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Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:57 pm
by absinthe52
Wondering if these would be too hot/heavy for Shasta/Hood/Ranier. Anyone with experience?

not if it's cold . . .

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:06 pm
by rlshattuck
. . . and what were you thinking of wearing . . . I usually wear either a pair of NF ski pants, or a similar (the mentor) patagonia set-up. You'll be happy to have them when things get cold and windy . . . they're pretty much a standard for places like shasta, Rainer and so on: cold, high, wet . . . nice price there, though––can you buy me a pair while you're at it?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:20 pm
by absinthe52
I was thinking Gucci Guides/Rab Latok or Mammut Glacier Pants if not these. Most say that hard shells are overkill but it seems to me that if you had descent ventilation, you could get by...

zippers, good.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:33 pm
by rlshattuck
yeah, you've got enough there for ventilation, no problem. I did shasta last may and found myself stripping down to nothing, on (my) top, for a few minutes . . . got hot going up, but again, weather being unpredictable and it's just nice if you have to be in the snow, to be dry. nothing like a little bit of getting wet to make things no fun.

Arkansas?

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:40 pm
by rlshattuck
hey, you gotta know Gary Alderson, in Fayatteville, right? or Patty in Hindsvile? ( the only two people I know of in Arkansas) . . . Ha.

PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:37 pm
by nhluhr
I have been very happy with my combination of lightweight Softshell pants and OR Furio shells. I think the Mentors are probably too heavy.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:16 pm
by Hotoven
Depends what time of year your going and current conditions. I did Adams last summer in shorts.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 3:13 pm
by zeroforhire
totally depends on time of year... Just to give you something to go by... I wear the REI mistrals pretty much year round. They are a light softshell... in the winter I wear long johns under them.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 3:19 pm
by nhluhr
zeroforhire wrote:totally depends on time of year... Just to give you something to go by... I wear the REI mistrals pretty much year round. They are a light softshell... in the winter I wear long johns under them.
Ditto... but any light softshell that fits should be fine

PostPosted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 3:43 pm
by Nitrox
I've got a pair of Mentor paints and they are pretty light weight for a hardshell. They have full length zips so additional venting shouldn't be an issue. That said, the Furio pants were my first choice but because of price and availability I went with the mentors. I don't regret the choice but also recognize that I probably won't use them to their full potential.

This time of year I start watching weather and switching between a hardshell and softshell with emphasis on the later.

Re: Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:13 am
by luzak00
I avoid pants like that. I haven't tried the OR Mentors specifically, but I stay away from WP/B pants. At 26oz, they're fairly heavy, too. With that said, I've been up Rainier (and Shasta, etc.) with partners wearing similar gear and they were happy.

I like the Arc'Teryx Gamma LT pant for general "3 season use" - at 11oz, they're less than half the OR Mentors and far more breathable. For colder endeavors, NW Alpine's Fast/Light Pant at 17oz is great. Softshells offer wind resistance for warmth, stretch really well for climbing, and offer enough moisture resistance (snow is fine, rain isn't good for climbing anyway).

Re: Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:23 am
by Nowak
I've worn a hardshell in the Cascades - wish I'd had a breathable lightweight softshell for normal wear, thin shell to go over when it gets nasty

Re: Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:33 am
by Nitrox
I don't think I've worn my OR Mentor pants for climbing since the last time I posted in this thread. I pretty much only wear softshell pants anymore.

Re: Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:25 am
by Dane1
" I like the Arc'Teryx Gamma LT pant for general "3 season use" - at 11oz, they're less than half the OR Mentors and far more breathable. For colder endeavors, NW Alpine's Fast/Light Pant at 17oz is great. Softshells offer wind resistance for warmth, stretch really well for climbing, and offer enough moisture resistance (snow is fine, rain isn't good for climbing anyway)." so sez luzak

agreed and well said

Re: Are OR Mentor pants overkill for Cascade trips?

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:40 pm
by Ben Beckerich
Well if you're not gonna use 'em.... I'll PM you my shippin address