd put my money on the Primos.

View Details: Norrøna Narvik Gore-Tex Performance Shell Pant - Men's

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