Review: Sitka Dew Point Pants

Early fall brings a slew of changes to the local landscape: ripe apples, colorful leaves, crisp air, but perhaps most ubiquitous is the incessant morning dew. And while the wet grass might be formidable to the average pair of pants, it’s not to the Sitka Dew Point Pants. These Gore-Tex rain pants are fully waterproof and have 20-denier nylon ripstop face, meaning light brush-busting is no sweat, either. In terms of the design, Sitka intends the pants to be worn as a layer to weather a quick rainstorm or bow hunt a wet, early morning—resulting in a balance between simplicity and function. There are no pockets, nor are there brush guards on the cuffs, as you’d see on a more do-it-all style of outdoor pant, but the pants do have some nifty features tailored to their intended purpose.

Notably, are the two-way, full-length zippers on both sides. Unzip them from the bottom-up to get the pants on over a pair of boots, or unzip them from the top-down to ventilate when hiking uphill or if you just need a little more airflow. The cut is slim, in typical Sitka style, but a little looser than usual to accommodate layering underneath (I’m 6’ 2”, 185lbs, 33x34 pant; and a size LT fits me perfectly). A built-in waist cinch makes tightening the pants easy, without needing a full belt to keep ’em up.

The most surprising thing about the Dew Point Pants, however, is their weight. At 10.5 ounces, their presence is barely noticeable in a backpack—yet they’re worth their weight in gold on a wet morning high in the alpine. Overall, the pants are another great product from Sitka—who has been producing some really well designed products lately (check out the Ambient 75 Hoodie for another early-season staple). The pants are light, durable, waterproof, and built to move. They’re available in two solid colors and two camouflage colors on sitkagear.com; $329.