Craghoppers NosiLife Lite Trousers

The Craghoppers NosiLife lite trousers are a pair of fantastic warm-weather, 3 season lightweight (292 g) hiking trousers. They are impregnated with permanent insect repellent which as far as I can conclude appears to work. Despite being very lightweight, they have held up very well with no signs of abrasion or suspect durability.

According to Craghoppers:

• Fabrics: NosiLife SolarDry polyamide supplex ripstop
• Weight: 292g
• Original fit
• Drying loops
• 5 pockets, 1 with zip-fastening
• Heel tape
• Elasticated waist at sides
• Lifetime Guarantee

Fit and comfort: Craghoppers provides short, regular, and long lengths, so you can find the ideal cut. I am 5,10 1/2", size 36, and the short length fit me perfect (most UK brands tend to be cut leaner and longer than North American styles). Although some people find they have to go one size up with Craghoppers, I am usually waist size 34-36, and 36 fit me just fine.

These pants are very lightweight and fit extremely comfortably, they almost feel like wearing nothing at all. The elasticated hem also makes for a comfortable fit at the waist. The stitching and inner seams also do not cause any chaffing or abrasion. The design is meant for mobility, and the stitching and cut around the knees is "articulated" so there is no rubbing or discomfort for ascending hills.

Adjustability: Other than an elasticated waist belt, there is no adjustability.

Water Resistance/Moisture handling/Breathability: These pants are very lightweight and designed for warm weather. They aren't meant to withstand a heavy downpour, but if you happen to get caught in one, they dry very fast. They handle moisture very well, and even after very long hikes in the hot sun, I always found myself to be dry, and I do tend to sweat easily. Moreover, there are mesh vents for the pockets. While this is likely meant as a weight saving feature, it helps breathability around the waist area.

Warmth and Layering: They are thin and lightweight, and while you will not be cold in moderate temperatures, do not expect them to keep you warm if it gets cold. However, because they are so light, it would be very easy to layer on top of them with some over-trousers when its rainy, snowy, or just very cold. I found them sufficiently windproof and wasn't cold even in strong winds at 2000+ feet.

Abrasion: The initial impression one would get from these as they are so lightweight and thin is that they would just fall apart after any serious outdoors outing. This was my impression and I was delighted to be proven wrong. I have taken these on long days out in the hills including a 26 mile hike recently that even covered a bit of scrambling. I was expecting there to be abrasion marks from the rocks in the areas where I made contact. After the wash to remove all the dust and mud, a close inspection revealed no signs of abrasion anywhere. Very impressed.

Features and Function: Very lightweight fabric impregnated with permanent insect repellent. They work as pants should. They fit very well, are extremely lightweight but wear like a durable quality pant. There are just the right amount of pockets without having too many and looking like baggy cargo pants. As far as the insect repellent feature goes, there aren't too many mosquitos in the UK, so its hard to say how well they would work in North America, especially in the North East where they tend to eat you alive.

One observation I have made was that on a recent hike up north, while hiking all day, I didn't get bitten by a single bug while wearing these, however after changing into some shorts later on after the hike was done, I was bitten all over by swarms of black flies. So it's hard to say if it was just unfortunate coincidence or if the insect repellent actually works. I will reserve judgement for that and update later on.

Ease of use: As far as pants go, these are no harder to use than most pants I have encountered.

Conditions: Hiking in mild-warm but moist English weather.

These are great trousers, especially for the money. Highly recommended for warm weather, and more than adequate for 3 season use especially if you run on the warmer side. Alternatively they are also great to have as a second pair while travelling as they weigh so little. Really great product. I am a big fan of Craghoppers for pants, and have a few different ones, and these are definitely my favourites.