Riding pants initially seemed like a niche item to me, but I’ve been seeing more and more on the trails, on lifts, and in shuttles over the last two years. My friends have sworn they’re amazing, but I hadn’t tried them out until recently. I rode in our Summit AMFIB Light pant last fall when the temps got down around freezing and those were a game changer, but they are a little too warm to run when the temps get into the low 60’s. This spring I was able to try out a pair of the new Launch Trail Pant, and now they’re among my favorite items in the lineup. I feel that these could be easily overlooked, but it’s the perfect piece to keep you comfortable and out enjoying trails when others want to hang it up.
These are actually a pant version of our new Launch Trail Short, which is what I wear whenever I’m heading up the lift or wanting something with a bit more protection than our super light Summit and Elevate shorts. They’re made of a light weight four way stretch Cordura fabric and feature backwards pockets like our other high-end offerings. Once you get used to this style of pocket, it’s impossible to go back. The Cordura material is light enough to do some serious pedaling, but it’s provides enough protection to feel at home mixing it up on a downhill trail. I crashed pretty hard this spring and despite a hit to the knee pad, the pants were still good to go. The fit is perfect with or without knee pads and feels great even with larger pads. The tapered ankle is super functional and is reinforced on the inside to protect against wear, although it does remind me of skinny jeans.
The Launch Trail Pant features PiDry treatment which means you get really great water resistance for 100+ machine washings. This is super important because there’s no membrane, which means these breathe while riding and they stay dry in most medium rain and slush situations. I’ve ridden with these in a variety of conditions and they just make your day more comfortable, especially if you’re sitting on a chairlift, riding with chatty friends on a cold day, or busting through wet brush and puddles. The material is breathable, there’s no extra chafing or rubbing, and these have a more subdued look than a lot of the pants on the market.
I now keep my trail pants in the van, so they never get left behind, along with an extra pair of knee pads, WXB Shorts, a rain jacket, gloves, and a spare pair of socks. I’ve used them for rain, mud, cold weather, and for biting bugs. You forget you’re wearing pants as soon as you start riding, and it’s amazing to pull these off after a ride and be clean for the drive home. These aren’t bulky DH pants, and they aren’t rain pants, they fit into this nice little spot where most of us live, they’re trail pants. These retail for $150, but I think you’ll use them more than any rain jacket. Also, they’re amazing on the ebike, for trail build days, and anything else done when the weather isn’t bluebird. They’re in stock now, and I have a feeling they’ll be a hot commodity once the weather starts to changeover. I’m getting ready to buy a second pair for this fall and winter.