Of course, the breathability is important too, and we have conducted many hill walks with the Berghaus Paclite with absolutely no internal moisture being found on our inner trousers. It simply isn’t an issue – they are great performers. Each type has its virtues, and when choosing between the two it really depends on the conditions that you’re planning to face up to. If you’re likely to experience start-stop rain, overtrousers will tend to be your best bet, whereas if you’re going to be faced with non-stop rain or snow you might want to go for the wear-all-day kind. Different Types of Waterproof Trousers CimAlp’s Storm Pro pants are designed to be much less muggy than most overtrousers, making use of a highly breathable 3-layer waterproof fabric, and being equipped with some nifty knee vents too. They’re intended for high-tempo, fast-moving outdoor disciplines and offer excellent weather protection for minimal weight. And do they deliver in that regard? Absolutely. The fabric these are made from is protective, breathable and also comfortable to wear, whether that’s over a pair of trousers or against your bare skin. You can also expect snow gaiters at the ankles. These have a useful strip around the inside that’ll grip to mountaineering boots or ski boots to keep the ankles from riding up.

Best Waterproof Trousers - Wet Weather Overtrousers for 2023 Best Waterproof Trousers - Wet Weather Overtrousers for 2023

We also really liked the long zips down the legs as they make getting these off and on over a pair of boots a breeze and they double as vents as well. The Kiwi Pros use a stretch material which allows them to blend around your bum and upper thighs, and this really helps prevent chafing when walking for long distances. Because they’re so breathable, we wouldn’t really consider these as overtrousers, but rather as something to wear all day, perhaps over some baselayer leggings. However, you should be able to wear these over a light pair of walking trousers if you wanted to. Full Specifications These Craghoppers Kiwi Pro Waterproof Trousers are great all-round walking trousers – the fact that they also offer excellent waterproof performance via an AquaDry membrane for a great price make them a no-brainer if you’re after some all round trousers. For women, we also recommend the Airedale trousers which have even better waterproof performance. Some people claim that the Paclite material is less resistant to abrasion (it doesn’t have the internal netting layer of Gore-Tex Professional). We have not seen any evidence of this at all and would not let this put you off buying any Paclite garment. This is especially the case for overtrousers because by their very nature they will not be used on every walk, and even when they are used, it is not likely to be for the whole time – they are there for protection against the elements when required.The Nano Pro Eco material has a ‘dry-touch’ outer layer which makes it soft to handle and not too noisy or ‘rustly’. I hate it when overtrousers make too much noise, and the Marmots were pretty quiet in that regard when walking. There is also no netting layer inside them which is much my preferred design option as it stops your boots getting caught up when putting them on. Filson’s Skagit Rain Pants are incredibly waterproof. This, combined with their comfortable fit, makes them ideal for those tough characters who like to float about on boats in all types of weather. They’re built from from a proprietary three-layer Rain Cloth, an incredibly tough, tightly-woven, nylon shell with a waterproof / breathable membrane laminated to its interior. Underlining that sense of durability and protection are the cuffs and lower seams which have been reinforced with tough Cordura nylon.

Best Waterproof Trousers For Hiking Of 2023 | Rain P Best Waterproof Trousers For Hiking Of 2023 | Rain P

The final key considerations to look out for chiefly concern the zips on your waterproof trousers. Zips are often a source of water ingress and the best waterproof trousers use an additional stormflap layer either on the outside of the zip, or inside and sometimes both! Look for YKK zips or specific waterproof zips to help prevent water getting in this way. Breathability is excellent at 10000 g/m2/24hrs (40000 for the Airedales) and this is so important when you could be wearing the trousers all day. There is no doubt that you will get warm wearing these, so we recommend that you use them in autumn and winter rather than spring/summer. In UseWe gave the Berghaus Paclites a pretty thorough going over in terms of water. Both my wife Alison and I donned a pair and our daughter Loz took great delight at spraying water at us with a hosepipe. The trouble is she couldn’t get us wet! The water was simply beading off the Berghaus trousers and at the end of the exercise they looked completely dry – impressive!