Owner Review by Rebecca Stacy

Owner Review: Women's REI Sahara Convertible Pants
Date: March 14, 2005

Tester Bio:
Name: Becki Stacy
Age: 31
Height: 5' 3" (1.6 m)
Weight: 150 lbs (68 kg)
Inseam: approximately 27.5” (70 cm)
Waist: 35” (89 cm)
Email address:beckistacy at comcast dot net
City, State, Country: Royal Oak, Michigan USA

Backpacking Background:
I got bitten by the backpacking bug in 1994 when I was a volunteer at the Grand Canyon. My first backpacking trip was the same week I arrived, with gear borrowed from trail crew supplies. Every year since 1998 my husband and I have usually spent at least a long weekend car camping, mostly in Michigan. Our longest trip was 6 nights hiking the Pictured Rocks. When hiking the Pictured Rocks we took everything but the kitchen sink. We are re-working our gear list to pare down our weight a little without giving up the luxury items we enjoy.

Product Information
Manufacturer: Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI)
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL:http://www.rei.com

Size tested: women’s 12 petite
Inseam as pants: 28.5” (72 cm)
Inseam as shorts: 6.5” (16.5 cm)
Waist, unstretched: 31” (79 cm)
Waist, maximum stretch: approx. 38” (97 cm)
Manufacturer’s weight: not available
Weight as delivered: Total weight: 12.9 oz (366 g) Legs: 4 oz (113 g)
Material: 100% Nylon
Available colors: carbon and gravel
MSRP: US$ 55.00
Laundering instructions (from tag on inside waistline of product): “Machine wash cold. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Tumble dry low. Do not iron. Wash with dark colors separately. Do not dry clean”

Product Description:
The Sahara convertible pants function as full-length pants and shorts, through the use of a zipper on each leg that converts the pants into shorts. The garment tag states it has an Ultraviolet Protection factor of 30. They come with a black webbing integral belt, which can be removed. There is a strip of elastic that runs from 5.75“(14.6 cm) from the front center to the rear center seam on each side. The pants have a 5.5” (14 cm) long zip fly with a snap at the top, and have a gusseted crotch. All the stitching appears straight, though there are a couple of areas where small bits of thread are hanging loose. The material is lightweight, yet does not feel flimsy or like it will easily wear.

Leg Construction:
The leg sections have articulated knees. Each leg has a 12.5” (31.8 cm) zipper that runs upward from the top of the cuff to allow for venting and for easy removal of the leg while wearing boots. The total height of the opening created is 14” (35.6 cm) from the bottom of the cuff. A Velcro tab gives the pant cuff a useable circumference of about 15.5” (39.4 cm) to 17.5” (44.5 cm), if the hook side (which is 1.75” / 4.5 cm long) is completely attached to the loop side (3.9” / 9.9 cm long). The leg sections are not interchangeable.

Pockets:
Two cargo pockets are on each side of the pants: one directly on top of the other. The outermost pockets are secured with two pieces of Velcro (on the left and right side of each pocket) with a flap-type opening. The outer right pocket has a “REI” rubberized logo sewn onto the pocket flap. Both pockets have a 1.25” (3.2 cm) wide by 0.5” (1.3 cm) long loop of black webbing attached to the flap. The useable dimensions of the outer cargo pockets are 6” (15.2 cm) high by 6” (15.2 cm) wide. The bottom and rear sides of the pockets are gusseted to allow for a depth of 1.4” (3.6 cm) along the majority of the bottom and rear side. The outer pockets each have two small grommets at the bottom to allow for drainage of liquids. The inner cargo pockets are secured with a single, centered strip of Velcro. They match the width of the outer pockets, and have a functioning height of about 5” (12.7 cm) when secured, or 6.5” (16.5 cm) when the Velcro is not in use. The inner cargo pockets are directly accessed - without a flap or other device to prevent sand, dirt, etc from entering around the Velcro. These pockets have a small area of mesh on the bottom portion that connects the inner pockets with the outer. Any liquid that enters the inner pocket would drain through the outer pocket.

There are two back pockets, one on each side of the pants. They are approximately 60 degrees from the vertical, tapering to 45 degrees at the lower point of the edge of the pocket. Each rear pocket is secured by one strip of Velcro, and has a small section of mesh at the bottom of the pocket to allow for drainage. The openings start 1.5” (3.8 cm) below the waste and terminate 7.5” (19.1 cm) below the waste. The beginning of the pocket opening is 2” (5.1 cm) away from the side seam (when the elastic is in its relaxed state), and the bottom meets the side seam. Each pocket is 9.75” (24.8 cm) top to bottom at the deepest point. They are 7” (17.8 cm) at their widest point, which is along the bottom.

There are three front pockets: The two main pockets have openings that are approximately 60 degrees from the vertical. These start 1.5” (3.8 cm) below the waste and terminate 7.5” (19.1 cm) below the waste. The beginning of the pocket opening is 3” (7.6 cm) away from the side seam (when the elastic is in its relaxed state), and the bottom meets the side seam. Each pocket is 9” (22.9 cm) top to bottom at the deepest point. They are 6.5” (16.5 cm) at their widest point, which is along the bottom. Inside the right front pocket is an inner, zippered pocket. The center of the zipper runs parallel to the edge of the outer pocket, 0.5” (1.3 cm) in from the outer pocket’s edge. The size of the inner pocket matches that of the outer pocket in all other dimensions. All three front pockets have a section of mesh at the bottom. The inner right pocket drains through the outer right pocket.

The front and back pockets meet at a point 1” (2.5 cm) above the side cargo pockets. This high-stress area has reinforced stitching.

Other Features:
On the left front beltline, approximately 3.75” (9.5 cm) from the center of the snap, is a single belt loop. The loop is 1.5” (3.8 cm) tall by 0.75” (1.9 cm) wide. Attached to this loop is a black parachute cord loop, approximately 0.75” (1.9 cm) in length. This looks to be designed to be a handy spot for me to clip whatever small, lightweight object I want to keep on hand (when not wearing a pack). I have not used this loop, since I usually just place such items in a pocket.

The seams for the articulated knees meet the side seams at about 8” (20.3 cm) and 11.25” (28.6 cm) from the crotch (17” / 43.2 cm and 20.25” / 51 cm from the bottom of the cuff).

Locations Tested:
I bought the Sahara convertible pants primarily for a 6-night hike along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (a 42+ mile / 68+ km segment of the North Country Trail), in Michigan. The terrain is flat to steep hills we had to climb with the help of railroad tie `stairs'. Weather conditions varied from lows around 50s F (about 10 C) at night to around 80s F (about 25 C) in the days. The weather varied from sunny to thunderstorms.

Since then, I have also used these pants for numerous day hikes, at the gym (as shorts), and off and on as casual shorts when I’m too lazy to dig out a ‘regular’ pair of shorts.

Use and Performance:
With boots on, the cuff of the pants falls to about the top of the normal lacing, or where a shoe would come up to on my foot. Without boots/shoes on, there’s about 0.75” (1.9 cm) between the cuff and the ground. Overall, the length of the pants has not caused me any problems.

When I first bought the Sahara pants I thought they felt a little ‘odd’ compared to non-convertible hiking pants, as if there were a hula-hoop where the zippers for the leg portions were. I wanted to save a little weight by having something that could do double duty as both pants and shorts, and I’m glad I chose these.

The ‘hula-hoop’ sensation wore off quickly once I was on trail. The design allows for a range of motion that some of my regular shorts (and jeans) would be giving me a wedgie in. As both shorts and pants they were not the least bit constraining as I climbed up and down steep railroad tie ‘stairs’ and climbed over a large fallen tree or two. The nylon does make a slight noise when my thighs rub together, but unless I’m paying attention to the noise, my mind blocks it out automatically.

Between using the Sahara as pants and applying insect repellent, I didn’t get a single mosquito or black fly bite on my legs. A brief encounter with a swarm of black flies my first morning on the trip convinced me to keep wearing the legs at all times while hiking. Hiking with the convertible in pants mode didn’t get nearly as warm as I thought pants would be when the sun was shining and there was no breeze.

On the flip side, they kept me warm enough one evening as we were standing on the top of a cliff, with a strong cool wind blowing in ahead of a thunderstorm. I think it had to be stirring up at least 6’ (1.8 m) waves, and anything on the beach below us was getting sandblasted. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt and my jacket to keep my upper body from getting chilled.

Another evening on the hike, we had arrived in camp early and decided to rinse out some of our clothes with water and a dab of camp suds. I washed the pants, (I had brought another pair of shorts to wear) and put them out to dry. As we were preparing dinner a brief thunderstorm came in, drenching our laundry. We left everything out to dry overnight, but our plans were foiled by another rain that came through very early in the morning. The morning wasn’t overly chilly, so I decided to don my pants, figuring I could deal with damp pants better than fly-bitten legs. After about 45 minutes on the trail (with occasional exposure to a stiff breeze) they were dry.

After the Pictured Rocks trip, I used the convertibles on an overnight backpack trip with my brother on the NCT/Manistique River Loop in Manistique National Forest, MI. After that it has been worn for day hikes, at the gym, and casually when I’m at home or out and about doing everyday activities.

At the gym, I wear them for step aerobics and whenever I plan to work out on the machines. They come in handy in the Michigan winters, since I wear them as pants into the gym and just zip off the legs before a workout. I don’t have to worry about bringing a gym bag along, since I can stuff the legs in my coat pocket. As long as it’s not so cold out that I’d get frostbitten in under 5 minutes, they keep me warm enough on the quick trip from car to gym. I should probably mention though, that on more than one occasion I’ve gone to the gym in shorts when it was slightly below freezing with no wind.

One feature that I didn’t really notice until I sat down to write this report is the articulated knees. The bottom seam for the articulation falls mid-kneecap on me (the middle of my kneecap is about 17.5” / 44.5 cm from the ground), so I don’t really know how much good they do me. When standing without shoes, the bottom of the cuff is about 0.75” (1.9 cm) from the ground. When I am sitting (again with no shoes) the cuff bottom rises to about 3.5” (8.9 cm) to 4.5” (11.4 cm) above the ground at the heel, depending on how I sit down. This isn’t much of a problem since between my hiking socks and the pants my lower leg is still completely covered.

Though I have never used a feminine urinary device, I briefly tested to determine the space one would likely require. Going from my estimates, merely unzipping the fly would not give enough space to use such a device. The pants would have to be unzipped, unsnapped, and unbelted to allow for enough space. However, because of the elastic I think it would be possible to use this type of device without lowering the waist by stretching the front crotch downward (with the fly, snap, and buckle undone).

Use of Pockets:
I rarely if ever use back pockets for anything, so I can’t really comment much on those except that as long as you’re not wearing a pack they are easy enough to get to. The front pockets are not accessible with pack on, and I didn’t keep much in those while backpacking. When not lugging a pack around, I use them to store keys, change, etc. as I would any other pair of shorts or jeans. The side cargo pockets are what I used most on the trip. I’d usually stash a pack of travel tissues and a small bottle of hand sanitizer in one side, and the paper trail map (that was handed out at the ranger station) in the other. Having stuff in the cargo pockets never really bothered me at all when hiking, since it was at my side and not bouncing off my leg (like keys in a front pocket might do) with every step.

Durability:
In all this period of use, there are only a few signs of wear to this product. The first is a stain on the butt of the shorts (from sitting on damp logs) that won’t come completely out. You have to know what you’re looking for to see it, since it is only barely visible. There are stains at the heel end of the cuffs from exposure to mud and other stuff. I can’t recall how I might’ve gotten ash on my heels, but there are a couple of small blackish stains. The stitching in these areas is also beginning to wear a bit, but with the exposure to mud, hiking through sand, and the general abuse I give the pants it’s not unexpected. The cloth itself is holding up very well at the heel area, so if the stitching gives way in the future, the repair should be easy. Another area where the stitching is beginning to fail is along the fly area. About a 1” (2.5 cm) length has become ‘unstitched’. This problem affects a non-‘loadbearing’ area: the stitching is there mainly to keep the inside seam of the fly from moving around and getting caught in the zipper, and is easy enough for me to fix myself. It might have started with a branch or something snagging the thread, I never really noticed when it started. The fly stitching might be covered by REI’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, but personally I don’t really think it’s worth bothering them over. There has been no ‘pilling’ or other signs of wear on the fabric.

Comments on My Second Pair of Pants:
One interesting thing to note is that I recently picked up a pair of these in women’s size 10 regular (with the hopes of dropping a few pounds and firming up my tummy by my next trip) at a winter clearance sale. On this pair, my kneecaps are close to being centered between the articulation seams. Though I am currently close to maxing out the elastic, it is still comfy and I don’t feel ‘squished’ by it. I have to roll up the cuffs to keep from stepping on the pants, but I expected to since there wasn’t a petite version on clearance. There are a couple of areas where the stitching is doubled over, as if the sewing machine had run out of thread and someone went over the area again. These areas are only noticeable upon close inspection and do not appear to affect the use or the look of the garment. Since my original pants did not have any such double stitching or backstitching in areas not associated with the end of a seam, I do not know if my clearance pants are factory seconds that were not marked as such.

Summary:
The REI Sahara convertible pants offer the best of both pants and shorts in one garment. As shorts it has a variety of uses even off-trail, and has taken a fair amount of use and abuse with no real wear & tear.

What I liked:
*That I’d have to be a yoga master to find a position the pants wouldn’t be comfortable in (and even then it just might be an impossible task!)
*A pair of pants and a pair of shorts at just under 12.9 oz (366 g).
*For 3-season hiking, as pants they keep me cool enough when needed, and warm enough when needed.

What I didn't like:
*Only 2 choices of colors, and ‘carbon’ is a bit on the dark side for my personal tastes. Nothing against ‘gravel’, but a few more shades (such as a light forest green) would be nice.
*Back pockets are useless with a pack on. If I were nit-picking weight, I’d say get rid of them all together. This is more of a ‘useless feature’ for me than a true dislike. I’m not into ultra-light, so the back pockets stay intact.
*The belt loop on the front left is useless with a pack on. This is another that’s more of an ‘I can do without’ than a real dislike.
*Unless my legs are small even for petite or my knees are lower than normal, having the articulation fall in the proper location would be nice.

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