Patagonia Simple Guide Softshell Pant- Women's - 2010 BCS

These pants are absolutely the most comfortable soft-shells I have ever worn! I am a dog-sled guide all day and then drive sleighs all evening and need stuff that will perform well under crazy conditions yet still look good enough to serve dinner. As another reviewer said, they were too short, (I'm 5'9) but I knew that going in, and, as another reviewer said I just ripped out the seam and restitched them. I wear these over some capilene and under some powder pants and shazaam - I am ready for the crazy winter life!

Previous year model was pretty miserable - what's up with the drawcord and no waist band?! For this year, the fabric is also very water repellent - water rolls right off. Fit is great, although I don't really like the elastic band at the waist and I plan to take it to a tailor to have him remove it. I have a small hip, had to size down in order to not have fabric bunching up at the hip. The pants has got a really good stretch to it. I don't see any problem trying to lift up my legs while bouldering / climbing.

These pants are really cute...especially for being an athletic-style pant. The grey color is photographed appropriately. I am 5'7" and weigh 125 lbs (I typically wear a 27" - 28" waist size in pants). I ordered a small, and they fit really well. The waistband has elastic in the back (don't worry...it's tastefully done and doesn't look nerdy), so that's something to keep in mind if you're not sure what size to get.

I was concerned about them being on the short side, but the length is perfect.

I just got back from a mountain biking trip to Colorado where I practically lived in these pants for four days. Water and dirt brush right off, keeping them looking clean despite multiple days of use. The zippered pockets are amazingly useful for organizing things like hotel key cards, keys, phone, wallet, etc. I thought the weight and stretch of these pants was perfect for the 40-60 degree temps I wore them in and the gusseted crotch came in handy when hopping on and off demo bikes. I personally think these pants run on the large side. I'm 5'6", 134lbs and usually a 6-8 in most pants with a 10 sometimes thrown in depending on the brand and got these in a medium and they practically fall off of me. Good thing they have belt loops!

These pants look very nice on and appear to be made of a sturdy durable fabric. I think that these will look fine for travel or casual wear as well as for hiking or xc skiing. Be aware though that these are cut very generously. I just measured the L that I purchased. They were more like a 34 -36 inch waist. This was significantly different than the size chart indicated. I went with my hip size when I ordered rather than my waist size because some others had indicated that they fit loose and I have a small difference between my hip and waist anyway. Also, the inseam measured 32 inches. So if you are short you will likely need to have these hemmed. Since they are a straight leg they should be easy to have taken up. If I were to get another pair of these I would definitely order then M instead. Although I think these will work fine with a belt and allow plenty of layers. Overall I think I will be happy with these pants.

Love it, true to size and extremely comfortable. can't wait to ware it everday for next month's Tibet trip.