Field Report

Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pants
Field Report
January 15, 2006

Tester Biographical Information:

Name: Ken Bigelow
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 9” (1.8 m)
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
Waist: 42 in (107 cm)
Hip: 41 in (104 cm)
Inseam: 31 in (79 cm)
Thigh: 27 in (69 cm)
Email: krb84108 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Backpacking Background:

I was first dragged on a backpacking trip eight years ago and have been addicted to it ever since. My adventures vary in length from a weekend to over two weeks. I am slowly shifting my backpacking style to a lightweight approach. I recently upgraded to a hammock to reduce weight. From spring through fall I typically backpack in the mountains or desert, while in winter I often go snowshoeing. I typically 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 Information:

Manufacturer: Integral Designs
Website: www.integraldesigns.com
Size Tested: XL 40 - 44 in (102-112 cm) waist, 50” (127 cm) hip, 33” (84 cm) inseam, 28” (71 cm) thigh
Listed Weight: 10.5 oz (300 g), Medium
Pants Measured Weight: 11.2 oz (318 g)
Stuff Sack Measured Weight: 0.4 oz (11 g)
Measured Packed Size in Stuff Sack: 8 in x 9 in (20 cm x 23 cm)
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Color: Black
MSRP: $250 (US)

Field Conditions:

For the last two months the Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pants have been used in Zion National Park, Arches National Park, the Wasatch Mountains and the Uinta Mountains. In Arches and Zion I only wore the pants when precipitation was falling from the sky. My trips in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains have been snowshoeing or hiking through deep snow and have included both sunny days and snowstorms. For these trips I had the eVENT Rain Pants on all the time. Elevations have ranged from 4,000 ft (1,200 m) to 9,000 ft (2,700 m). Temperatures have ranged from 50 F (10 C) to 10 F (-12 C).

Product Description & Initial Impressions:

The Integral Design eVENT Rain Pants first saw action in Zion National Park. I hiked out after four days of exploring the backcountry and the sky opened up and dumped hard rain all afternoon. The forecast before leaving on the trip had called for a pretty nasty storm so I donned the rain pants as the first few drops started falling. The rain pants compact down small (8 in x 9 in, or 20 cm x 23 cm) so I can carry them in a side pocket of my pack. This is handy because it allows me to access them quickly and easily which is a good thing in a sudden downpour. I quickly slid the pants over my New Balance trail runners and continued toward the trailhead.

The rain pants went over my hiking pants without any difficulty and the Velcro strap, combined with the elasticized waist, allowed me to tighten them for a better fit. The rain pants are comfortable to wear on the trail. They are not tight or confining in any way. I still have a pretty free range of motion, but that may not mean much as I am not that flexible to begin with. They also kept the rain at bay and appear to be completely waterproof. The eVENT fabric repels the rain as good, if not better, than any other waterproof material I have ever tried.

It should probably be noted that I also experienced a rain-snow mix while in camp near Arches National Park. I was not wearing my trail runners for this trip and discovered that unfortunately, the rain pants will not slide on over my Vasque GTX hiking boots (or my larger footwear like my North Face Chilkats snowboots) so I had to remove them prior to pulling on the rain pants. I would not classify either pieces of footwear as a "light shoe" (while I would my trail runners). From my experiences so far, I would agree with the manufacturer's statements about pulling on the pants while still wearing a "light shoe".

An early December arctic cold front dropped temperatures well below normal and forced most of the local outdoor enthusiasts inside. This left me as the sole person to break trail while snowshoeing in the Uinta Mountains. It was days like this that reveal Utah's "Greatest Snow on Earth" is for winter sports activists who love to recreate in fresh powder. Snowshoeing in the stuff can inspire feelings quite the opposite of love. Sinking to my knees while snowshoeing made for a rough day of travel. I was actually glad to hit the steeper terrain as I only sunk to mid-calf. I was delighted, however, to be wearing the eVENT Rain Pants. My legs and feet remained dry despite the fact that the spent the entire day covered in snow. This has convinced me that wearing the rain pants negates any need to wear gaiters when traveling in the snow. It also reinforced my belief in the waterproof properties of the pant's fabric as it shed the snow without any problems (even though it was powder).

Breaking Trail in the Fresh Powder of the Uinta Mountains in the ID eVENT Rain Pants

Heavy exertion combined with the low temperatures and bright reflected sunlight sent my nose running and chapped my lips quite badly. This sent me constantly reaching for the lip balm and Kleenex that I store in my pockets. Accessing my front pockets while wearing the rain pants proved to be both quick and quite easy. I simply undid the side zippers and reached in my pockets to extract whatever I needed. The cold temperatures kept me from removing my gloves so the side zippers cannot be too difficult to use. Reaching either my back or hip pockets is another matter. I really have to dig to even locate my hip pocket and extracting an item from it is hard if not impossible. Retrieving something from my back pocket means either pulling down the rain pants or unsnapping and unzipping them to allow more room for hand maneuvering. I'm sure it's not a pleasant sight for anyone else on the trail even though I have pants on underneath.

While dayhiking in the Wasatch Mountains I wore the pants for protection against the snow which covered all of the trail and most of the surrounding terrain. Being that it was late December I expected it to be rather chilly, but a rare winter heat wave pushed temperatures near 50 F (10 C). For the trip I wore a baselayer and a some hiking pants underneath the rain pants. I realized I had too many clothes on rather quickly as my lower body began to feel hot. I debated whether to take the rain pants off, but elected against it as that would require removing my crampons (to prevent damaging the eVENT fabric) or my boots while on snow and ice. To cope with the problem I opened the side zippers to ventilate. This worked surprising well and a light breeze only helped air-out my legs. After the trip I inspected the interior of the rain pants, but was unable to locate any condensation. This eVENT fabric sure seems to breathe well. I recently tested the Integral Designs eVENT Shortie Gaiters and had similar success with ventilation. Integral Designs certainly has a winner with this fabric as far as I'm concerned.

ID eVENT Rain Pants with Vent Zippers Open

Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pants with the Vent Zippers Open

On this same trip, I did notice that the rain pants do make a slight noise when I'm walking with them on. While not deafening it does alert anything in my general vicinity to my presence. On different trips I have discovered that the crunching of my snowshoes or a strong wind provides enough sound to drown out the noise of the rain pants rubbing so this really is not a big deal, but something to be aware of.

Perhaps the most important feature (for the male audience members anyway) is the fly. I am happy to report that I had no problems writing my name in the snow while wearing the pants. The rain pants can quickly be unsnapped and unzipped to release any pressure that has built up for far too long while on the trail. Quick and easy is again how I would describe the rain pants when it comes to answering the call of nature, but I can only speak from a male perspective on this issue.

Summary:

So far the Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pants have performed well in shedding both rain and snow while still allowing my legs to breathe. Wearing them removes the need to wear gaiters as they provide adequate protection from moisture for both my legs and my footwear. They are both quick and easy to put on, take off and store away. The rain pants are comfortable to wear and are adjustable to a variety of different layering systems. They still allow me access to my front pockets, but any other of my pant's compartment are not easy to extract something from. They also make noise when walking that could potentially scare away any close wildlife, but it's not enough to completely ruin my backcountry experience.

Things I like so far:

Waterproof
Breathable
Comfortable & adjustable fit
Negates the need for gaiters
Quick & easy to pull on or take off
Front pockets remain accessible

Concerns:

The pants make a minor noise when walking
Other pockets not accessible

Testing Location:

For the rest of winter I intend on going snowshoeing at least twice a month somewhere in Utah. In addition to by bimonthly trips I hope to go backpacking/snowshoeing in Bryce Canyon if they ever receive enough snow to do so. I also have another backpacking trip planned for the Uinta Mountains next weekend and hope to make it back down to Southern Utah before the test period is over. The terrain will vary greatly and will include wet and muddy corridors, slickrock, snow covered trails as well as plain old dirt paths. Temperatures could range from 5 F (-15 C) to 60 F (16 C). I will likely see all types of weather ranging from heavy rain and snow to sunny. The elevations experienced should be between 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and 11,000 feet (3,300 m).

Testing Plan:

For the remainder of the test period I intend to examine several more characteristics of the eVENT Rain Pants.

Performance – The rain pants will hopefully continue to properly function as rain pants or else they will not justify bringing them along on trips in my opinion. Do they provide any protection at all against the wind? Will water penetrate through the zippers or infiltrate through the cuffs?

Comfort – The rain pants need to fit comfortably so that I can continue to hike without experiencing severe discomfort. Will it need constant re-adjusting as I continue hiking throughout the day? Will the gusseted crotch and articulated knee allow for extended mobility and easy movement? Will chafing be a problem? If I lose any "holiday fat" (okay probably not likely, but I can hope) or wear fewer layers will I need to wear an additional belt to prevent the pants from falling down? Will others constantly ridicule me if I wear them around town?

Durability – The rain pants are likely to be exposed to some rough conditions and need to be durable so I remain dry and warm while using them. Are the rain pants easy to wash? Will their performance be affected by washing them? Will the zippers snag over time? Will the loops for the underfoot cord tear or come off after a few months of testing? Will the Velcro on the adjustment strap lose its strength over time? Will the rain pants rip, tear or in any other way be damaged by four months of testing. Will odor build up quickly on the pants and have them walking around on their own?

I would like to thank Integral Designs and BackpackGearTest for allowing me the opportunity to test the eVENT Rain Pants.

Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Ken Bigelow

Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Integral Designs eVENT Rain Pants > Ken Bigelow > Field Report

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