ProView – Rab Torque Pant

Have you ever observed the guy that is unabashedly walking around the grocery store wearing what he obviously wore to the crag every day for the last week? The pants are ripped to shreds and covered in chalk—most often with holes (patched up one too many times) found in the, perhaps, least becoming areas.

Yes, I have been that guy.  For one reason or another, pants are the item that I replace (or at least should replace) most often.  It’s just easy to wear through them, especially if, like me, you spend the majority of your free time rubbing your knees against granite slabs, wedging yourself in between cracks and chimneys, sliding on your butt down steep talus descents, and failing to ever bring gaiters when wearing crampons. Consequently, I was pretty stoked to receive the Rab Torque Pants in the mail and put them through the wringer here in the Sierra.

Construction/Durability

The first thing I would like to address is the pant’s durability and construction.  Although I ripped the pants on my first outing in them, after taking a massive whipper in the Owens River Gorge, the build quality really is incredible.  For the past several months, I have worn the same pair almost every day (ask my girlfriend…this is not an exaggeration) and I could not be more impressed.  I have taken them aid climbing, trad climbing, and mixed/ice climbing regularly and have yet to see a single sign of wear and tear other than the small hole made on that unfortunate first day.  The nylon, polyester, and spandex double weave softshell, that Rab deems Matrix™, is extremely durable for its low weight (335g).  All high wear zones (knees and insteps) are reinforced—making them feel bombproof, but never heavy or bulky.

Fit/Comfort

The pant’s fit has its own pros and cons.  I am not that tall (standing at 5’9”), and the regular size medium comes up almost all the way to my belly button.  When climbing, I found that I like to wear them high on my waist and it completely mitigates any chance of a harness, or a pack’s waist belt, riding up over them.  The downside to this comes when I am not climbing.  I find myself regularly rolling the waist up and cinching it down with the pull cord.  Beyond the strange length, the pants fit wonderfully and are comfortable.  They are tapered and slim but, between the stretch and the expanding zippered leg closure, I can still get ski boots and mountaineering boots completely under them.  When in rock shoes and not climbing in the winter, the pants zip tightly around the ankles leaving minimal extra fabric.

Features

These pants were very thoughtfully designed.  The pockets (two in the front and one in the rear) are not shallow and all zip up, leaving for safe storage of whatever you might put in them.  I am almost always climbing with my phone, so this is important.  The zippers are large enough to open with gloves on.  The nylon loop at the hem of the pants functions properly for under boot cord attachment. The fabric is rated at 50+ UPF and, although not waterproof, has a DWR coating that works incredibly well.  At one point this fall, I was dry tooling in a cave and a waterfall was just unleashing itself on me.  The pants never soaked through and were dry within minutes of standing down at the belay.  My favorite feature, by far, is the zipper in the crotch.  Rab flipped the zipper upside down so that, when closed, the zipper is at the bottom.  This is a game changer folks.  Relieving oneself while in a harness has never been easier thanks to this design and is something that should be incorporated into every climbing pant on the market. Period.

Overall, these pants are the best climbing pants that I have ever owned.  If I could have another five pairs of them, I would. If you are on the hunt for a softshell climbing pant that can be used at the crag, alpine climbing, multi-pitch climbing, or even skiing—then look no further. Do yourself a favor and double-check your measurements on Rab’s sizing chart before ordering.  They do come in short sizes if you are worried about the length.  I’m excited to give their namesake Torque Jacket a go and see how well it works as a full kit.  Happy climbing! 

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Rhett is a professional photographer, writer, and skier/alpinist based out of South Lake Tahoe, California. When not climbing, skiing, or running around the Sierra Nevada, he enjoys a good beer, playing rock and roll, and hanging out with friends. You can connect with him on Instagram at @RhettHBGause