Mountain Khakis Snake River Pants
Reviewed By Pat McNeilly

Initial Report: September 21, 2009

Name: Pat McNeilly
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 8” (1.7 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email address: mcne4752 at yahoo dot com 
City, State, Country: Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA

Backpacking Background:
I have been hiking for at least 20 years but backpacking for only the last five years.  Most of my backpacking is done as overnight trips and occasional weekend and week long trips.  My typical pack weight is approximately 18 to 20 lb (8 to 9 kg) before food or water.  Most of my backpacking is the three season variety in the mountains of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.  In addition to backpacking, I also fish, hunt, and enjoy orienteering.  As a result, some of my backpacking equipment gets use in a number of different venues.

Product Information:

Product: Snake River Pants
Manufacturer: Mountain Khakis
Waist: 34 in (86 cm)
Inseam: 30 in (76 cm)
Tested Color: Birch
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Measured Weight:  15.6 oz (442 g)
URL: http://mountainkhakis.com 
MSRP: NA

Initial Report
Report Date: September 21, 2009

Product Description:
The Mountain Khakis Snake River Pants (i.e., the pants) are a 100% nylon hiking pant.  The pants have a diamond shaped gusseted crotch for ease of movement.  All the major seams are triple stitched and stress points around the pockets are bar tacked.  The pants close at the waist with a 5.5 in (14 cm) zipper and an antique-brass riveted shank button at the top.  There are also six 2 in (5 cm) belt loops around the waist.  The inside of the waistband, as well as beneath the front zipper, is lined with 0.5 in (13 mm) grosgrain.

The pants have two front pockets which have a squared-off opening at the bottom.  The insides of the pockets are constructed of a nylon mesh fabric.  The front pockets are approximately 6 in (15 cm) deep.  The right front pocket also has a zippered security pocket with a 6 in (15 cm) zipper with a Mountain Khakis logo hanging from the zipper pull.  The pants also have a right rear zippered pocket with a 5 in (13 cm) zipper (also with the Mountain Khaki logo).  This rear pocket is also lined with the same mesh fabric as the front pockets and measures approximately 6 in (15 cm) deep.

On the left leg, there is a cargo pocket 11 in (28 cm) below the waistband.  This pocket measures approximately 7 x 7.5 in (18 x 19 cm) and has a flap covering it which measures approximately 3 x 7.5 in (8 x 19 cm).  This pocket closes with two small squares of hook and loop fastener.  In addition, this pocket has a small pleat on the rear portion of the pocket.  Inside this pocket is a smaller zippered security pocket which measures approximately 5 x 5 in (13 x 13 cm).

Lastly, I also noted that the lower rear portion of each leg has a double layer of fabric which measures 3 x 10 in (8 x 25 cm).

Product Review:
The Mountain Khakis Snake River Pants appear to be very well made.  The stitching looks to be just about perfect.  I do not see loose threads or uneven stitches.  The zippers all operate smoothly.  There are some very nice features that leads me to believe quite a bit of thought went into designing these pants.  The triple stitching of the main seams, bar tacking around the pockets, and double fabric on the lower leg are just a few things that make me believe this.

The fit of the pants seem just about right.  I thought that the inseam might be a little long but my wife tells me they are just right.  I also measured the inseam and it appears to be right at 30 in (76 cm).  The fit around my waist is good.  I usually can wear a 34 in (86 cm) waist and these fit just fine.  The fabric is light and has a fairly smooth feel to it.

The pockets are in good locations and are large enough but not too deep.  I hate pockets that are so deep that I feel like I’m bending over to grab something at the bottom.  The rear hip pocket easily holds my wallet and can easily be zippered closed.  The left cargo pocket is not as large as those found on military uniforms but will easily hold a cell phone and some snacks.  Even the inner security portion of the cargo pocket can hold a cell phone or keys.  I also like the zippered front pocket.  I often use this type of pocket to ensure I don’t lose my keys while day hiking.

The gusseted crotch is a main feature of the pants and I can’t say that I have noticed any particular advantage but I haven’t hiked in them yet.  I will see how this works out over the coming months.

I’m not clear what the function of the grosgrain around the waistband and under the front zipper is.  The manufacturer appears to use it on most of their other products but I’m not sure if it is comfort thing or what.

The washing instructions indicate that the pants are to be machine washed in warm water and tumble dried on low.  The instructions also indicate that the pants could be steam ironed with medium heat.  We’ll see how that ironing things goes while on trail – not.

This concludes my Initial Report.  The Field Report will be appended to this report in about two months.  Please check back then for more information.

I would like to thank Mountain Khakis and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this item.