Recommend me some Waterproof Trouser

Alfie1

Hi I'm looking to get a new waterproof trousers & thought this would be the best place to post, I did a search & I couldn't find any recent threads on the subject.

My existing ones are now a few years old & recently they've been letting some water through especially in all this recent heavy rain so I think it's time for a replacement/upgrade.

I want something very breathable & something which will hopefully keep me fully dry, I've had a look around in a few shop in Cork city & seen these http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/product_info.php?cPath=230_240_94&products_id=39057&osCsid=1375b7c31c92eda15635f402219e6410 which are supposed to be very good for the money, but I was hoping for something with maybe a zip in the front & possibly something that doesn't look so "plasticy"

Also I want to buy from a "bricks & mortar" shop in Cork, I've had a quick look in Great Outdoors, Maher's Outdoor & Mathews, I'll be having a look in Union Chandler next week, is there anywhere else I've forgotten about ?

Anyway any comments or recommendations welcome

PS I'm willing to spent €100+ for something if it's really worth the extra.

keenan110

I use the Berghaus Paclite trousers and find them brilliant I have never got wet with these and they are very breathable! Not sure of the exact price but they were around €120. If you're looking for something thats always going to keep you dry i recommend buying ones with Gore-Tex.

Alun

My wife has the Berghaus PacLite ones and is very happy with them, my only concern is that the material is a bit lightweight and might tear or rip easily if you stuff a boot through them while putting them on, but it hasn't happened yet. I have the standard Berghaus GoreTex ones which are a bit more heavyweight and sturdy.

Another thing to look at is how far up the zips go. Putting waterproof trousers on (for me at least) is always a bit of a pain, especially on a wet and windy mountain top, and in my opinion you want zips that go all the way up to the hips. Zips to the knee or below are useless, and also avoid the ones that unzip completely to the waist, they're incredibly fiddly and end up turning themselves into kites rather than trousers in aforementioned windy conditions

I've never seen ones with zips down the front. If you feel the need to 'relieve yourself' with them on then the only solution is to push them down to your knees I'm afraid.

I use a pair of Dunlop golf waterproofs I got for €15 in Heatons. Yes they leak, yes they trap every drop of sweat, but it's rare enough I plan a 5 or 6 hour trudge through driving rain. And wet trousers don't bother me that much, it's wind whipping through wet fleeces or tops that bother me a lot more.

Only fire them on in emergencies, they have survived barb wire, pushing through hundreds of feet of furze and briars, many many slips and slides. Oh and they are a curse to put on over boots. But they meet my needs, though think I would go to €60 on a new pair if I knew they were completely waterproof.

Alfie1

keenan110 wrote: »

I use the Berghaus Paclite trousers and find them brilliant I have never got wet with these and they are very breathable! Not sure of the exact price but they were around €120. If you're looking for something thats always going to keep you dry i recommend buying ones with Gore-Tex.

Thanks, I'll see if anyone has those in stock

Alun wrote: »

My wife has the Berghaus PacLite ones and is very happy with them, my only concern is that the material is a bit lightweight and might tear or rip easily if you stuff a boot through them while putting them on, but it hasn't happened yet. I have the standard Berghaus GoreTex ones which are a bit more heavyweight and sturdy.

Another thing to look at is how far up the zips go. Putting waterproof trousers on (for me at least) is always a bit of a pain, especially on a wet and windy mountain top, and in my opinion you want zips that go all the way up to the hips. Zips to the knee or below are useless, and also avoid the ones that unzip completely to the waist, they're incredibly fiddly and end up turning themselves into kites rather than trousers in aforementioned windy conditions

I've never seen ones with zips down the front. If you feel the need to 'relieve yourself' with them on then the only solution is to push them down to your knees I'm afraid.

Most of the one's I've seen so far seem to be a bit lightweight in comparison to my existing ones, that's kinda put me off some of them but I suppose it's not really an issue.

I'm probably going to putting mine on before I leave the house anyway so the side zip thing isn't going to be a big issue.

The front zip feature is handy for putting them on, it's a feature on my current pair & I like it but again it's not going to be a deal breaker

Alfie1

Anyone else got any recommendations ?

Pplsgod

I got a pair of Berghaus waterproof trousers in 53 degrees North in Carrickmines in Dublin last January, very similar to the Berghaus PacLite described above but were €45 euro.

Excellent waterproofs, light and never once had trouble with them, has both side zips and snap buttons which makes it a little easier to put on over muddy boots.
As another person commented above the zips go to all the way down and also to the hips but not all the way to the top which means they are not as fiddly.

On hot but wet days you can open the zips but have the buttons tied to get a little extra air circulating.

Only issue I have is that they do not have pockets so if you are trying to access your pockets underneath you will looks a little odd.

Otherwise a great buy, I do not have the exact brand off hand but if you want to know pm me and I can check when I get home

GreeBo

Pplsgod wrote: »

I got a pair of Berghaus waterproof trousers in 53 degrees North in Carrickmines in Dublin last January, very similar to the Berghaus PacLite described above but were €45 euro.

Excellent waterproofs, light and never once had trouble with them, has both side zips and snap buttons which makes it a little easier to put on over muddy boots.
As another person commented above the zips go to all the way down and also to the hips but not all the way to the top which means they are not as fiddly.

On hot but wet days you can open the zips but have the buttons tied to get a little extra air circulating.

Only issue I have is that they do not have pockets so if you are trying to access your pockets underneath you will looks a little odd.

Otherwise a great buy, I do not have the exact brand off hand but if you want to know pm me and I can check when I get home

Berghaus do their own non GoreTex version which is always going to cheaper. AQLite I think.
I just bought the Berghaus Gore Tex Performance Shell (a bit heavier than the PacLite Shell) but a little cheaper. I got PacLite for the jacket.
My logic was that Im going to be sitting, kneeling etc in the trousers so I wanted a heavier fabric...
The Paclite stuff is great as its so tiny but I would just be afraid of it tearing

None of the "Top" trousers have pockets...I guess they are a weak point
Spending 6 weeks in South America so time will tell

Tobias Greeshman

GreeBo wrote: »

I just bought the Berghaus Gore Tex Performance Shell (a bit heavier than the PacLite Shell) but a little cheaper. I got PacLite for the jacket.
My logic was that Im going to be sitting, kneeling etc in the trousers so I wanted a heavier fabric...
The Paclite stuff is great as its so tiny but I would just be afraid of it tearing

Sounds like the trousers I have, I think they're called Berghaus Storm over trousers or something similar. They're really hard wearing and strong GoreTex material, and like yourself I went against the Gore Pac-lite, it was just too flimsy feeling, I just imagined myself slipping and tearing the back side out of them, and at close to €100, I didn't want to have to be investing in Gore-Tex patches as well!

Alfie1

Pplsgod wrote: »

I got a pair of Berghaus waterproof trousers in 53 degrees North in Carrickmines in Dublin last January, very similar to the Berghaus PacLite described above but were €45 euro.

Excellent waterproofs, light and never once had trouble with them, has both side zips and snap buttons which makes it a little easier to put on over muddy boots.
As another person commented above the zips go to all the way down and also to the hips but not all the way to the top which means they are not as fiddly.

On hot but wet days you can open the zips but have the buttons tied to get a little extra air circulating.

Only issue I have is that they do not have pockets so if you are trying to access your pockets underneath you will looks a little odd.

Otherwise a great buy, I do not have the exact brand off hand but if you want to know pm me and I can check when I get home

Sounds like the Berghaus Deluge Waterproof Overtrousers I've seen for €60.
Thanks for the feedback

GreeBo wrote: »

Berghaus do their own non GoreTex version which is always going to cheaper. AQLite I think.
I just bought the Berghaus Gore Tex Performance Shell (a bit heavier than the PacLite Shell) but a little cheaper. I got PacLite for the jacket.
My logic was that Im going to be sitting, kneeling etc in the trousers so I wanted a heavier fabric...
The Paclite stuff is great as its so tiny but I would just be afraid of it tearing

None of the "Top" trousers have pockets...I guess they are a weak point
Spending 6 weeks in South America so time will tell

AQ2 is what the Berghaus Deluge Waterproof Overtrousers are made of.
I had a look at the Paclite & Trail versions of the Gore-tex ones & I think like you I'd opt for the haevier version ( same price )

Pockets or at least access to pockets would be a nice feature alright.

Tobias Greeshman wrote: »

Sounds like the trousers I have, I think they're called Berghaus Storm over trousers or something similar. They're really hard wearing and strong GoreTex material, and like yourself I went against the Gore Pac-lite, it was just too flimsy feeling, I just imagined myself slipping and tearing the back side out of them, and at close to €100, I didn't want to have to be investing in Gore-Tex patches as well!

Can I ask where you got them for €100, the cheapest I've seen them are €135 for the Paclite & Trail, the Storm from the link below should be even more expensive.

Berghaus Overtrousers

I might wait a few more weeks now at this stage to see if there are any bargains in the sales






.

Tobias Greeshman

Alfie1 wrote: »

Can I ask where you got them for €100, the cheapest I've seen them are €135 for the Paclite & Trail, the Storm from the link below should be even more expensive.

Berghaus Overtrousers

I might wait a few more weeks now at this stage to see if there are any bargains in the sales .

I can't remember the name of the outdoor shop off hand, it was in Belfast a couple of months back, and with the exchange rate I think they (Gore Pac-lite) worked out around €100-105. I got the storm one's in Galway after and they were definitely more expensive, I think around €135 mark.

rossism

i got a great set of waterproof trousers off of alan at http://www.thecamoshop.ie/ use them for airsoft and there great and couldnt recommend them more.

will and away

It's worth spending the money on a good pair, as long as you won't be using them for building or any other sort of work that might ruin them.

Get ones that are breathable and have strong enough fabirc that won't rip and it's a great asset if they have braces that go over your shoulder. That helps them stay up when your carrying a bag and also keeps you much warmer.

You don't need anything that has a liner or anything like that. They get too hot and are more expensive. You need ones that have just a single shell.

Sailing waterproofs are about the most expensive and hardcore. Hillwalking ones are the most versatile and I recommend using the Berghaus Brand.
First time I ever bought a pair of expensive waterproofs was for Hillwalking and I still have them many years later... well worth the investment and so useful.

il gatto

A bit left field but have you looked at German army surplus. I got a full Gore Tex kit for about €45. Heavy duty stuff and has braces attached. I suppose they look daft, but I try and avoid anything extreme when the weather looks especially wet and only break them out in an emergency and even then usually only the trousers. Just a thought.
Apart from that, I've never been disappointed in any Berghaus kit I've ever had.

Alfie1

Alfie1 wrote: »

I might wait a few more weeks now at this stage to see if there are any bargains in the sales

Just a quick update, I picked up a pair of Berghaus Storm OverTrousers today on sale for €120 in Hillwalkers Cork :cool:


PS Thanks again for all the advise.


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