Thursday, April 15, 2010

REI Sahara Convertible Pants

If you are still hiking or backpacking with jeans your next piece of gear most certainly should be pants. Jeans and other cotton products might be comfortable for day to day activities but they are poorly suited for the trail. Cotton gets wet and stays wet. Which means not only does it absorb rain and other environmental hazards it also absorbs sweat. Cotton takes more than 24 hours to air dry.

About 6 months ago I picked up a pair of REI Sahara pants. I am usually hesitant to buy store brand items but I liked the feel of them when I tried them on and also the price. These pants are made of Supplex Nylon. This allows for drying in minutes and provides immunity to odors. The versatility of transforming into shorts with little effort make these my go to pants during any season. Cargo pockets along the legs and standard pants pockets ensure you will have plenty of room for your gear. I love having a belt built into the pants. To tighten I just cinch the slack end and I have a perfect fit.

When venturing into materials other than cotton a common concern is durability. Intially I was concerned that my $60 pants would be burned or torn to shreds after only a few trips. I can honestly report that these pants can resist burning embers and marches through sticker bushes. I have yet to have a rip, hole, or tear.

My only critique of these pants is the gigantic bottom half. The section from your knee to your boot is very wide. This is typical of most convertible pants but these are much larger than usual. Normally the price for these pants is $60 but as of writing this post they are on sale for $40. I highly recommend this product.

Performance:7.5
Quality:8
Weight:7.5
Price:8.5
Tilt:8.5

Total:8

REI $40, 12.875oz

No comments:

Post a Comment