INTEGRAL DESIGNS DENALI PANTS – FIELD REPORT January 6, 2004

 

Reviewer Information

Name: Jason Boyle
Age:  26
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 6”/ 1.68 m
Weight: 170 lb/ 77 kg
Email address: c4jc@hotmail.com
City, State, Country: Waldorf, Maryland, U.S.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Integral Designs

Model: Denali Pants

Year of Manufacture: 2003

URL:  http://www.integraldesigns.com

Listed weight: 1 lb 3 oz (535 g)

Measured weight: 1lb 1 oz (482 g)

Color: Black

MSRP: 130 dollars

 

Features from website:

- Insulated with single layer of 4oz Primaloft Sport (0.8" loft)

- Pertex P565 ripstop microfibre shell fabric

- Pertex microlight taffeta inner lining (black)

- Fully separating YKK # 5 vislon leg zippers with inside weather flap/anti snag webbing

- Elasticized waist with front drawcord and side velcro adjustments

- Front fly / belay zip

- Supplied with Silcoat stuff sack

 

Field Review:

 

Summary

 

After testing the Denali pants for the past three months, I am pleased with their overall performance.  The Denali pants have proven to provide considerable amounts of warmth especially when worn during aerobic activities such as hiking and backpacking.  My only complaint is the length of the pants; they are quite long for a person of my short build.

  

Field Test Conditions

 

The pants where tested 6 times between their receipt and the writing of this report.  The temperatures ranged from the upper 50’s F (10-15 C) to the middle 20’s F (-4 C). The tests were conducted either on dayhikes or walking my two dogs in the neighborhood.  My dayhikes took place in the following areas: The Appalachian Trail in the Shenandoah Mountains, Theodore Roosevelt Island, and Great Falls National Park Virginia.  Wind conditions ranged from calm to a steady breeze of approximately 15 mph (24 kmph).

 

Field Test Results

 

My test focused on three main characteristics: DURABILITY, WARMTH, and FUNCTION listed below are my findings:

 

DURABILITY:  I have not had any problems with the durability of these pants.  I have sat on rocks and slogged through mud with no adverse effects and the stitching shows no signs of wear.  The pants have only been washed one time and that was done according to the manufacturer’s instructions. I did not dry in the dryer even though the manufacturer said you could tumble dry them on low, instead I hung them to drip dry.

 

WARMTH:  These pants are warm, especially during activities requiring significant aerobic activity.  When I tested these pants in the warmer temperatures (40-50 F/4-10 C) I found that I overheated in them very quickly, even when doing something as simple as  walking the dogs.  When I tested the pants in the Shenandoah’s carrying a daypack and hiking 13 miles with 3000 feet of elevation change with a temperature in the 20’s F (-6 C) I found them to be much more comfortable.  Based on these observations, I would recommend them to hike/backpack in only if the temperatures will be at or below freezing. 

            I did not do much sedentary testing during these past three months, but I did hang out at Great Falls on some of the rocks enjoying the awesome waterfalls and I did not get cold or feel the cold radiate through the rocks onto my legs.  The temperatures that day were in the low 50’s F (10 C).  However, when I was in the Shenandoah’s, I sat in the snow during one of my rest breaks and after a few minutes could feel the cold starting to seep through.  The temperatures there where in the mid 20’s F (-6 C). So I have not formed a good opinion yet of how well these pants keep me warm when sedentary.

            The Denali Pants did live up their reputation for being windproof.  During my tests, I encountered some stiff wind conditions and could not feel any wind coming through the material of the pants or through the zippers. The wind was strong enough that it pushed the material around my legs when standing head on in the wind, but did not let any wind through.

 

FUNCTION:  Integral Designs states on their website that these pants are “the ideal static layer” and I have to agree.  I think that they will serve best as a layer to put on during rest breaks and when hanging around camp.  As stated previously they trap heat well when used during aerobic activities such as hiking.

 

OTHER OBSERVATIONS: While sitting at on the rocks at Great Falls, I happened to sit in a small water puddle, but I did not mind because I thought the pants had some waterproofness. As it turns out I was wrong!  I did not immediately notice, but when I got up to leave I had a wet bottom, this gives me some concern as to how well they would work in the rain, or if used as ski pants especially if used by me since I tend to fall down alot.

I mentioned in my initial report that I was bothered by the velcro tabs holding the pants together.  It seems to have fixed itself.  The problem went away once I zipped the sides of the pants up completely.

           

Long Term Test Plan

 

I will continue to test the pants over the next three months and will continue to evaluate them on the three factors stated above.  Future trips include skiing, backpacking, and camping with my Scout troop.  I will also determine how well they perform when used as part of a sleeping system.

 

Improvements

 

There are a few areas I would recommend for improvements. The first is with the side zippers.  I would like to see a double zipper that would allow the pants to be ventilated.  I would like to be able to wear them hiking, but need to be able to let off some steam.  My second recommendation is the fit of the pants.  The crotch and the inseam just don’t fit me well.  While hiking in them I was concerned that the excess material would chafe me.  It hasn’t, but I still don’t feel very comfortable in them unless I “hike” them up above my normal waistline.  It would be nice to have a short, regular, or tall sizing option.  My third recommendation is pockets, any type of pocket.  I have worn the pants on the way to my trips and have had to stash my wallet and keys somewhere or hold them if I stopped to get gas or coffee.  It would be nice to have a place to put my stuff. 

 

 

Backpacking Experience

I have been camping and backpacking for about 15 years.  I started when I was 11 in Boy Scouts.  I hiked in mostly the southern United States (Florida, Alabama, Georgia) when I started.  Afterwards, I went to college in Connecticut and became versed in the New England Outdoors.  I currently live near Washington D.C. and hike and backpack in the Mid Atlantic Mountains.  I have been section hiking the Appalachian Trail and have completed all of the Connecticut and Maryland sections, and I am currently working on the Virginia section. I am not an ultra light hiker nor am I pack mule hauling everything but the kitchen sink.  I only take stuff that I plan on using.

 

I want to thank BGT and Integral Designs for the opportunity to participate in this test.