Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants – The Outdoors Pyjama Pant
This time I am reviewing the Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants. I have had them for a half a year now and I have used them on a variety of situations. So without further a do I will go into the manufacturer and the specs of the pants themselves.

Manufacturer

Outdoor Research is one of those names that every gear lover has heard of. Outdoor Research makes some of the finest outdoor adventure gear out there. Their designs and values are driven from a desire to get outside and feel the adventure. Their story and ethos are quite inspiring (really, I encourage you to go read all about it from their website!) and their gear really speaks for itself. And the way the outdoors communities have taken their products to speaks for them too. I mean, for example, their drysacks are everywhere! Kifaru sells their drysacks on their own website, that is how good they are.

But I think that OR is especially known from their gloves, at least on the tactical gear market. That is how I got introduced to them anyway. They seem to have embraced the tactical side, like several other outdoor manufacturers. OR has put out a whole line of products that are specifically designed for LE and military use, like their Maritime pants and shirt. They also offer their best liked apparel in camo patterns. I believe OR is held in high regard by the SF community, so that alone is a high praise for a gear company.

The Pants

The Ferrosi pants are highly appreciated and approved pants. The Ferrosi pants have won several honours from outdoor magazines etc. So we are talking about a supposedly very good pair of pants! Here is a list of the features taken from the OR website:

The fabric is 86% ripstop and 14% spandex with a 90D stretch woven ripstop, so the fabric mirrors movement and still can take a bit of a beating. The fabric is also told to be water- and wind-resistant, highly breathable and quick drying. The pants are said to weight 303 grams/11 ounces on average, so the fabric and components are really lightweight.

The pants feature five pockets: two slash pockets in front, two zippered pockets on the back and a vertical zippered pocket on the right thigh. The thigh pocket is glued on, not sewn, which is quite a neat detail.

The fly is zippered as well and secured with a metal button. The inside of the waistband is lined with soft tricot fabric for added comfort and the belt loops on the outside are large enough to accommodate quite bulky belts too. Also the belt loops seem to be made of hypalon, the legendary matter of all tactical right now. The knees are designed to allow better movement and there are elastic drawcords in the cuffs. AND for every rock or wall climbing reader, the website specifically points out that the structure of the pants is made to go well with climbing harnesses!

There are several different colour options for the pants, the Coyote Brown being the most ”tactical” option, although I think that all of the options are quite discreet and down-to-earth.

The pants cost $79 dollars in the US, or so the OR website says.

Personal experience

As I was looking for a new pair of gloves I considered OR’s for quite a while. But when browsing through the online catalogue of the Finnish gear shop Viranomainen, I spotted these pants. I was looking for a pair of soft shell pants back then as well, so when I saw the price tag and knowing the reputation of the brand I quickly opted to give the Ferrosi pants a chance.

And I am glad that I did, because these pants are every bit as good as they say they are! The fabric really is amazing. During a hot summers day the pants breathe, so they keep you nice and cozy. But even on a chilly autumn morning they have kept me adequately warm too, even without any layers under them. Wind will not come through the fabric at all and the pants really keep off small rain and splashes. But when they get wet, they dry off really quick due to the lightness of the fabric.

They are amazingly light and so they are extremely packable and very comfortable to wear. I mean, most of the time they feel like they aren’t even there. They excel in activities where leg mobility is a paramount feature. The lightness and the movement-mirroring stretch makes them perfect for climbing and hiking, and they also work great as running pants!

But, in all honesty, there are some BUTs too! There are some issues with the admittedly awesome light and high performance fabric. First, the look of the pants is close to a pair of pyjama bottoms. And who does not like the feel of comfy pyjama bottoms, but at least Blue has given me slack a few times for the shabby look of the Ferrosi. The pyjama look makes them quite unwearable to any public space or social environment.

And another thing: items in pockets or underneath the pants it show really clearly when the fabric stretches over them. Especially in the groin area, where the cut of the pants makes the fabric quite tight when sitting down. This can amount to some unfortunate uneasiness amongst people around you, and, well, to you too. And I am not talking about your concealed carry weapon now. Although, the Ferrosi pants might not be the best choice for that application for the same reason.

Then the lightness of the fabric makes one wonder how long will it last on hard use. So far the pants have held up great and I expect them to do so. But I have used kneepads when I have taken the pants out on the range or to other high demanding environments. After half a year the pants have started to pill a bit. The belt and some jackets have chafed against the fabric so that there are some pilling in the groin and sides. But this is mainly a cosmetic issue, and well, as we have already established, these are pants you do not buy for the looks anyway.

All in all, the pants are excellent outdoor activity pants and I would really recommend them for any climber or a hiker. When you disregard the few minor issues, the pants really do not have any faults I can think of. I will update later when the winter comes and I have a chance to test them on snow.

Likes and dislikes

Like:
The lightness
Quick drying
Water and wind blocking
Activity enabling stretch

Dislike:
“Impressionablilty”
(I should put “the pyjama look” up here, but then again I quite like the look of the pants anyway, so screw you Blue :D)

And finally the “Five points assessment”:

Functionality 4/5
Weight 5/5
Durability 4/5
Cost 5/5
Comfort 5/5
Overall 23/25 in essence.

This review was first published in the Noble & Blue. Noble & Blue is a small Finnish outdoor and tactical gear reviewing blog, that also shares stories of learning and adventure. Click here to know more about Noble & Blue

Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased this product with my own funds. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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-Noble