NOTE: See my updated review of these pants here.
Trekking Pants
Westcomb Recon Cargo Pants
$200, 13 oz. (men’s small)
Sizes: men’s XS-XXL, women’s XS-XL
westcomb.com
One of the best pieces of advice I got this year was when a friend recommended these soft-shell pants to me for a weeklong, hut-to-hut trek in Norway’s Jotunheimen National Park in July. I wore them through several days of cold rain, snow, and strong winds in temperatures that fluctuated from just below freezing to the 30s and 40s, as well as on sunny but windy days in temps up to the low 50s. I also wore them in September in the Olympic Mountains of Washington, in almost identical weather, a trip that featured some bushwhacking through very wet vegetation.
The Schoeller Dynamic fabric is light and breathable enough for three-season trekking, while repelling wind and precipitation effectively and drying quickly—and shows no wear from bushwhacking. They pants got wet from rain, snow squalls, and brushing against wet bushes and tree branches, but dried from body heat while I hiked during breaks in the precipitation. With a soft, light feel, three zippered pockets (two hand pockets, one on a thigh), adjustable cuffs, and durable construction, the Recon Cargo Pants are perfect for three-season treks in cool, wet conditions.
—Michael Lanza