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Reviews > Clothing > Pants and Shorts > Ex Officio BUZZ OFF Convertible Pants > Thomas Vickers > Long Term ReportEx Officio
BUZZ OFF Convertible Pant- Long Term Report Test Conditions: The shorts have been worn during a variety of activities. So far I have day-hiked, taken weekend hiking/camping trips, geocached, mowed the yard, and taken two extended hiking trips with the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants. The temperatures have ranged from 40 F to 95 F (4 C to 35 C) on these trips. Insect Repellency: When I went to Colorado this summer, I needed all the protection that I could get. The skeeters were incredibly thick and rather voracious during this entire trip. I had worn the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants as shorts for most of the summer, but while in Colorado I had to zip the legs on and keep them on. There was no choice. Even with the spectacular level of insect repellency I had experienced up to that point, I was not foolish enough to spend too much time in shorts that did nothing to keep the blood suckers off of my legs. I don't think that this was a drop in repellency, but rather an extreme test of the pants. I know that nothing short of pure DEET was going to keep the bugs off my legs and even that didn't seem to dissuade them for very long. I can say though, that after zipping the legs on, I had no problem with bug bites through the pants for the rest of the trip. My last use of the pants was on a morning hike along the Lone Star Trail here in Texas. The pants had been washed a total of 17 times at this point and I learned that there was definitely a drop in protection level at this point. I spent the morning hiking 8 miles (13 km) round trip and large portions of this hike were in brush/plants that were about knee high and fairly thick. Earlier in the test period I had walked through similar foliage and had no problems, but this trip was different. As I noted earlier, my tender points are the backs of knees and the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants had kept chiggers and mosquitoes off of the backs of my knees on many occasions. On this morning I completed my hike and headed home. While I was driving back, the back of my left knee began to itch like crazy. By the time I was home and in the shower, it was very apparent that I had a nice ring of chigger bites, just at the level that the shorts hit my leg in the knee area. Boy, I was not happy, but I did realize that the protection was going to fade over time. After a little consideration, I felt that 17 washes was quite a few toward the stated value of 25 washes before the protection failed. Then again, they could have just been super Texas chiggers. Comfort: I spent six days and five nights in these pants on my Colorado trip and the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants were godsend. I wore them to the airport. I wore them the night before I hit the trail. I wore them on the trail for five days and if they hadn't stunk with hiker funk, I would have worn them on the plane ride home. Due to the bugs, I spent all day and all night with the legs zipped on during this time as well. I do not like sleeping in long pants, but I can say that the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants were not a problem for me. I did not get bound up in any way and they didn't get uncomfortable during the night. These pants feel good and they don't leave anything out in the comfort department. The waistband does not stretch out, even with extended wear. These pants hold up to being worn in a good way. I wish I could say this about more of my clothing. Construction/Wear: I have sweated in these pants and made them smell in the worst way. Without pause, they have washed up very nicely with no lingering smells. At this point, there is a stain on the outside of the right hand pocket. Due to a zipper-lock malfunction I carried (and slept with) a half pound (227 gm) of roasted soy beans in that pocket for 3 days in Colorado. Now the amount of soy beans dwindled with snacking, but there is a large, but barely noticeable, oily stain on the pocket. I can't get it out, but I am also impressed that it isn't more noticeable. I can hardly tell it is there. Luckily, the pants don't smell like roasted soy beans either. The zippers on the legs have held up well. They went through some serious periods of on/off during my Arkansas trip and when I had to zip them on due to bugs in Colorado a month after they were last taken off, they went right on. The bottom of the legs also got very muddy during my hike out in Colorado. One run through the washer removed a good caking of mud and left no stains. One thing I was worried about during the whole test period was wearing a hole in the seat of these pants. I was constantly sitting and rubbing the seat area on rocks, trees and every other rough surface I could find. I truly expected a hole to happen, but at this point I can't find a single frayed thread, rough spot, or other sign of tearing in the seat of these pants. They took the worst abuse a tired and cranky hiker could dish out and came out unblemished (except for the soy bean issue). Final Impressions: One ritual that I have dealt with almost every evening on the trail for the last four years is the donning of my pants as the temperatures dropped in the evening. At first it was my breathable rain pants and then it was nylon rain paints. Now, I simply zip on the legs of the Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants and enjoy the evening. No digging in my pack for my rain pants. No removal of boots and doing the one footed, put my pants on dance while trying not to fall over. Just slide the legs over my boots (a bit of a tight fit, but possible) and zip them up. It just removes one little step in my nightly ritual that provides me with a bit more dignity and time to talk with friends. Overall, these pants have far surpassed my initial impressions on their durability and insect repellency. They have held up to my wear and tear and kept the worst bugs I have ever seen off of me. They have been wet, muddy, and stinky, but they dry fast and don't hold stains or odors as well. The Ex Officio BUZZ OFF convertible pants look good enough to wear off the trail and they hold up even better on the trail. Best of all, they keep the blood suckers off of me. They do all that Ex Officio claims and they do it well enough to satisfy me. I would highly recommend these pants for hikers who like shorts or who like long pants. The Ex Officio Buzz OFF convertible pants can be both with ease. I also recommend these pants for anyone who is going into bug country and wants to come out unscathed. Read more reviews of Ex Officio gear Read more gear reviews by Thomas Vickers Reviews > Clothing > Pants and Shorts > Ex Officio BUZZ OFF Convertible Pants > Thomas Vickers > Long Term Report | |||