REI ENDEAVOR CONVERTIBLE PANTS
TEST SERIES BY MARK THOMPSON
LONG-TERM REPORT
November 04, 2012
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT
TESTER INFORMATION
NAME:
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Mark Thompson
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EMAIL:
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markthompson 242 at gmail dot com
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AGE:
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48
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LOCATION:
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Parker, Colorado, USA
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GENDER:
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M
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HEIGHT:
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6' 0" (2.10 m)
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WEIGHT:
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190 lb (86.20 kg)
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Outdoor adventures started for me at an early age, my passions have grown to include backpacking, rock climbing, hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing, cycling, skiing and snowshoeing. Most of my adventures presently take place in Colorado's amazing Rocky Mountains. For trail hikes, my pack typically weighs 15 lbs/7 kg (summer/fall), 25 lbs/11 kg (winter/spring) and trail speed ranges from 2.5 - 4 mph (4 - 6 km/h) depending on elevation gain. For backpack trips, my pack weighs 40 - 45 lbs (18 - 20 kg) and my trail speed drops to 1.5 - 3.0 mph (2 - 5 km/h).
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: REI Year of Manufacture: 2012 Manufacturer's Website: http://WWW.REI.COM MSRP: US$109.50 Listed Weight: not listed on REI's web site Measured Weight: 16 oz (454 g) Size: Men's Large 32" (81 cm) Inseam Color: "Blackened Pine" resembles a very dark green Material: Polyester Blend: 89% Polyester 11% Spandex Water resistant coating Other Information: Wind resistant to 30 mph (48 kph) UPF 50+ rating (provides protection from Ultraviolet Light) Convertible - the legs are removed through use of zippers, allowing quick changes from pants to shorts With legs removed, shorts have a 9 in (23 cm) inseam 5 pockets: 2 front, 2 back and 1 cargo (right)
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The pants came via overnight delivery, and just in time for me to include them in my weekend plans! From the moment I took them out of the bag, I was impressed! Some of the great features include: From the bottom up:
Lower Leg Section - the lower/removable section of the pants have a full-length zipper that enables the pant leg to be removed without having to slide the pant leg over boots etc to remove. At the starting point of this zipper is a hook and loop tape fastener that covers the small area that would otherwise allow for a small opening. - on the inseam side of the pant leg is a reinforced area that protects the pants from the rapid wear caused by boot contact while hiking. - the zippers that attach the pant legs to the main section of the pants are entirely color coded (dark green and bright green), not just the pull tabs, which makes it super easy to identify which legs goes where - these color coded zippers are also covered by a flap of material to prevent the elements from penetrating through the zipper Main Section
- pockets: the pants include 5 pockets, all of which are fitted with zippers. - the seat pockets are fitted with standard zippers and zipper flaps - the two front and one cargo pockets are fitted with reinforced water resistant zippers - waistband: the waistband is fitted with belt loops and does have some elastic qualities, certainly enough to be comfortable but not enough to eliminate the need for a belt. - the "fly" is a standard zipper with a secure snap at the waistband.
Quality: I usually balk at having to pay more than $30 - $40 USD for a pair of pants, primarily because my hobbies place an excessive demand on pants and experience has shown that typically the price tag has little to do with the durability of pants. These pants, however, are making me reconsider. The craftsmanship and design of these pants are superb! Obviously, field testing will be the determining factor, but so far, I am truly impressed.
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
In typical "man" fashion, I did not read the instructions nor did I read the product description or specifications before my first use. Although this will get into the Field Report section a bit, but the manufacturer's claims of wind and water resistance certainly held true!
TRYING IT OUT
The pants fit well and are consistent with other clothing I wear in this size and length. The material is comfortable and the spandex provides a little bit of stretch as expected. The pants also look fantastic; I have even worn these to a company meeting where the dress was "business casual." We'll see if I can do this after field testing.
SUMMARY
My initial impressions are very favorable! The features, specifications and quality are superb. I did purchase a belt (from REI) to accompany the pants. So far, no complaints or suggested improvements, just glowing comments!
FIELD REPORT
FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I have had the pleasure of using and abusing these pants all over the great State of Colorado. Some of the specific locations include:
Location: Boulder Canyon, near Boulder, Colorado Date: 16 June 2012 Terrain: Class 5.4 to 5.5 climbing Weather: nice ranging to hot
Location: Mtns Shavano and Tabeguache, near Poncha Springs, Colorado Date: 17 June 2012 Terrain: established trails to Class 3 scrambling Weather: nice, but windy on ridges
Location: Humbolt Peak, near Westcliffe, Colorado Date: 1 - 2 July 2012 Terrain: forest service road to Class 2 climbing Weather: warm and sunny to threatening storms with rain, snow and hail
Location: Mtns Antero and Princeton, near Buena Vista, Colorado Date: 3 - 5 July, 2012 Terrain: forest service roads to Class 2 scrambling Weather: cooler in the mornings to hot in the afternoons
Location: Maroon Peak, near Aspen, Colorado Date: 9 - 10July, 2012 Terrain: established trails to Class 3 scrambling Weather: cooler in the mornings to hot in the afternoons
Location: Capitol Peak, near Aspen Colorado Date: 18 - 19 Aug 2012 Terrain: ranged from nice trails to class 5.2 climbing Weather: cool with mild winds, but sunny Comments:
The above represent just a few of the occasions that I have tested these pants, but are representative of the conditions in which I have tested the pants. The weather has ranged from hot to cold, windy to calm, clear skies to snow and hail, trails to class 5+ climbing.
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
Wow, these are awesome pants. I really can't say how impressed I have been with the comfort and performance that these pants consistently provide.
I am thoroughly impressed with the wind and precipitation resistance provided by these pants. On my first test event with the pants, I attempted Humbolt Peak. I recognized that the weather was rapidly approaching but, due to the lack of electricity in the storm, I elected to proceed and gain the summit. On my descent, Mother Nature provided me with significant winds, rain, snow and hail.
The pants performed flawlessly! The wind, approaching 30 mph (18 kph) was barely perceivable and the hail brushed off like yesterday's news.
On subsequent tests I found that the combination of the pants and a spandex type undergarment created a slippery situation where I wasn't confident that my climbing harness would stay on should I become inverted. I haven't had the feeling with other pants or shorts and don't want to blame just this product, but I did find that I would not climb with that specific combination.
While on Capitol Peak (one of Colorado's toughest 14ers) I found the pants to be exceptionally comfortable and superbly matched to the challenge. The trail conditions ranged from well-established all the way to Class 5.2 climbing, including a nerve wracking passage over the "knife edge" (a 100' section of rock with near vertical sides and obscure foot and hand holds).
SUMMARY
In short: AWESOME! I can't say enough about how impressed I have been with the performance of this product. It is simply awesome. So, without further ado:
Pros: - Superior comfort - Awesome wind resistance - Fantastic resistance to precipitation (rain, snow, hail) - Superb abrasion resistance
Cons: - okay, the only con I found was that they are a little slick for traditional rock climbing which makes me feel like my harness could slide off (please recognize that I have a body shape that makes keeping a harness on difficult to begin with).
LONG-TERM REPORT
LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I have tested these wonderful pants through many of the mountain ranges in Colorado. Trail conditions have ranged from mild to wild (class 1 through 5.4 of the Yosemite Decimal System). The temperature during these adventures has ranged from hot to chilly but not too much below freezing. The weather conditions have been mostly nice but I have found myself in the back-country when the skies have provided some light rain, snow and hail.
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I have been absolutely delighted with the performance of these pants! Some of the features that really impressed me are: - Full-length zippers on the lower pant legs which allow for converting from pants to shorts without having to slide the detached portion over boots. This seems like such a simple idea, yet I haven't seen it on any other product. Not only does this feature make the conversion twice as fast, it also means that the crud on the bottom of my boots doesn't get smeared on the inside of my pant leg! - The water and wind resistance capabilities of these pants are superb. I was very impressed with how well the pants kept me warm and dry on Humbolt Peak, especially when the weather started getting angry on my descent. The strong winds and hail were no match! - The material is wonderfully strong, light, durable and provides just the right amount of stretch! Throughout the test, I was consistently amazed by the material's ability to meet every demand!
SUMMARY
The REI Endeavor Convertible Pants are without a doubt the best outdoor pants I have ever worn and have rightfully earned my highest recommendation!
Pros: - light weight - convertible - durable - water and wind resistant - stretch (not too little, not too much, just right!)
Cons: - the only con I found was identified during the FR portion of this test.
A very special thank you to REI and BackpackGearTest.org! Hats off to the engineering team that designed these pants, and the manufacturing team that put everything together, WELL DONE!
CONTINUED USE
I absolutely love these pants! These are my first choice for my hiking and backpacking adventures!
This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
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