It has probably been done to death but I'm looking for a pair of waterproof trousers, rather than over trousers, that are light weight and can be worn in June/September type conditions in Scotland. The one big requirement is that they must actually be waterproof and I'd like to be able to sit down on the moor in them and not get wet. Being barbed wire proof would also be great but is, I understand, unlikely.

I've a pair of Deerhunters that are light enough for all but the warmest of days but have the minor drawback that they aren't actually very waterproof. I've also got a pair of Cabelas trousers that are wonderfully waterproof but are too warm to wear except in winter.

Many years ago I did manage to get some Cabelas trousers that were comfortable and light enough to wear on most days as well as being waterproof but, of course, Cabelas discontinued them.

All suggestions welcome...

You might find Browning have a bib trouser light enough, I have a few pairs at different weights, they are all waterproof enough to sit in on the heather/sphagnum, In fact I have been immersed to the waist in one particular set trying to recover the Landrover from the ditch outside Glaister's farm on Arran,

I have two pairs of LL Beans goretex hunting pants. They make them in Green, and two kinds of camo.

Waterproof, and very warm, and cool enough to wear in the 60s.

I don't think their is a pair of goretex pants you can wear at a temp above 65 F. They just hold in too much weight.

Make that heat.

Based on my own experience I can recomend the Norwegian brand Norrøna. www.norrona.com.
The Finnskogen model is a set that is made for woodland stalking.
The Dovre model is more robust and aimed at the high mountain hunting, eighter for reindeer or ptarmigan.

My Norrøna Finnskogen set is close to 13 years old and well used, but still waterproof.
I have crawled, sat and laid in both wet grass and stiff heather and always been dry.

My pair of the Forelhogna model is even better still. Use them for mountaineering and trekking as well as stalking.
Waterproof, light, have zip for vent on the inside of the thights...good stuff

The other top Scandinavian brand is the Sweedish Harkila, sold in UK by www.uttings.com.
Top quality clothing which blocks both water and wind.

These are expencive clothes, but made by outdoor people who stand by their products.
Both brand are using Gore Tex as membran.

have you come across Arktis trousers, they are waterproof and very comfortable. i have three pairs of them and four pairs of their plain combat trousers.

they are made of rip stop material so have been pretty durable even on barbed wire,

i will try and dig out the suppliers name, i know country covers do them but i tried them with my first pair but their service let them down after that and i sourced them from another firm.i can get the details and let you know

i like them and work in them every day, they havnt let me down yet

It's about the time of year I think about this. Cool mornings with lots of dew followed by hot sun.... Very difficult conditions to stay dry and not get too hot later.

I vary between deer hunter ram trousers, Harkila pro hunter trousers and plain lightweight cotton G2000 from that Swedish company with the fox motif (senility beckons) trousers with gaitors.

The deer hunters are comfortable, silent, quite waterproof, comfortable when soaked and cheap.

The harkilas are slighty cooler, louder, only very slightly more waterproof, uncomforatable when wet and three times the price of the deer hunters - don't go there!

The G2000s get wet but dry quickly - if the sun is out in June that's what I'd wear.

I don't think you're going to get a pair of trousers that are waterproof enough to sit without getting wet.

I've got a Cabelas MTM-50 set - Parka & Pants. They didn't have Bibs when I purchased mine which was @ 1999 and since then they've held up perfectly. Thin enough to wear without any layering on the warmest summer mornings and generously cut enough to stack a pile of fleece on underneath when required. Completely machine washable.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas...cat470082&id=0005232

I wouldn't go hunting in potential rainy weather without them. They're silent. For Autumn Scottish stalking, anything to do with Waterfowl & rainy weather - they are my Grab & Go set.

quote:

I'd like to be able to sit down on the moor in them and not get wet.

Yes, I can sit in marshes, on heather and trudge through morning dewed fields comfortably. I've worn them in Scotland several times, which apart from Alaska (haven't been there, yet) is IMO the Supreme Test for any piece of Rain Gear.

I had the good fortune of calling Cableas and talking to a knowledgeable person who stated they had solid colored sets vice Camo available that were not in their Catalog. Tobacco, a sort of Dark Olive Drab was my selection.

Only drawback was the "Regular" sized Parka I considered too short, wasn't quite long enough on me to cover the Buttocks. Exchanged it for a Large "Tall" size (I'm long in the Waist and one other Body Part, too!).

Couldn't be more satisfied and if required would purchase another set tomorrow. After a Proof-Reading this, well; sorta sounds like a glowing endosement.



Good luck with your selection.

It is hard to get something 100% water proff that does not get too hot when walking/stalking.

You might try some Filson wax cotton pants.

They are not 100% waterroof per se, but they do not get wet and hold water.

I have been using some Laksen ants and like them so far.

One thing you might try to eleminate that clammy feeling under water proof pants is to wear a pair of silk long underware.

Not poly propoline it is too hot, it must be silk.

If it is late summer on the hill, I'm generally out on walked up grouse. Personally I fully expect to the thigh deep in the sphagnum moss at some point during the day. I'd perfer to wear a pair of lightweight non-waterproof hiking trousers such as craghoppers, with boots and long gaiters. I would rather have wet legs than cart around waterproof trousers on a warm day. Whatever the weather I'll be in a hot bath that evening.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I've been researching them and looking into how they might work for me. I still haven't made a decision and a potential change in circumstances might have an impact but I have some good ideas to work on with Arild's suggestion of Norrøna being the current favourite.

As an aside to this I note that Musto seem to be stopping some of their lines, I have worn a Highlands jacket for many years and it appears to be being withdrawn :-( However, if you are looking for a good price now is the time as there is good Musto stuff out there at very little money.

From the web site it looks like the company has been taken over by marketing execs rather than people who actually stand in a bog in the rain.

Musto is an on the fence company, I can't imagine that there are more people to sell clothes to in the sailing world than hunting, but whatever floats their boat.

The Musto Highlands is a good coat, at least for what I do with it which is a lot of bog trotting. In fact I haven't, yet, found a better coat in terms of all round ability. Some are too short, or don't have a hood, or don't have sufficient pockets or...

However, I've never found trousers that work so well for me but I keep up the quest. I imagine the next coat will not be a Musto but you never know as my last one did me for about 10 - 12 years I'd guess. The current one is only in its second year.

It must be said that British design does seem to lag behind that of other EU nations. I suspect the "trendy high street" type coats worn as fashion statements by those who like to at least imply that they "do dangerous sports" somewhat burden our market with rubbish that is little use to anyone.