INTEGRAL DESIGNS DENALI PANTS – INTIAL REPORT October 22, 2003

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.
Date: October 20, 2003

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

Review:

Arrival/Description

The pants did not actually arrive at my house, but rather there was a postcard in mailbox that required me to go and pick up parcel from the local post office.  I guess Integral Designs wanted to make sure that the proper person received the pants.  After opening the box, I found the pants packaged in a plastic bag, with an Integral Designs catalog and a gray silcoat stuff sack loose in the box.

The first thing I did was put the pants on!  The large size turned out to be the proper size for me with room underneath for a pair of tights but not much else.  After trying the pants on, I took them off to examine the pants.  They are your typical pair of pants with the inside seam sewn together and the outside seam held together by full-length zippers.  The full-length zippers are easy to pull and are easily worked with one hand.  The waist band and the cuffs are elastic and the waistband also has a Velcro attachment. 

The outer material is made of Pertex 565 a more robust version of the Pertex Microlite material that Integral Designs uses for some of their other clothing.  According to Integral Designs the biggest difference between normal nylon fabric and Pertex is that Pertex fabric spreads moisture over a broad area by capillary action, therefore; moisture evaporates more rapidly than in a normal nylon fabric. 

The pants are filled with a synthetic fill called Primaloft Sport.  This fill is supposed to be as good as down when dry and better when wet.  Only testing will tell if this is a true statement.

Initial Impressions/Test

My initial impression of the pants is positive.  I was expecting some sort of winter/ski pants and that is what I received.  They seem to be well made and fit me well.  I walked some around the pants move well with my body.  I had the opportunity to take them with me for a visit to the Shenandoah National Park over the weekend of October 17-19.  I wore them to a campfire presentation on Saturday evening.  The temperatures were in the low 40’s F (4’s C) that evening and I was able to sit comfortably and watch the presentation.  On a side note the campfire presentation was interesting but the campfire was more for effect than for warmth.  I would have worn the pants hiking over the weekend, but I think they would have been to warm as the temperatures during the day were in the upper 50’s F (10’s C).  One thing annoying this I have noticed is the way the Velcro on the waistband jabs my side when I am wearing the pants.  I alleviated this problem by tucking in my undershirt.

Test Plan

I will be looking for three main things during my test: DURABILITY, WARMTH, and FUNCTION.  I intend to test these pants in many different situations including but not limited to backpacking, car camping, walking my dogs, and skiing.  My testing grounds will be the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, Ski resorts in Western Maryland and West Virginia, and various mid Atlantic campgrounds with my scout troop.  I expect the temperatures to range from 40’s F (4 C) to the 0 F (-18 C) during the testing months.

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.