Will Renwick explains why he chose these overtrousers by Berghaus as his Best Buy pair when he compared seven different options on the market
These Light Hike Hydroshell Elite rain pants from Berghaus are very waterproof, very breathable and also really lightweight and I’d quite happily make them my overtrousers of choice. They’re made with the brand-new Hydroshell waterproof technology that Berghaus has used in a new collection of wet weather gear: a 2.5-layer fabric made up of polyamide and a polyurethane membrane.
I found the fabric shed water well, beading any rain better than any of the trousers tested, and I had no issues with moisture build-up whatsoever. I like the ¾-length two-way zips: they make the trousers easy to remove and allow you to control the amount of ventilation. The zips are covered with YKK AquaGuard as well. I also like that the waist is elastic but has a toggle for tightening when necessary.
They’re very light due to the thinness of the fabric – so thin that I do wonder how durable it is. Catch it on a sharp branch and they might be done for.
