I have been testing a lot of different pants, and while I have tested many good ones, each seems to fit a particular niche, not really fitting into the "all-purpose" category. Sometimes, when you need to pack light, it is nice to be able to bring along a single pair of pants that will meet most, if not all your needs. Sure, there may be some compromise, as niche pants will generally fit that niche better than all-purpose pants. But all-purpose pants are a good compromise when you can't justify bringing along niche pants to fit every particular niche condition you might face.

Now I have run across my first pair of all-purpose pants that I can recommend as world class. These are the Granite Pants from Outdoor Research. These durable, comfortable, lightweight pants can be worn for any of these outdoor adventures:

• Hiking
• Backpacking
• Trekking
• Adventure Travel
• Climbing
• Mountaineering
• Skiing

Now let's find out what makes the Granite Pants world class.

• The pants are made out of a material called Spandura. The fabric is made out of Cordura filaments arranged around a Lycra core. This results in a lightweight material that is tough, stretchy, abrasion resistant, breathable, wind resistant, and quick to dry. It is also covered with a DWR to provide light snow and rain resistance.
  
   
• The combination of the fabric, and the pant's cut, make it very comfortable to wear. It stretches as needed, which comes in handy when climbing.
  
   
• The Granite pants have a technical fit, which means that they are relatively tight-fitting (no excess fabric), but there is still enough room for an appropriate base layer, and room for you to move. If you want less of a technical fit, get a size bigger than your normal size.
  
   
• Since the fabric is lightweight and breathable, the pants can be worn over a wide range of temperatures and activity levels. I would recommend wearing it under active conditions up to a maximum of 70-75 degrees. Of course, if you are not very active, they are very comfortable to up to about 80-85 degrees. For temps cooler than about 35-40 degrees, you will probably want to wear an appropriate base layer for extra warmth.
  
   
• The pants come with a built-in webbed belt and a cam buckle cinch. I prefer pants that come with their own belt, as they are more convenient.
  
   
• The pants include four zippered pockets, including a large thigh cargo pocket with a protective flap.
  
   
• The knees of the pants are articulated, for comfort, and have two layers of Spandura for durability and comfort.
  
   
• Each ankle has zippered and gusseted ankles with elastic cuffs. At first, I thought this would bother me, but I found that I really like them.
  
   
• The pants weight about 18 ounces.

Even though the pants meet technical needs, they still look sharp, and can be worn casually, if you desire.

Using the Outdoor Research Granite Pants in the Real World

My first impression of these pants was on how good they looked. They look stylish and well-designed. But I was a little suspicious of how well they would fit, and how comfortable they would be.

Very soon after wearing them, I found that my suspicions were wrong. The pants fit very well, and were comfortable. I really liked the stretchy Spandura fabric, and the pants moved with my motions very easily. I never found the pants binding me anywhere.

I also liked all the zippered pockets, where there is plenty of room to store that small stuff that doesn't seem to fit anywhere else.

The elastic cuffs also worked very well, much better than I ever expected. In fact, when these pants are worn with hiking or backpacking boots, they provide an excellent means to keep debris out, even light snow. In fact, you won't need gaiters with these pants to protect you from debris. But if you do expect a lot of snow, then a pair of gaiters is worthwhile. The elastic cuffs never rode up, staying secure in their position around my boots.

I also really liked the breathability of the pants. This allowed me to wear them in warmer temps than the soft shell pants I often wear. I also have found that I wear them as casual clothing.

Washing them is easy, and you will want them to drip dry. Because the fabric is lightweight, they pants dry quickly.

Rain and light snow will bounce of the pants, but if you expect hard rain or snow, you will still want a shell to protect you, as these pants are not waterproof.

Recommendation

If you are looking for a quality pair of durable, all-purpose pants, the Granite pants can't be beat.

Product Notes

Outdoor Research Granite Pants are available in men's sizes of small, medium, large, extra large, and extra, extra large. The only color they are available in is shale (almost black). The MSRP is $220.00.