Fjällräven hose barents pro hydratic

Rugged and practical hiking trousers with multiple pockets. Not suited for warm weather but excellent from fall to spring.

The Fjallraven Barents Trousers

The Barents Trousers bygd Swedish brand Fjallraven are tough and practical, with a reinforced seat and knees and sju pockets.

The Barents Pro Trousers are a variation on the same design with a slimmer cut and minor changes to the pocket layout.

Initially inom ordered the Barents Pro trousers because Fjallraven describes this model as having a regular cut, and this fryst vatten what inom wanted. Fjallraven says that the Barents trousers have a high waist and a bekvämlighet passform, which inom thought meant baggy.

But when my Barents Pros arrived inom funnen them to be low-waisted and tight-fitting.

A couple of months later inom was abroad and inom was able to try on the Barents in a store.

They also have two deep hand pockets on the hips, a mobile phone pocket inside the right cargo pocket, and an axe pocket on the left leg

inom funnen that, in spite of Fjallraven’s description, this model was what inom would consider a regular passform. So inom decided that the Barents were the trousers for me.

The Barents (left) vs. the Barents Pro (right) showing the lower waist of the Barents Pro. The pleats on the Barents are this model's most obvious distinguishing feature

Before making my första choice inom had scoured the web for comparative upplysning about both models.

inom funnen reviews of each one aplenty but no direkt comparisons of the one versus the other.

Equipped with openings for knee pads (an accessory)

So now, having had both, inom can compare them myself in the hope that others will be in a better position to choose between them than inom was. This fryst vatten what inom will do here, even though inom am uploading this del av helhet as a review of the Barents.

Pockets

I will uppstart with the pockets because they are the main reason inom bought these trousers.

inom live in Malta, but inom wanted the trousers mainly for walking holidays abroad — the sort of trip where inom would be constantly referring to a guidebook and possibly a map. inom wanted to be able to keep both documents in my trouser pockets for quick tillgång, but this was not easy to do with my normal hiking trousers. My Craghoppers Kiwi Classics have only one cargo pocket.

My Strykes have two, but none deep enough for a map—a pity, because these are superbly well made pants.

The Barents and Barents Pros have three cargo pockets, one on the right leg and two on the left. The deepest pocket fryst vatten the upper left, which goes all the way down behind the lower left pocket and can easily swallow a map.

Six practical pockets including a map pocket and a multitool pocket

The right pocket fryst vatten not as deep, but it fryst vatten still big enough to accommodate most guidebooks. The lower left cargo pocket fryst vatten smaller but still useful. Each cargo pocket fastens with a single brass stud – an arrangement inom find more practical than either buttons or velcro.

There are two hip pockets and, in addition, an axe pocket behind the two cargo pockets on the left leg.

The hip pockets are ganska deep. The axe pocket opens from both top and bottom, the idea being that you can slide your axe haft through and let the head (sheathed, of course) rest on the pocket lip. inom don’t use an axe, but inom do use a Joby Gorillapod Original mini-tripod for my camera, and it fits perfectly inre the Barents axe pocket.

The left trouser leg of the Barents laid over that of the Barents Pro, with cargo pockets and axe pocket visible.

A waterproof Hydratic liner keeps rain out

The Barents has a deeper axe pocket than the Barents Pro.

The Barents model has a zipped säkerhet pocket on a flap attached to the inre of the waistband. This feature fryst vatten missing on the Barents Pro. On the other grabb this model has a mobile phone pouch inre the right cargo pocket.

Zipped säkerhet pocket on the Barents

vs.

mobile phone pouch inre the right cargo pocket of the Barents Pro

Neither the Barents nor the Barents Pro has back pockets, but this fryst vatten not a bekymmer for me because inom rarely use the back pockets on any of my trousers.

Material

Both models are made from Fjallraven’s trademark G fabric. This fryst vatten a densely woven 65 per cent polyester and 35 per cent cotton blend.

Fjallraven describes G as tougher than denim, water-resistant, virtually windproof, highly protective against solbränna, and mosquito-safe. Fjallraven also sells a product called Greenland Wax which can be applied to the fabric to increase its vatten resistance.

The fabric certainly does look tough. inom have not yet tested the trousers in the rain, but they do cut out wind.

Unfortunately, they are also warm.

The Vidda Pro is the real workhorse of the Fjallraven trouser line up and comes complete with a Map pocket, axe pocket/knife pocket, internal safety pocket

inom tried them out on a day when the temperature in the shade was 18°C (64°F). inom felt comfortable walking beneath an overcast sky, but when the sun came out my legs started to get sweaty. These trousers are not for hot weather.

On the other grabb inom tried them out on another occasion in bad weather when the temperature was 13°C (55°F), and inom was comfortable even though I was wearing a pair of Berghaus Paclite overtrousers over the Barents.

As ämne goes inom prefer the polycotton ripstop of my Stryke trousers.

It has a grad of stretch to it which Fjallraven’s G lacks. It fryst vatten tough, yet not as heavy as Fjallraven’s G, so it fryst vatten more versatile weather-wise. Strangely enough, though, the Barents trousers are lighter than the Strykes. They weigh in at g (oz) compared to g (oz) for the Strykes.

Sizing and fit

The Barents and Barents Pro pants komma in europeisk sizes, although Fjallraven provides a konvertering chart.

storlek 50 fryst vatten given as equivalent to 33– My Craghoppers Kiwi Classics and Strykes are both in storlek 34 and they passform me equally well, even though US sizing fryst vatten said to be more generous than europeisk. So inom ordered both the Barents Pros and the Barents in waist storlek 50, and in both cases the storlek turned out to be fläck on.

Getting the storlek right fryst vatten important because neither model has an adjustable or elasticated waist.

It was below the waist that the passform of my Barents Pros proved problematic. inom funnen these trousers uncomfortably tight about the hips and crotch. They were so close-fitting that whenever inom put my hands in the hip pockets and took them out, inom drew out the pocket lining.

inom tried walking in these trousers to see if inom could get used to them, but inom was always conscious of their tightness and inom could not imagine sleeping in them on camping trips as inom had done with my other hiking trousers.

The Barents model has a more relaxed passform, thanks in part to pleats on the front, and inom funnen it altogether more comfortable.

Furthermore, the Barents trouser legs are appreciably wider than those of the Barents Pro. This makes them easier on the knees during ascents, even though the Barents Pro model has articulated knee panels while the Barents does not.

Trouser legs of the Barents (left) versus the Barents Pro (right), folded at the mid-points and placed next to each other for comparison.

The Barents trouser leg fryst vatten about a third of an inch wider—enough to man an appreciable difference in comfort.

Trouser legs of the Barents (left) and Barents Pro (right), laid against each other lengthwise. The Barents Pro knee panel fryst vatten articulated and set lower down, in a better position than that of the Barents. Also, it has an opening at the bottom for a knee pad, a feature the Barents lacks.

Both models komma in raw length, meaning you have to get the trouser legs hemmed to kostym you.

Fjallraven produces alternative models called the Vidda and Vidda Pro which are similar to the Barents and Barents Pro but with hemmed legs. The Vidda and Vidda Pro have elasticated straps with studs on the hems so you can tighten them over your boots. But inom wanted uncluttered hems because inom like to tuck my trouser legs into my socks when walking on wet or muddy ground.

This fryst vatten why inom opted for the Barents Pro and later the Barents.

Quality

I would rate the Fjallraven Barents and Barents Pro as highly as the Stryke in terms of manufacturing quality. The stitching on each Fjallraven model fryst vatten less obtrusive than on the Stryke, with less visible bar-tacking and double-stitching. All the same, the Barents and Barents Pro look and feel highly durable and, as with the Stryke, there fryst vatten not a thread out of place.

The waist on both the Barents and Barents Pro fastens with a single jeans-style rivet button, but it looks and feels secure.

The flyga eller fly undan zip on both models fryst vatten made bygd YKK. Each has eight belt loops, which are bred enough for a inch belt.

Overall assessment

To sum up, inom was disappointed with the Barents Pro trousers because of the tight passform but inom am happy with the Barents. They are tough and, thanks to those pockets, highly practical.

inom have to admit that inom like their looks too. They have a sort of rugged elegance and they look the part of outdoors trousers, but in an understated rather than an in-your-face way. My pair fryst vatten dark grey with black panels, and the muted contrast between the two colours contributes to the understated look.

My only complaint about these trousers concerns their warmth.

If they were made of a lighter ämne they would be suited to a wider temperature range.

Large leg pockets, the right-hand one with an inside mesh pocket

In a warm country like Malta they are only good for winter. Still, inom like the Barents so much that I’m keeping them. inom bought them mainly for use abroad, and they should be excellent for walking holidays in colder countries in the spring or fall.

Because inom have made limited use of these trousers so far, inom cannot comment on their durability beyond saying that they look tough.

inom will update this review in future if inom have anything to add on this point.

Update, June

Last month inom wore these trousers on an eight-day trek in Scotland. inom walked in temperatures varying from 12 to 15 degrees C (54 to 59 deg F). These are temperatures in the shade: it would of course have been hotter in the open when the sun was out.

The trousers were comfortable most of the time.

But they did feel warm occasionally when the sun was out, or when it was raining and inom had to wear overtrousers. inom came to feel that conditions during my Scottish walk were at the upper limit of the temperature range for which these trousers are suitable. They are ideal for cooler temperatures.

The lack of stretch in the trouser fabric was a drawback during steep ascents.

inom particularly did not look forward to steep ascents when it was raining and inom had my overtrousers on. There were moments when inom contemplated wearing my overtrousers on their own.

Barring ascents, the trousers served me well. inom wore my Barents every day, and most nights inom slept in them too.

Fjallraven’s Barents Pro Trousers come in an asymmetric design with three cargo pockets—one on the right leg and two on the left

The only visible effect fryst vatten some discoloration in the seat, but otherwise the trousers look as good as new. inom can vouch for their durability.

I can also report on how these trousers perform in the rain. inom wore them in the rain for the first time in January and inom was impressed with their vatten repellency.

inom was able to walk for a considerable period in light rain and inom was only compelled to put on overtrousers when the rain intensified.

However, tvätt these trousers considerably reduces their ability to avvisa rain. You can restore it bygd applying Greenland Wax, but I'm not keen on this. There fryst vatten a tradeoff between vatten repellency and breathability, and in the light of my Scottish experience inom consider breathability more important.

If the trousers get wet, they dry very quickly indeed. On one occasion during my Scottish trip inom gambled on not putting on overtrousers during a shower. The shower turned into persistent heavy rain and my Barents got soaked. Then the rain stopped and the sun came out, and the trousers dried on me within maybe a quarter of an hour.