Least durable Gore-Tex pant ever...

By nic5302070 Ranked #258 - Men's Ski Pants January 27, 2012

I purchased the Arcteryx Stinger bibs less than a month ago and have skid 11 days in the Wasatch on them. Never have I been more disappointed with a high end outdoor product. I purchased these from another reseller due to Backcountry not having my size in stock.

The good: I’m 6’ 1” and 210 lbs and the LL are cut and fit perfectly. In fact, they fit better than any ski bib, pant or wader I have ever used. The articulated knees make skiing, skinning and booting up and down mountains comfortable, since you are not fighting the stretch of the fabric over the knees. The rest of the tailoring feels as if it has this same sense of detail.

The BAD: The Gore-Tex shell fabric is brittle and is cracking and tearing around pressure points of the fabric. After only eleven days use, and one hike while booting up to the top of a ridge, the boot cuffs have countless holes varying in length from 1/8 to 1 inch in length. Both right and left pant cuffs have roughly the same amount of holes and tears. During my climb to the top of the ridge, I climbed over a small boulder and lightly scraped my thigh on the boulder. Sure enough, the pant pocket developed holes and tears. Something is wrong with the nylon shell and Gore-Tex laminates layers, because they simply cannot withstand any abrasiveness. The holes which developed around the cuff’s line up with my Black Diamond Factor top two buckles. My old $150 North Face Hy-Vent ski pants have more than 200 days on them and not a single hole or tear on the entire garment.
If this is one of the “Most durable” pants that Arcteryx makes, they need to take some lessons from lesser manufacturers. I would not recommend these bibs to anyone and would warn against purchasing them.
I have been an Arcteryx fan for years and own the many of their shells, jackets, base layers, gloves, etc.

View Details: Arc'teryx Stinger Bib - Men's

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