Sherpa’s Lithang waterproofs are taken out into the field by Will Renwick as part of a comparative test between seven pairs of overtrousers
These waterproof trousers by Sherpa are very similar to the Rab Latok Alpines in terms of technicality and their intended purpose; another extremely hardy pair designed for winter mountains. They use a three-layer fabric called Himaltec – a stretchy polyester material with a nylon backing. This fabric performed well in terms of breathability and waterproofing and feels extremely durable.
The side zips cover the full length of each leg and they are protected from the rain by YKK AquaGuard seals, however, unlike the Rab Latok Alpine, the zips aren’t complemented by an internal zip flap for extra protection. They also lack buttons at the top and bottom, which is a flaw, as if you choose to unzip the trousers for ventilation they will flap around the boots or could potentially even fall down! The waistband is semi-elasticated, but apart from that there is no adjustment, just loops where a belt could fit.
They have a useful zipped pocket with taped seams above the knee and the mini gaiters are a nice feature but the elastic bottom to them isn’t particularly tight and they’d benefit from a hook to hold them to your shoe. These trousers seem to do the important stuff well, but they haven’t quite got the smaller features right whereas, for me, the cheaper Rab Latok Alpines have.
Reviewed: January 2016
