Berghaus has been producing gear for British hill-walkers and mountaineers since the mid 1970s, so they should know a thing or two about keeping people dry. The Couloir trouser (the Abruzzi is the women’s version) is designed for mountaineering where unrestricted movement is required but it is equally at home on the fells when a walker just wants to be comfortable.
Design
The Couloir is made from Gore-Tex Pro Shell fabric, so it is up there with the best in terms of its fabric’s levels of waterproofness and breathability. The trousers have some articulation at the knee to provide a better fit. The waist has brushed polyester lining for added comfort while a press stud closure and zip fly make them easy to fit and comfy. There are removable braces to help keep the trousers up. There is a gaiter inside the ankle cuff that can be detached if it is not required. As with all the trousers here you get full length side zips, meaning these can be put on easily.
On the hill
The biggest difference between these trousers and the others here is that the full length side zip has a double external stormflap. Regular readers of Trail will know that we have regularly found that zips leak without such flaps. On the hill these were definitely better at keeping me dry than the trousers with exposed zips. The fit is a little looser than other trousers here, but it’s still comfy. I particularly liked the braces and these were comfy too, meaning that I was happy to keep these on all day. The ankle cuff gaiter is a little wider than some others and does not have a lace hook, which is a pity as they can ride up without one, although there are loops and so on instep cord could be added. There is also a drawcord at the ankle cuff that can pull in the baggy fit a little. Strangely there are two zipped pockets at the waist although I cannot imagine anyone would use them. One of the best features of these trousers is the price, as they are as good as the higher-priced options yet they can be yours for far less cash.
How waterproof?
I found these to be the best in terms of staying dry. The double stormflap over the side zips did not let in water in my trials on the Lakeland fells during late November 2009, when rain was a daily event.
Verdict
The cut is a little baggy, but water resistance and general performance are ideal for wet and windy conditions and I would strongly recommend these for hill-walkers.
I have just worn out a pair of Berghaus accelerator pants, which I believe to be the precursor to the Couloir pants, and I have never got wet in them in Scotland and that includes 4 days of horizontal rain crossing the bogs of Rannoch Moor with the rest of my party soaked to the skin! Undoubtedly the piece of kit I was most proud to own. The design seems to have gone backwards with the Couloir pants though: The elastic waist cord is secured with toggles which rest between the rucksack hip-belt and the hips causing them to dig in; the same feature at the bottom of the leg leaves an elastic cord trailing to be tripped over; the waist fastening both at the navel and at the top of each side zip are reliant on plastic press-studs which won’t last the pace of much hard wear – these studs were the only feature to fail in my accelerator pants. What happened to the secure metal clasp that held the waist shut? Let’s make sure that progress is progress and that the kit is tested by the people who are going to use it! My accelerator pants cost £150 at full price; with the Couloir at £200 I am going to buy something other than berghaus as my replacement.
Thanks for your comment. We’re sorry that you have been disappointed with this particular product having been a loyal Berghaus fan over the years. We always strive to make sure we bring you the best possible products that are fit for purpose. As part of this mission we take our products through a vigorous testing process which involves field testing, our Couloir pant has been worn and tested by mountain guides in both Scotland and Europe as well as our own staff. You may want to double check that the adjustment cordlocks at the hem are properly fastened with the hook and loop as they are retained up underneath the stands by means of a ribbon loop and if correctly fastened the cords should not dangle down.
We appreciate your feedback and have passed this onto our design team who will take this into consideration when working on our trousers in the future.