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Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > GoLite Whim Pants > Gail Staisil > Field ReportName:
Gail Staisil
Age: 53 Gender: Female Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m) Weight: 140 lb (64 kg) Waist Size: 28 in (71 cm) Hip Size: 37 in (94 cm) Pants Size: Woman's Medium Location: Marquette, Michigan USA Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com Photo
Album Website: http://community.webshots.com/user/isleroyalegirl
For the last 16
years, backpacking has become a passion. I am a four-season backpacker
and an off-trail navigator. Although
I do take yearly trips to the American West or Southwest, the majority
of my trips are in Michigan and Canada.
My pack weight varies considerably but my base weight is below 18 lb
(8 kg). I am primarily a tarp camper who averages more than 50 nights a
year backpacking in a huge variety of weather conditions including
relentless rain, wet snow and sub-zero temps.
GoLite Whim Pants-- Description The
GoLite Whim Pants are water resistant shell pants that may be used in a
wide variety of activities. According to the website, the Whim Pants
are a 4 oz (110 g) ultra-lite wonder that offers wind and water
resistance plus
great durability for the weight. Some of their attributes include their
highly packable small size and breathability. They are available
in a full range of sizes ranging from Unisex XS to XXL. For more
detailed information on the GoLite Whim Pants please see my initial
report.
Manufacturer: GoLite
Website: http://www.golite.com Phone: 1.888.546.5483  Model: Whim Pants Model Year: 2006 Color: Night (Black) Size: Unisex Small Sizes Available: Unisex XS to XXL Materials: WispUltraTM Fabric with Super-DWR coating MSRP: $70.00 US Manufacturer Values:
Product
Weight:
4 oz (110 g)
Inseam: 30 in (76 cm) Tester's Measured Values:
Product Weight: 3.5 oz (99 g) Inseam: 30.25 in (77 cm) Self-Stowing Back Pocket Size (Filled): 5 in (12.70 cm) X 4 in (10.16 cm) GoLite Whim Pants-- Field Testing Data Locations/Conditions During
the last
two months I have tested the GoLite Whim Pants during several spring
and summer
backpacking trips. They included two trips to Pictured Rocks National
Lakeshore, a trip to the Fox River Pathway and two trips to Grand
Island
National Recreation Area. Total amount of backpacking during this time
period was sixteen days. In addition the Whim Pants were
tested during frequent day hikes and
trail runs. Testing locations included deciduous and pine forest,
open plains, lakeshore and steep rocky trails. The testing
conditions were at low elevation or altitude 600 ft (183 m) to 2000 ft
(610 m), with
mostly semi-cool to warm conditions and mid-to-high range humidity
(50-95 percent). Temperatures ranged from a low of 20 F (-7 C) to a
high
of over 80
F (27 C). Mostly dry conditions prevailed.
Backpacking Trip # 1-- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore April 26-28 2006 Wind Protection During this trip the GoLite Whim Pants were used mostly for layering over my regular trail pants to protect me from the wind. The northerly winds were brisk off Lake Superior and since this part of the trail is elevated as much as 200 ft (61 m) above the lake the winds can be brutal. On the second day the winds were less severe so the Whim Pants were used just during the evening at camp for extra warmth. So far the elasticized waist has been sufficient to keep the waist of the pants from sliding down over my trail pants. I just leave the drawcord untied as it has not been an issue. There is adequate elastic in the waist to both hold the pants in place and be comfortable at the same time. Backpacking Trip # 2-- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Thru-Hike May 4-7 2006 Layers And More Layers The GoLite Whim Pants were stowed in a stuff sack with my raincoat and rain mittens in the top part of my pack. I started this hike late in the evening so I arrived at camp after sunset. The next morning the conditions were semi-cloudy so I kept the pants stowed. I planned to hike over 16 mi (26 k) to the next camp site. When I was barely two miles (three kilometers) into the hike it began to snow in the form of hard crystal pellets. Because the snow only lasted an hour or more and never materialized into wet snow I kept the Whims stowed. After several hours on the trail I realized that the temperature was either rapidly falling, the winds were picking up speed or both. I was downright cold even though I was continuously moving. I stopped for lunch and immediately put on the Golite Whim Pants. I did have to remove my gaiters and trail shoes first. This was a bit of an inconvenience but it gave me a chance to dump the sand out of my shoes that had infiltrated through the mesh of the shoes. I put the Whims over my regular zip-off trail pants thinking that I could remove them if I got too hot. They layered nicely and I didn't feel like I was restricted in any way while I was ascending and descending the trail. I never got too warm as the day was just simply cold and extremely windy for the month of May. In fact when I got into camp I kept both layers on and added a third layer of insulated pants (Primaloft). The Whims became the mid-layer. Trail Abuse Since it was spring time and the trail was not yet cleared of debris I encountered tons of blowdowns across the trail. Sometimes I was able to slip under the larger trees by scooting on my bottom across the dirt. I also had to go off the trail hundreds of times to get around areas where too much brush had fallen. I had previously wondered how the Whim Pants would survive such treatment but there appeared to be no adverse effects from the ragged edges of the broken branches and trees. Light Rain In the evening I walked the beach wearing all three layers and I was really comfortable. I decided to sleep in all the layers too as my 25 F (-4 C) down bag is over-rated temperature wise. The temperatures stayed cold and the next day I left camp wearing both my trail pants and the wind pants. The winds had calmed down considerably so I ended up taking the Whim Pants off later. I arrived at the next camp site in mid-afternoon. Soon after setting up my shelter the skies started to become gray and light rain began to fall. I went for a shore walk anyway and the Whim Pants shed the light moisture that fell. In fact, I decided to cook my dinner donned in a rain jacket plus the Whim Pants and I stayed completely dry most likely due to the Super-DWR coating. Quiet Fabric The next morning I headed out with the Whim Pants acting as an outer layer again. I liked the softness and quietness of the fabric. Most of the raingear or windgear that I own makes noise when I walk. This often was irritating at times especially if I tried to sneak up and get a better look at a critter. After the temperatures began to rise I stowed them back in my pack after about 5 mi (8 k) of hiking. Backpacking Trip # 3-- Fox River Pathway June 3-5 2006 The temperatures were unseasonably high during this trip with daytime temps of over 80 F (27 C) and nighttime temps of approximately the mid 40's F (7 C). I stowed the Golite Pants in the top part of my backpack in case I needed them. I love how small the pants compress into the self-stowing pocket. They take up little space in my backpack. I normally keep them towards the top of the pack where I can easily retrieve them if needed. The weight of the pants is insignificant compared to their value if inclement weather strikes. While I would think twice about carrying an extra heavier pair of wind pants the compactness and lightness (3.5 oz/99 g -Size Small) of the Whim Pants make them a treasure. Backpacking Trip # 4-- Grand Island National Recreation Area June 9-11 2006  Two Layers Underneath The Whim Pants With cool temperatures prevailing during the evening hours I layered my regular zip-off hiking pants, lightly-quilted insulated pants and the Golite Whims. Although I had worn the hiking pants under the Whims before this was the first time that I tried wearing two layers underneath them. When I first saw the Whims in a Size-Small Unisex I never thought they would fit me let alone layer two additional layers underneath them. I have been duly surprised by the layering capabilities. After removing my shoes the layers go together quite easily. In fact I slept in all three layers and in the morning when I was ready to hike I stripped down to the hiking pants as the sole bottom layer. The same scenario happened the next night when the nighttime low was about 36 F (2 C). Backpacking Trip # 5-- Grand Island National Recreation Area June 30-July 2 2006 After The Rain Warm temperatures prevailed during this trip so the Whim Pants were stowed most of the time. A heavy rain storm hit after I got to camp on the second day. I sat out the duration of the storm in my tent but changed over to the Whim Pants to combat the wet vegetation once I emerged from the tent. After a short while they were too hot to wear with the return of the sun so I changed back to my trail pants (high humidity and plus 70 F/21 C temps). Running and Day Hiking I have used the Whim Pants for a number of trail runs when it has been raining lightly or it had just stopped. The humidity was extreme and I have been very comfortable with just wearing the pants alone.The silky fabric is very comfortable against my bare skin and doesn't hinder my movement by getting stuck to my skin like some other wind pants that I own. The pants have been very versatile to wear at many different temperatures and humidity levels. Temperatures for these runs have ranged from below freezing (32 F/0 C) to almost 70 F (21 C). At higher temperatures I usually chose not to wear any long pants while I am running because I overheat too easily. I have also stowed the Whim Pants in my daypack during day hiking excursions. If the weather turns cold and windy they are quickly brought out to remedy the situation. Pros
Tester Remarks Overall I have been
very pleased with the performance of the GoLite Whim Pants. I have
successfully used them as a base layer, a mid-layer and an outer layer.
During the
long-term testing period I will look further at issues including
durability and extended care of the fabric. I will continue to use them
in a variety of conditions and locations. Thanks to GoLite and
BackpackGearTest for this great
opportunity.
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