Rain pants

[saltysack]

I’ve always simply used the el cheapo ballet warm up pants ie “Mags” recs but after being caught in few Co rain,hail, snow storms thinking about true rain pants. Any recs to pair w OR helium rain parka. Would like zips as taking of shoes to change is a pita.....

Montabell versalite
OR helium
Zpacks on pricy side


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[nsherry61]

Cut off the bottom of a pair of Tyvek coveralls and sew/tape a drawstring into the waist?
They'll be super light, super affordable, baggy enough to go over shoes, AND you get a rain coat left over after you're done cutting off the pants.

Or maybe make/buy a rain skirt? Way lighter more breathable, and faster on and off than pants, especially with muddy shoes on. Plenty of protection for most of us backpackers without the drawback of having legs.

Finally, as to the actual question posted . . . For rain pants, fit is way more important than any of the other features. So, brand recognition or recommendations here are rather pointless. Go out and try on pants until you find the best fit with maybe one or two of your other highest priority features. Be prepared to never find what you are looking for, it might be a unicorn.

Over the years, my favorite rain pants (which I don't use backpacking or bicycling, only mountaineering, boating or skiing in wet conditions) have been relatively inexpensive, super lightweight coated nylon with full-length leg zips. For me, super light is important, not so much for weight, but, because heavier materials, although more durable, create a LOT more drag against leg movement. My most recent ones (>10 years ago) were from MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop - Canada's REI).

[needlefish]

Salty, have ya looked at Lightheart Gear & AntiGravity Gear?

[JC13]

Enlightened Equipment has their Visp line of rain gear which the rumor is that Zpacks is switching/switched to a similar material. Can't help on pants as I use a rain kilt. I did have to use the dance pants on one trip as my kilt either got left behind or "borrowed".

[OwenM]

Montane Minimus is worth a look.
Similar to the OR Helium, but available in different inseam lengths. The velcro tabs on the legs(which I was dubious about) are a great feature, and keep the lower legs from flapping about or snagging on brush. They are cut slim like the Helium and have a tiny waist, so anyone who tries them will want to size up unless they've got a beanpole build.
They're short, too. I wear 32-33/30 pants, and ordered size Large Short The ones I received just say Large. That worked out, as they're about right for my 30" inseam. The waist is so small that it looks like they'll be impossible to put on, but the waistband has tons of stretch, and a good lock on the drawcord if they ever loosen up.
Mine are 5.3oz in the included stuff sack.

I'm really liking both the Montane Minimus Stretch jacket and Minimus pants, which were primarily bought for backpacking in UT and CO. The jacket has been flawless in heavy rain(zipper's slider is on the "wrong" side for us Americans, btw), and the pants really impressed me in the Uintas last week, as I got rained and hailed on 10 times in one day. The first 9 being relatively brief storms lulled me into a false sense of security, so when the last one hit, I didn't bother donning any rain gear, just carried on in a windshirt at first. That storm stopped right on top of me, with heavier rain, and lasted over an hour while I waited to go over a pass. By the time I finally put the rainpants on, my regular pants were already pretty wet...and by the time it stopped raining and warmed up enough to take them off, my pants were dry underneath. What a pleasant surprise!