Last month one of my hiking buddies Tracy told me about a Woot-style site for outdoor gear called Steep and Cheap. They offer one deal at a time, with limited supplies. You can get alerts by IM or through a little desktop app that pops up a notice when the next item is available.
Steep and Cheap offers a wide range of gear. I’ve seen tents, backpacks, shoes, sleeping bags — all sorts of gear. But it was a long while before I actually jumped on one of the deals.
Yes, after hiking for over a decade in the same North Face shorts, I decided it was time to expand my wardrobe a bit. I saw a pair of prAna convertible pants for $39 (regularly $75). I jumped.
The process was painless and the pants arrived a few days later. Great process, and I’m super happy with them. They fit well, move with me and feel really comfortable. Being my first pair of convertible pants, I wasn’t sure how I’d like them. My hiking friend Jim prefers traditional pants because for him the zipper for the “legs” always seems to be in an irritating position.
I’ve worn my prAna convertibles mainly as shorts — which is what I almost exclusively wear while hiking (this IS southern California, after all). But there are times when it’s nice to have the option to zip on the legs — such as bushwacking through poison oak or hiking at higher elevations where the temperatures get downright cold.
My only complaint about them is that I’d like some cargo pockets. There is one “extra” pocket discreetly hidden below the front right pocket that works well for carrying my iPhone, but anything else and the pockets feel “too full.” Not a biggie, but worth noting.
Links
Alan Takushi says
March 19, 2010 at 4:34 pmThanks for turning me on to the Steep and Cheap web site. I’m keeping my eyes open for a new pair of pants myself. My REI convertibles are on their last legs. I too prefer cargo style pocketing because of the convenience and hey, you can never go wrong with more pockets.
Andy Burke says
March 19, 2010 at 6:04 pmHi,
My name is Andy Burke and I am the Customer Experience Manager at prAna. Thank you for the kind words and feedback concerning the the prAna Katek convertible pant. I’m very happy to hear that the pants have lived up to your expectations and that you are happy with your purchase. Thank you again for your feedback and support. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND GET OUTSIDE!!!
Cheers,
AB
SoCal Hiker says
March 21, 2010 at 2:45 pm@Alan – Yes, Steep and Cheap is a great resource. And for what it’s worth, Prana does have several other styles of pants, including the Zion which is sort of a cargo-style (has more pockets, anyways). http://www.prana.com/002932-Stretch-Zion-Pant.aspx?colorid=49061
I am hooked on Steep and Cheap. So far, I’ve exercised remarkable self-control, but you could easily go wild.
@Andy, thanks for stopping by SoCal Hiker! You’ll be happy to know that my Katek’s are my favorite hiking “shorts.”
Joel says
March 31, 2010 at 2:37 pmI like the pants too, but I had a pair and the belt function was terrible. The small metal buckle would slowly loosen throughout the day so constant readjustment was needed. Then one day the metal buckle just snapped in half. Now they won’t fit properly because there is no way to sinch them up with out just tying a string around my waist. There are no belt loops on the pants so even that is not very functional. I guess I could mail them back, but shoot, such a small glitch can ruin the whole thing.
SoCal Hiker says
March 31, 2010 at 3:13 pmThat’s a good point, Joel. I haven’t had that issue, but I’ll watch for that. It sounds like it’s something that could be repaired, no?
Hiking Lady says
April 9, 2010 at 9:59 amGreat review.
I am a fan of convertible pants for summer time hikes, but for most of the year I find that I never unzip the legs and prefer the protection of long pants. Even in spring time with poison oak in the local mountains, I’d rather be washing my pants in Technu to get rid of the poison oak than my skin!
Also great tip on washing the convertibles pants together, not just the shorts. I always get a laugh when I see multi-colored pants on the trail. Always a sign of a hardcore hiker!