Just wondering how you've got on with them. They look ok in pictures but are they really just like normal jeans to wear and look at?

Also, how are they lasting if you've had them for a while, I seem to kill the knees in trousers really quickly…

Ta

Got 2 pairs.
First ones were on the deal and are going very well, got them on now.
The second pair are better, they are a bit tighter though so unless you have really skinny legs make sure you get the next waist size up than normal (unless they have got a new shipment in).
Love mine. The full waterproofing doesn't last as long as you would like, but the jeans don't wet out anywhere near as fast as normal jeans either.

Ok just looked at the website they do slim and normal fit now so ignore the bit about the sizing

Waterproofing seems to work aslong as you follow the instructions: 40deg machine wash, then rinse and spin again and then tumble dry.

I've got the original ones too. Really comfortable fit, although my missus claims they don't look as good as "conventional" jeans.

I've got some of the original ones. I wouldn't wear them as normal jeans. I save them for skiing in.

Thanks folks, guess I'll try them and see…

i like mine – had a pair of the original ones – worn them alot, traipsing around feilds chasing horses – perform ok – as others have said initial proofing goes, but they certainly dont get as wet as normal jeans.

Are they any good for riding in?

Im thinking about some trousers for the wetter months.

J has two pairs – the originals and the new slimmer ones – and has said exactly the same as graham1980.
He doesn't ride in his, though he does go walking in them.
Going on what he has said, I don't think they'd be so good for riding in the wetter months because whilst they do resist wetting for longer than regular jeans they DO still get wet, and you know what it's like riding in wet denim…
From a purely female point of view, the new slimmer ones are a nice shape and make walking behind him so much more bearable. 😉

Are the regular ones baggy enough to fit knee pads under?

My original ones are well comfy but no longer waterproof (probably because I didn't tumble dry them). I've just got a new pair of the regular ones that need breaking in and aren't quite the same cut as my originals but still good.

I save them for skiing in.

Don't you get cold?

I have 2 pairs of the originals, used for walking and snowboarding.

I have found them to be great for boarding with a thermal layer under but that was at Sunshine in Canada which in my experience is the coldest resort I've been to despite the 'sunshine' name.

Yep, been there. Got down to around -20 at the summit one day. But I've been down below -30 in Steamboat (frozen snot and ice on inside of goggles… nice!).

How windproof are they? And how breathable compared to "technical" stuff (Goretex et al)?

How windproof are they? And how breathable compared to "technical" stuff (Goretex et al)?

They're more breathable as there's no membrane, but that's not to say that they don't get clammy. Also bear in mind they're NOT waterproof and they don't claim to be. I've got a pair of the prototype ones and they were great when new but the water-repellency has pretty much gone, although they don't get as wet as regular jeans and they dry much faster, and you've still got a decent pair of jeans!

Even when new and shedding water well they struck me as more useful for more everyday stuff where the water resistance is a bonus (riding to work, say) than for taking out on the hill.

I got a pair of the originals. They're OK I suppose, but they feel clammy and "draggy" against my legs so aren't as comfortable as ordinary jeans. They're not much cop in the wet either, the boot cut ensures the hem gets filthy and wet, and they feel cold.

I don't know why I bought them really, I think I got sucked in by the advertising. If it's wet I think you're better off wearing some proper waterproofs, if it's not wet then wear ordinary trousers.

Hmmmm.. sound good for camping etc, but I don't think I'll be wearing a pair up a snowy mountain anytime soon

Unless I'm with this lot:

Hmmmm.. sound good for camping etc, but I don't think I'll be wearing a pair up a snowy mountain anytime soon

That's about it really. Don't get me wrong, having water-resistant jeans has been dead handy plenty of times, and for camping/roadside bouldering whatever they'd be great, but they're in the drawer with my normal clothes rather than my outdoors stuff.

Great for going shopping in on wet days. The fabric is Epic, which means the fibres are encapsulated in silicone. You should be able to reactivate them, if tired, by tumble-drying or ironing. Not waterproof, as pointed out, very wind resistant, shower resistant, don't absorb as much water as untreated denim and then dry faster.

The slimmer cut, ,ime, is hopeless unless you're very skinny. Aesthetically, not bad, but not quite right either, if that makes sense. Feel quite like untreated denim, but you can feel a slight slipperiness to the fabric, though the protos were less obviously so.

I wouldn't wear them for riding personally, looser ones okay for bouldering on dry to occasional drizzle sort of days, breathability is decent, far better than Gore-Tex.

GrahamS – Member
Hmmmm.. sound good for camping etc, but I don't think I'll be wearing a pair up a snowy mountain anytime soon

I was a bit apprehensive at first so just wore them on a fine day when I was picking the kids up at lunchtime. They passed that test and I quickly started wearing them more and more. In fact they turned out to be every bit as good as my 'proper' technical (and very much more expensive) ski pants. I wore them in deep powder and when there was a lot of snow falling.

In fact I put them on in the morning, skied, had lunch and skied without thinking about them all day 'til I took them off again.

Functionally they're bob-on for skiing. Some may have an issue with the aesthetics though.

Wearing mine now and I like them. Make a great stylish camping trouser for going to the pub in and are my default trouser for getting to and from biking venues when I'm going to be standing in mud, rain, etc. Also very good for outside work. Although mine no longer really bead they have only wetted through once in truly biblical conditions. I think of them as a more practical version of the classic jeans for our climate.

Pros:
Dry very fast.
Hardwearing.
Windproof.
Dirt brushes off.
Oily stains come out easily.

Cons:
Can grip a bit around the knee when rock climbing.
Difficult to ride in for the same reason.
Feel cold and a bit clammy when you put them on in a damp tent first thing but goes away after a few minutes.
Spilt beer collects in turn ups.

Spilt beer collects in turn ups.

Surely this is a Pro? Saves some for later.