Down trousers – recommendations

I’m thinking of investing in a pair of insulated trousers for this winter.

Ive poor circulation so around the knees and calves, the legs are pretty much ice cold while cycling due to wind chill, and as im mostly commuting, theres a pair of waterproofs over the top.

I’ve been through several pairs of Warsaw pact ex army insulated types, but they never last and tbh arent that well made, so maybe a decent set of something down might be a better investment.

Im a 36″ waist, and 6’3″ so long size if thats available would bee best, but if not, its mainly the knees, so i can put up with tem being a bit shorter if thats all there is.

Example would be something like Rab Aragon which are 800 fill. And something about that level of insulation.

Thoughts ?

Someone’s gotta do it.

I came here to recommend a ferret.

Personally I’d go for a primaloft or similar option like coreloft if I was going to use them for something like cycling. Much easier to look after

Also ymmv but I would be way to hot cycling in down trousers and my legs are like string.

My current cold weather leg wear is a base layer of power stretch fleece with an appropriate shell layer according to conditions. Ie wet or dry. Very toasty

https://www.buffalosystems.co.uk/products/special-6-trousers/

What about ski trousers?

I bought some cheap in tk max and found them intolerably hot on the bike.

I run colder than my mates and wear an older version  these on the mtb when it’s below 5.

I’m 6″4 with 36″ inseam and 36 waist. The 36 waist version I have needs braces to hold them up, but is a bit longer in the leg

https://www.sportsdirect.com/fox-defend-fire-pant-333191?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=17597583573&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&cq_con=139404206618&cq_med=pla&cq_pos=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw9p24BhB_EiwA8ID5BvzqGrzvtsa0TvB_TWAnzC9SncHoDJAokW7b-MIiUh6OfYUmWZXQTRoCiokQAvD_BwE#colcode=33319103

Down doesn’t deal well with moisture so I’d stick to synthetic filling in Britian. Have you tried just wearing knee pads? A mate wears an old pair of Kyle Strait pads in winter just for the warmth they provide.

I think that to have loose trousers while legs are spinning round looses some of the benefit of insulation. Have you tried really warm tights or long John’s under a trouser or short?

There’s winter tights and properly warm winter tights, and even then in real cold I still have warmer shorts or even cycling trousers to keep wind chill off.

What are you wearing on feet and body as well?

Look at builder/tradesmen insulated trousers, half the price of branded ones.

https://www.workwear.co.uk/S816NARS.html?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmaO4BhAhEiwA5p4YL4gXDsztyzI2JQCGwJtdj_NjFGD25ZJalxstkS7D2vZsGL61GRxrxBoCPIAQAvD_BwE

What about thermal long johns ?

Montane do Primaloft trousers. I bought them for (a) boosting the warmth of my sleeping bag in winter and (b) slipping on after cold water swimming/dipping. I reckon they’ll last longer than down, are more easily cared for and still offer some insulation when damp.

+1 to M_OAA, proper winter lycra tights are warm!

£38 for an insulated, everything-proof hard wearing onesie with 8 pockets ! Looking for an excuse not to buy…

I’ve got a pair of Montane synthetic insulated ones will full zips – even in the Arctic at -25C I wouldn’t wear them cycling, only as overwear when stopped. You can get insulated over-shorts for XC skiing – keeping your quads warm is key IME, lower leg insulation less important. Down is great when it’s very cold  ( little moisture) and where the insulation gets to loft/trap air – it’s not going to be effective when there’s perspiration, constantly getting compressed/expelling the air)

As above proper fleecy roubaix style lycra

Buffalo must be ace. The super 6 top is too hot for any activity for me. Yeah maybe just wear some knee pads. And longjohns?
I wonder what they use on the Iditabike?

I’ve got some “over knee” Thorrlo wader socks, new with tags you might find useful.  They are like the mountain socks in weight.
Pm if interested.

Some good quality insulated Lycra would be my suggestion, you can wear knee pads and/or normal MTB trousers over them if you so desire.

Try Reed Chillcheater base layer I wear them under a dry suit when kayaking.

Maybe have a look at skiing clothing there are loads of 3/4 length options.

In both insulated and base layer styles.

I also don’t think down would be the solution as it won’t like moisture from you or the weather.

Some good  winter bibs and then some waterproof cycling trousers to keep the wind chill off.

Also, keeping your core area and head warmer may help as the body is then not diverting blood from the sticky out parts.

Thought this was going to be the inverse of “upskirting”…… am relieved!

I wore XC ski pants with a thin, padded bike tights underneath for 5 days in the arctic winter – it was -20C and below for 4 of those days – at no point did I suffer cold legs, but also depended on having decent boots and warm feet. I know quite a few people who’ve done the ITI in Alaska and the Arctic Yukon Ultra (where it gets to -40C)  – no one wore down pants for riding.

Are you on an eeb?

Down sounds like a really bad idea. Way too hot and also crap in UK weather.  The bottom ends will get soaked and ripped to shit in your chainring. As suggested above, ski trousers or more tights.

Down trouser chainring interface for your very own birdstrike simulation.

Eminently more survivable though, to be fair

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men’s-warm-water-repellent-hiking-trousers-sh100/_/R-p-311858?mc=8558719&c=bronze+green

These may be of use, they’re fleece lined/thermal. Fit just like normal trousers but are very warm.

The Buffalo Tectlite trouser maybe more appropriate.

The jacket version is good.

Or PHD do a Sigma trouser with primaloft gold but pricy!!!

I would have thought a HH base layer type layer  or equivalent (lycra/ thermal tights) under normal baggie mtb trousers would be fine.

Long socks help as well in cold weather.

Up to the knee under a trouser or something.

I don’t think you really want down or synthetic insulated legwear for active use short of high altitude mountaineering. The fabrics that the down is encased in are not very breathable and the insulation itself is a sort of air-gap – ie, you will get properly hot and sweaty.

Polartec PowerStretch leggings maybe with some sort of overtrouser would work pretty well. Rab’s Cinder Kinetic stretch waterproof / softshell would be good for mobility and – based on experience of the outdoor ones – are decently breathable, fully windproof and waterproof. Or thermal leggings under trail pants. Or thermal leggings under wind/waterproof overtrousers. Or some sort of Roubaix bib tents, again with a windproof layer maybe.

But not down or PrimaLoft or similar synthetic fills imho.

Oh, fwiw. Sport Pursuit were selling Alpinestar insulated shorts for bargain money recently. A pair of those – they’re zoned, over thermal bibs or tights might do the trick. I don’t think they have any left, but they do have some cheapo Kilpi PrimaLoft insulated ones, they come up if you search for ‘insulated shorts’

Looks like Decathlon do it again…..

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/men-s-cross-country-ski-over-trousers-xc-s-overp-900-black/_/R-p-313296

Or should these be in the mtb dungaree thread?

I use the Endura MT500 freeze trouser things during the winter. Primaloft gold. I’m a 38″ waist with 35″ inside leg, and they fit pretty well in XXL. Another month or so before the switch from shorts to trousers happens.

Yeah, maybe best to knock the down idea on the head and stick with synthetic, and perhaps just stick to the ex army surplus stuff too, at least that is priced more economically.

I should also say its on the Ebike, and im in turbo so not really pushing it.

But thanks for the suggestions all the same.

I use powerstretch leggings for winter cycling, the current pair are Rab branded but also had a pair of Mountain Hardware. They are very long lasting.

Originally bought them for ski touring. In Scotland I usually wear gore Tex trousers over them and in the Alps layer them with softshell ski trousers depending on the cold. For cycling to work all winter the leggings are fine on their own, with waterproof over trousers if raining really hard.

I should also say its on the Ebike, and im in turbo so not really pushing it.

What would actually work really well would be Polartec Alpha lined trousers, but I’m not sure they even exist. Folk who’ve not ridden an e-mtb in cool conditions may not appreciate just how much colder you can get compared to riding a normal bike, but I’d still stay clear of down or down-type insulation just the same, the breathability is pants…

I stocked up on brasher lined trousers at millets last year, 30 quid, I see they are c 50 now. Really comfortable and not too heavy.  For cycling I always layer up, I ve just gone from 1 to 2 base layers, still in shorts.

Lined trousers will be mid Nov.

may not appreciate just how much colder you can get compared to riding a normal bike

Sounds like a normal bike might be the answer 😛

If it’s for riding then I can recommend the Pearl Izumi AmFib tights for winter.  I was a bit unsure when I first got them but now find they are super toastie

What would actually work really well would be Polartec Alpha lined trousers

That is my favourite for cold winter rides, I have jackets and bib trouser things made by Fox that use it. It’s the best stuff I’ve used to deal with my sweating up hill then chilling at the top on MTB rides

Buffalo must be ace. The super 6 top is too hot for any activity for me.

Depends on how active you are – for several years I was doing vehicle logistics, ie moving vehicles around various storage locations outdoors, for ten hours or so a day, right through the winter, so physically not that active, but standard issue hi-viz ‘waterproof’ jackets are horrible things; boil-in-a-bag human situation. I wore a Special 6, with a Peter Storm £20 waterproof over the top in heavy rain, or else just a hi-viz vest for safety, and a Helly Lifa as a base layer. Absolutely brilliant combination, I was perfectly comfortable in most conditions, just keeping my fingers warm was tricky, because of needing to make notes on a tablet – gloves supposedly made for touch screens are shit!
My regular winter trousers, when it’s too cold for shorts, are ex-Danish Army tri-colour Flectarn combat trousers, wonderful things, beautifully made, very comfortable, and 3/4 lined, so more than warm enough for British winter conditions. Not waterproof, though, and now almost impossible to find for any reasonable price; their government changed the camo spec to Multicam, same as the British Army, and dumped the entire inventory onto the open market, I bought a field jacket and two pairs of trousers for £70, when previously you’d be lucky to get the trousers for that. Several months later, trousers were going for over £100/pair.

Must say, I hadn’t thought about Special 6 trousers, I might consider a pair of those, for crap weather – I have osteoarthritis in both knees now, left is worse, so they could be just the answer to being able to walk in colder weather. If anyone knows of a similar, but cheaper alternative, I’m open to suggestions!

The army stuff is buffalo, or at least it’s pile and pertex and buffalo have been suppliers in the past I think.   Search for army surplus thermal pcs trousers,  or army surplus softie thermal trousers

Eg

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275901464424?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ksGEmYdOT0a&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=ouq3u5EnS2m&var=578206991280&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Iirc, the ‘softie’ stuff is older and got changed to the pcs stuff.  No idea on trousers but in jackets the pcs smock is much more lightweight than the softie.

I use the Endura MT500 freeze trouser things during the winter. Primaloft gold.

My parents both use these on their eebs, as they both really feel the cold. My Mum sometimes even puts a pair of winter tights underneath!

I had a search on the webz last night, and found these on Amazon…

Also, Mountain Warehouse do what are almost a match to the Milspec Buffalo jackets, trousers with a Pertex-like outer and a thin fleece/pile lining, similar to Polarfleece 100, which would probably be all that’s needed through a British winter, about £35 I think, with thigh pockets and other pockets zipped. Next time I’m in Bath I’ll pop into their shop and have a look, they could be just the thing.

Wore my new black ex-military jacket out for a couple of hours today, it had turned a bit brisk, though not enough to stop me wearing shorts, but it was perfect with just a thin tee shirt underneath. I think it going to get a lot of use through the winter.