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Reviews > Clothing > Pants and Shorts > TNF Paramount Convertible Pants > Owner Review by Ken BigelowNorth Face Paramount Convertible PantsReviewer InformationName: Ken Bigelow Age: 26 Gender: Male Height: 5’ 8” (1.7 Meters) Weight: 205 Pounds (93 kilograms) Email address: krb84108@yahoo.com City, State, Country: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Date: July 28, 2004 Backpacking Background: I was first dragged on a backpacking trip to Yellowstone seven years ago and have been the maniac planning the trips ever since. My adventures usually last as long as the weekend, but at least once a year I go on a “Super Quest” that lasts a minimum of a week. I characteristically hike ultralight style, but I do take a tent along. In the spring and fall I typically end up in canyon country and in the summer I retreat to the mountains and their unpredictable ambiance. I frequently see a wide variety of climates ranging from 10 F (-12 C) with snow to 90 F (32 C) and sunny with just about everything in between. Product InformationManufacturer: North FaceYear of Manufacture: 2002 URL: http://www.thenorthface.com Listed Weight: None Listed Weight as Delivered: 1 lb 2 oz (510 g) Color: Fossil Ivory (Classic Khaki, Asphalt Grey, & New Taupe also available) Size: XL (S, M, L, XXL also available w/ Short, Regular or Long Inseams) MSRP: $65 US Features
LocationsI have worn these convertible pants on every backpacking and hiking trip for the last two years. The terrain has included everything from slickrock, boulder hopping and scree to mud, sand and stream wading. Temperatures have ranged from below freezing to the low nineties (around 32 C). I have hiked through hot sunny days and torrential downpours with them on and found them to be adaptable.PerformanceThe Paramount pants are the near perfect hiking companion. They have tons of storage space, are adaptable to almost any climate and are not going to complain about how I smell no matter how long I have been away from civilization.The right side utility pockets are the perfect size for transporting Kleenex, lip balm and any other small necessities. I’ve found the front cargo pocket the ideal location for my map, compass and trail snacks. Any small valuables are easily stored in the zippered coin pocket which has more than enough room for my car keys. The rear belt loops hold the pant legs when converted, but carabineers can be attached and even more gear transported on my body if I decide to skip the pack on a day hike. The rear pockets are one of my few complaints. While traversing wet slickrock in Canyonlands NP, I slipped (imagine that, slickrock is actually slippery when wet) and slid down a portion of the trail. The stitching came out on one of the back pockets rendering it useless. The other rear pocket suffered a similar fate prior to reaching the summit of Mt. Olympus in the Wasatch Range a few months later. The problem appears to be isolated to the rear pockets as all the other pockets have held up to similar accidents. The flexibility of the pants is also very impressive. The fact that they act as both pants and shorts reduces the number of clothes I have to take into the mountains which means I just reduced my load a little. They are pretty breathable, but still manage to keep the wind out as I discovered while at the summit of Wheeler Peak in Great Basin NP. The adjustable waist strap helps after two weeks in the backcountry and I’ve found that I am a few pounds lighter in the waist than when I started. My only other criticism is the side leg zippers. They need to be just a tad longer so I can take off the leg sections easily with high top hikers on. The zippers are extremely durable though. I’ve yanked and pulled to remove the leg section over my hikers and two years later the zippers still work better on my pants than on my tent and winter coat. The clothing really does live up to its quick dry claim. After packing through a downpour in Yellowstone the pants were the first thing I owned to completely dry out. To put it simply, they are quite comfortable even when the environment is not.SummaryThe North Face Convertible pants are the only partner I will not go without. They provide comfort, convenient storage and versatility. Too bad they don’t make automobiles.Pros
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