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Long-Term
Report:
Ex Officio Buzz Off Convertible Pant |
Date:
November 8, 2004
  Summary
During the six-month test, I wore the pant on seven day hikes and 13
backpacking trips for a total of 53 days. Overall, I am very pleased
with the performance of the Ex-Officio BUZZ-OFF Convertible Pant. The
materials and construction are excellent, it fits very well, it has a
broad comfortable temperature range, it dries out quickly after getting
wet or damp, it repels bugs from the body surface it covers, and it
enables one to achieve complete insect protection with minimal use of
contact repellents. I had no skin reaction to the Permethrin treatment
of the garment.
Manufacturer
Information
Name: Ex Officio
Website: www.exofficio.com
Product
Information
Product Tested: Ex Officio Men’s BUZZ OFF Convertible Pant
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Fabric Description: Nycott
fabric-100% nylon, 3 oz/sq yd (102 g/sq m), treated with 0.52%
Permethrin
Color Tested: Khaki (light brown); also available in Cigar (dark
brown)
Size: Men’s Medium Long
Weight Listed: None
Weight as Delivered: 9.9 oz (281 g)
MSRP: $79 US
Product
Description
Ex Officio specializes in outdoor and travel clothing. The
Convertible Pant is a member of Ex Officio’s new BUZZ OFF Insect
Shield garments. The following
descriptive information is from the manufacturer’s website and product
literature. The Insect Shield treatment is 0.52% Permethrin, which
repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges or
no-see-ums. It lasts for 25 washings, and the manufacturer advises
against re-treating the garment with other Permethrin insect repellent
products. Appropriate uses are paddle sports, fly-fishing,
hiking/camping, resort travel, and urban travel—anywhere insect and
sun protection are needed. See my Initial
Report for more detailed information on product quality, features,
and fit.
Information
On Permethrin
I did some internet research on Permethrin (the BUZZ OFF Insect Shield
treatment) to find out more about it. Permethrin is an odorless
synthetic analog of a naturally occurring insecticide Pyrethrin from
daisy chrysanthemum flowers. In the formulation that is applied to
clothing (approximately 0.5%), Permethrin is essentially non-toxic to
humans. It is poorly absorbed by the skin (< 2%) and is rapidly
inactivated by skin esterases. There is no evidence of accumulation in
the body, and it has not been shown to be a human teratogen (cause
malformations of an embryo or fetus),
mutagen, or carcinogen.
When applied to clothing it chemically bonds to clothing fibers as it
dries, thus its persistence through multiple washings. Manufacturers of
spray application Permethrin products (0.5%) for clothing recommend that
for best total protection from biting and bloodsucking insects,
Permethrin clothing treatment should be used in combination with a slow
release DEET formulation on the skin. This is standard practice for the
US Military in situations where there is high risk of insect-borne
diseases.
Long-Term
Report
Test Locations and Conditions—During
the six-month test (mid-May to Mid November) I wore the Ex
Officio Convertible Pant on seven day hikes and 13 backpacking trips,
for a total of 53 days. Trips were in the Southwest Colorado
Mountains, the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, and canyon country of southern
Utah.
The amount of flies and mosquitoes increased with each trip in June and
July, then diminished in August through October. On my longest trip, a
six-day backpack on Colorado’s Continental Divide Trail, the
mosquitoes were really numerous and aggressive, so the BUZZ-OFF pant got
its chance to do its job. When I hiked through forested areas, the
mosquitoes swarmed around me within minutes after I stopped. They were
particularly heavy when I camped in the forest at elevations of
10,000-11,000 ft (3,048-3,353 m) near water.
Daytime temperatures were 60-70 F (16-21 C) and nighttime temperatures
were 30-40 F (-1 to 4 C). I encountered a lot of wind in early summer,
and a lot of rain in late summer. Humidity levels in the Southwest are
typically low.
How the Pant Was Used—I
wore the pant exclusively for day hiking and backpacking. Because the
pant has such a wide comfort range, I removed the legs and wore them as
shorts only about 20% of the time. I did not wear a belt with the pant.
Following are my findings and impressions.
Insect Repelling Properties—The BUZZ-OFF Convertible Pant
definitely keeps flies and mosquitoes from biting.
When I was in woods thick with mosquitoes, I found that the
insects did land on the pant (so they were not necessarily repelled),
but they did not bite through like they otherwise would. They sat there
for several seconds looking befuddled, then flew away. The mosquitoes
were very pesky and did bite my exposed skin (head, neck, and hands),
and I did have to put DEET on those areas to repel mosquitoes. The
combination of BUZZ-OFF clothing and repellent on exposed skin worked
very well, providing me with complete insect protection using a minimal
amount of DEET.
I did not see any evidence that the Permethrin in the fabric deters
mosquitoes from adjacent areas of exposed skin. After about 12 washings,
the insect repelling properties of the pant seemed to be intact.
Reaction to Permethrin—In
my Long-Term
Report of the BUZZ-OFF Lite Long Sleeve Shirt, I mentioned that my
back broke out in a rash in the area behind my backpack, where I sweated
a lot. I had no problems of this type with the BUZZ-OFF Convertible
Pant.
Comfort—The Convertible Pant fit me exceptionally well and was
very comfortable to wear. I like the long legs that cover the tops of my
boots. The fabric is quite thin and has a soft hand. The pant has a
broad comfort range; I wore it comfortably while hiking in temperatures
ranging from 35-80 F (2-27 C) and in windy conditions. I found myself
comfortably wearing the pant with the legs on at temperatures that I
would normally be wearing shorts. Ex Officio should consider making
these pants available without the convertible feature. The pant is quite
comfortable to wear in warm/hot weather, and of course having the legs
on provides insect protection.
Note that the fabric (Nycott) used in the Convertible Pant is different
from that used in the Lite LS Shirt.
I found the pant significantly more comfortable to wear than the
shirt, which makes me wonder why Ex Officio does not use the Nycott
fabric for both the pant and the shirt.
Versatility—I wore the pant for day hiking and backpacking. It
has functioned well in both activities. It functions well under a rain
suit while hiking; it breathes well and dries out quickly when wet or
damp.
Usability and Durability—The
thin fabric of the pant has limited durability, and requires reasonable
care to avoid tears or punctures. I
came back from one bushwhacking trip with one puncture hole in the left
leg just above the knee from a tree stub, and another puncture hole in
the seat from sitting on granite. The
reduced durability is a tradeoff for the pant’s light weight and
excellent comfort range. In my opinion, it is a good balance of these
attributes.
The pant is resistant to getting dirty and looks reasonably clean at the
end of a trip. I have washed it about 12 times, according to
instructions. It launders well, using spot treatments to remove pitch.
I have mixed feelings about the pant’s trim legs. On the one hand, I
like the slim fit with good articulation, but on the other hand I have
to remove my size 11.5 EE boots in order to remove or replace the pant
legs. My full height hiking
boots do not fit through the openings, however my low cut trail runners
do slide through. Perhaps a longer ankle zip would help (or maybe I
shouldn’t have such big feet!). Interestingly, the ankle zips are on
the inside of the legs rather than the outside like most other
convertible pants.
Ultralight Backpacking Use—The Convertible Pant works great for
backpacking. At 9.9 oz (281 g) for size medium-long, the pant weights a
little more than a pair of Supplex nylon hiking shorts at 7.9 oz (224
g). This pant has a good balance between durability, functionality, and
lightweight.
Tester
Information
Tester: Will Rietveld
Email: willi_wabbit@Bresnan.net
Male
Height: 6 ft (1.8 meters)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
Age: 62
Body Measurements:
Waist 34 in (86 cm), inseam 32 in (81 cm)
Location: Southwest Colorado, USA
Backpacking Experience: 46 years
Backpacking Style: Ultralight (5 years)
Types of Trips: Frequent 2-6 day trips in Colorado, Utah, New
Mexico, and Arizona. I am not a thru hiker. In the wintertime we car
camp and day hike.
Personal Website: Southwest
Ultralight Backpacking
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Ex Officio and the BackpackGearTest Group for
selecting me to participate in this test.
Will Rietveld
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