Ultralight backpackers should love these trousers as they are astonishingly light, almost half the weight of the next heaviest. At the same time they are quite durable. The hollow core polypropylene fabric – not one I’ve come across in trousers before – wicks moisture fast and dries quickly. It’s not fully windproof and so thin that winds can easily flatten it against you. For warm weather these trousers are excellent. Outside of summer they are a little cool, however. The fabric has a high UV resistance and so is good for wearing in hot sunny weather. Rohan says it’s crease-resistant but I haven’t found it so, rather the opposite in fact. The creases can be shaken out to some extent but if you’re carrying these trousers to wear in town or pub stops during a long walk they need to be rolled up and packed carefully or they won’t look much smarter than your walking trousers.
The fabric doesn’t stretch but the trousers have shaped knees and a fairly roomy cut so they don’t restrict movement or feel uncomfortable. For hot weather walking or carrying as spares these trousers can’t be beaten.
First published: Sept 2013
