There are dozens of options for convertible pants from nearly every clothing manufacturer. For this test, I tried the Mesa Pants from Mountain Hardwear (MH). I’ve gained a little weight over the last year, but according to the USAF my waist is still 33 inches. Going by the MH
sizing chart, that puts me in the ‘medium’ range of pants. I ordered the long version to make sure the pants would be long enough. When they arrived I immediately tried them on and learned they’re a little snug. The medium size is supposed to fit up to a 34 waist, but that would be a very tight fit.
On our trek through the Raggeds Wilderness in August, these pants performed quite well. They are fairly water resistant, and dried very quickly when they did get wet. The built in drawcord cuffs helped keep the rocks & mud out of my boots since I wasn't wearing gaiters. The convertible feature is quick & easy to use, the zipper never got stuck at all. It would be helpful if there were some identifying marks on the pant bottoms, since I tried to zip the wrong side on nearly every time.
So far the pants have worn pretty well, but they only have about 50 miles on them so far. The seams are holding just fine, despite the snug fit. The pockets are just right, and managed to hold all of my electronics & other necessities great on the trail. One issue I did notice is that the built-in belt does not hold very well. I had to tighten the slip-through buckle at nearly every stop.
These are a great pair of pants for light backpacking in fair weather. They’re not insulated so I won’t be using them for winter trekking, but they’ve worked well all summer. Since they run a little small, if you’re on the high end of a size, consider getting the next size up.
Quick Review
Design:
- Canyon™ Cloth, Lined with Micro-Chamois
Weight:
Retail:
Why It’s Hot:
- Easily convertible
- Dry quickly
- Perfect pockets
Why It’s Not:
- Sizing a little small
- Belt slips
