Berghaus Men's Paclite Gore-Tex Waterproof Overtrousers, Lightweight, Durable

Product Information

Breathability is excellent at 10000 g/m2/24hrs (40000 for the Airedales) and this is so important when you could be wearing the trousers all day. There is no doubt that you will get warm wearing these, so we recommend that you use them in autumn and winter rather than spring/summer. In Use RET (Resistance to Evaporative Heat Transfer) tells you theresistance a material has to water vapour passing through it. The lower the RET value, the less its resistance to moisture transfer and therefore the higher its breathability. By the definition of this standard, an RET of 0-6 is 'extremely breathable' (comfortable worn at a higher activity rate); 6-13 is 'very breathable' (comfy at a moderate activity rate); 13-20 is 'satisfactory' or 'breathable' (uncomfortable at a high activity rate); and anything over 20 is going to boil you in the bag (I paraphrase). Fairly lightweight at 575g, the Dry Rangers incorporate what’s known as a ‘drop liner’ inside the trousers. This is an inner lining made from Rohan’s classic Barricade membrane, and makes them exceedingly waterproof, breathable and windproof. Some people claim that the Paclite material is less resistant to abrasion (it doesn’t have the internal netting layer of Gore-Tex Professional). We have not seen any evidence of this at all and would not let this put you off buying any Paclite garment. This is especially the case for overtrousers because by their very nature they will not be used on every walk, and even when they are used, it is not likely to be for the whole time – they are there for protection against the elements when required. Legs zips allow the bottom portion of the waterproof trouser to be opened up to allow them to be put on without the need to remove boots. The longer the zips, the better, however, these openings do provide space for rain to leak through. Water-resistant zips can prevent this to a degree, as can external flaps. Ventilation

Sweden – a land renowned for Ikea, Volvo and a veritable smorgasbord of other quality items. Well since 1960 they have also had outdoor company Fjӓllrӓven who have been quietly making exceptional quality equipment for those in the know. We reserve the right to choose an alternative courier at dispatch in circumstances where your chosen courier is unlikely to achieve their expected delivery promise.To give that price some context we then looked at all of the products available from Cotswold Outdoor in the waterproof trousers category. We found 31 items in total. What’s the price of waterproof trousers? Those with big feet might struggle to get them on without removing shoes, but the added comfort means it’s a compromise you may be happy to make. Its 2.5 layer construction laminates a tough outer fabric onto the Gore-Tex membrane. Instead of using a third layer under that (as per 3L Gore Pro, for instance) the membrane is given a protective inner coating, which constitutes the nominal half layer. For Paclite Plus, Gore add another abrasion-resistant treatment that's designed to boost the fabric's durability. In practise this means it should be tougher than plain Paclite, though not as burly as Pro.

Price – as you’d expect the price of a product can be an instantly recognisable factor on what sort of quality you can expect. Whoever came up with the phrase “you get what you pay for” pretty much hit the nail on the head. Whilst it’s not always the case and there are many bargains to be had, you can as a general rule, expect the higher priced products to offer better quality than a the cheapest option. We’ll dive into the price of Berghaus Mens Paclite Pants in more detail in a moment. The Kiwi Pros use a stretch material which allows them to blend around your bum and upper thighs, and this really helps prevent chafing when walking for long distances. The trousers have a loose cut and two-way zips making them easy to pull over trousers. They’re also available in 30”, 32” and 34” lengths for taller people. This reviewer wears a 32” length leg in standard trousers and found the regular High Coast Hydratic trousers to be on the long side, especially when worn with larger walking boots. Whether you’re walking around the local park (again), hiking, cycling, or all of the above, the best pair of waterproof trousers will make all the difference. There’s nothing worse than damp jeans at the start of a long walk, or getting to a meeting sopping wet, so an extra waterproof layer is an essential part of your wet weather wardrobe.This area is often elasticated for extra comfort. A drawcord allows extra control of fit, while Velcro tabs, press studs, or belt loops allow further user-refined fit. Leg zips The Nano Pro Eco material has a ‘dry-touch’ outer layer which makes it soft to handle and not too noisy or ‘rustly’. I hate it when overtrousers make too much noise, and the Marmots were pretty quiet in that regard when walking. There is also no netting layer inside them which is much my preferred design option as it stops your boots getting caught up when putting them on. When we saw the name of the Sprayway Walking Rainpant (also available in a women’s version) we immediately had visions of these overtrousers walking by themselves – it would certainly be a great sight out in the hills – hordes of overtrousers marching along. Anyway I digress…

There are however some methods that you can use to determine a product’s quality without needing to physically have it. In terms of design, the knee area shows a decent level of articulation, with a taped seam separating the lower half of the leg from the upper. This helps the Downpours follow the natural contour of your legs as you walk and it works well. The waist band is fully elasticated but also includes a toggle cord to draw them extra tightly if you so desire.These Craghoppers Kiwi Pro Waterproof Trousers are great all-round walking trousers – the fact that they also offer excellent waterproof performance via an AquaDry membrane for a great price make them a no-brainer if you’re after some all round trousers. For women, we also recommend the Airedale trousers which have even better waterproof performance.