Soft Shell Pant Recommendation

[DayTrip]

Schoeller is the name of a company in Switzerland that makes fabric. Kind of like Polartec. Clothing companies use Schoeller fabrics to make pants, jackets, etc.

http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/fabric-groups/soft-shell.html

I was just logging in to post that I had found a link for Schoeller and was all set. Thanks!

 

[John H Swanson]

.... Mammut is another brand I have no experience with and a lot of their stuff on Backcountry.com had no reviews. Is it also a quality brand? Has a lifetime warranty like many other companies.

My experience is they make very good quality stuff. The design is excellent. For example the knees have an articulated shape. They use more robust material in the wear points. I'm tough on gear and the pants I have get my highest reco. Of course my data is old and companies can change with the times. Another thing I liked about them is that they offered long and short inseams for each size which allowed me to get a perfect fit.

 

[jniehof]

Schoeller is the name of a company in Switzerland that makes fabric.

Mammut is also Swiss, which may explain their high use of Schoeller fabric. They market more to the climbing side of things; tend to be pretty carefully tailored (also frequently a little close-fitting), generally high quality, pricey. I think the only Mammut gear I own is a couple of biners and slings...

 

[jfb]

There's some interesting info in this link: http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/stash/patagonia-testing.html

 

[sierra]

These do look like pretty nice pants. Are they discontinued? Several sites I went to didn't have and they're $99 off on Patagonia site (not that this is a problem ). Also, they look like a baggier fit based on photos. Was looking for a more snug, elastic fit. These seem more hard shell than soft shell. Is that accurate?

They do have a baggy fit for sure, I happen to think they are very comfortable, but they might not have the fit you want. I thought they were considered a soft shell, but these are my only foray into the SS category, so I guess I'm not 100% sure. I'll tell you this, they shuck off snow like crazy and stay dry. I've never had them in rain, other then mist, so I don't know if they rise to hard shell protection in that regards. But I never worry about that in the winter.

 

[jniehof]

My Dawn Patrol touring pants showed up today. They're a little bit bulkier cut than my old Guide pants, particularly in the cuffs where I'd normally like some taper. They do have a good crampon patch on the inside of the cuff, and since they have a built-in gaiter they're meant to go over the boots. We'll see how that goes. Despite BD's usual true-to-lean sizing, they're a bit large in the waist. The Large is supposedly 35-37.5 waist, I'm pretty well smack-on 36 (which means I wear a 33 or 34 jeans) and they'll stay up without the suspenders, but not by much. I'm a little nervous about the possibility for snow in the small of the back. Pretty sure a medium would be too small on me.

Overall I'll have to see how they work out, and I'm not quite as excited about them as I'd like to be for a $200 pair of pants (on sale).

 

[DayTrip]

Thanks all for details. I think I'm down to the Patagonia Guide Pants, the Outdoor Research Iceline and the Mammut Cornameyer Adventure as options. Based on the size guides online though I'm a little concerned about the fit for each. Nothing quite in my waist size (I'm always floating between sizes on pants, especially Winter to Summer) or inseam though. Need to ponder which one of these will be best over all and fit the way I want. Something with more of an elastic waist would have been more desirable but the pants I found with this feature don't really have other features I want. Don't want to make another mistake like my Arc'Teryx pants, which looks to be like they'll be my Summer and shoulder season hard core rain pants.

 

[jfb]

You could still try these, and return them if you don't like them.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/3542...-6CCC-E311-9094-90E2BA285E75&mr:referralID=NA

https://www.campmor.com/c/sporthill-xc-pant---mens

 

[sierra]

Daytrip,
I'm not at home but seem to remember the Guide pants I suggested as having an elastic waistband, its on the sides and it really aids in fit.

 

[DayTrip]

Daytrip,
I'm not at home but seem to remember the Guide pants I suggested as having an elastic waistband, its on the sides and it really aids in fit.

OK. Thanks. It's hard to tell in pic with the black material.