We tested these pants for seven months in multiple mountain ranges with various climates from the Cascades to the Rockies to the Wasatch. We primarily tested these pants in late summer, fall, and early winter. Luckily, it was a typical wet fall, and our testing team was given ample time to examine each piece during real-world use - mostly while hiking, backpacking, and climbing in temperate rain forests in Olympic, North Cascade, and Mt. Rainier National Parks.
Water Resistance
The best way to test this? Suffer in rainy weather! That's exactly what we did. We wore each pant for months on end in the rain in the rainy and snowy Pacific Northwest through all seasons. We also stood under a garden hose for a collective 40 minutes across two types of tests to objectively measure water resistance.
Breathability
Aside from skiing and hiking in each pant (a lot), we also evaluate important ventilation features. The pants that made us sweat didn't do so well, while the ones we could keep on rose to the top.
Comfort and Mobility
To test mobility and comfort, we spent full days to weeks in each pant. We skied, hiked, crawled, ran, and stretched our legs just to see which pants stretch and move with the body. Each pant is tested for at least three months, though most are tested across a number of years.
Weight
We weigh each pant with our personal scales to see which are the lightest of the light.
Durability
In addition to wearing each pant while backpacking, mountaineering, ski touring, and more, we go the extra mile. We take the time to bushwhack, scrape ourselves against granite walls, and trash each pant as much as possible throughout the year. The result? A verdict on which pant will last you a lifetime and which can't last a season.