Testing the Omni-dry pants made by Columbia started off questionable because of their high price. These pants market retail for $60.00 and sell on sale down to $30.00. So I tested with an open mind and let the Tough Gear Challenge take care of them. The conditions in which these pants were tested was the deciduous/coniferous forest of Ontario, Canada. Now the weather was about 75% sunshine and 25% rain.
DEPENDABILITY: These pants were very dependable and I could count on them to hold strong when it came to going into the brush and high weeds. They also had a great resistance to tear. It proved this when I had to make my way through a thorny black berry patch and skidding down sharp rocks. It seemed that no matter what I would put these pants through they would heal up and be ready the next morning. There for they receive a tough gear dependability grade of a B.
VERSATILITY: This pair of pants was more like a two for one deal. The zippers around mid-leg can zip half off and make them into shorts for hot summer days. You can also use it as a pair of swimming trunks. These pants really paid off for me because I was working on the water a whole lot canoeing and doing fisheries research, if they got wet they were dry sometimes in fifteen minutes. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Versatility Grade of a B.
AFFORDABILITY: This pair of pants is on the high end of outdoor clothing. I have seen them from 30-60$ per pair. But in the end they will hold up during a long backcountry trip! I do recommend shopping around and looking for a pair of pants that is comfortable for you to wear. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Affordability grade of a C+.
PACKABILITY: This pair of pants weighs the fraction of a normal pair of jeans and doesn’t take up as much space. They can compress down to fit in almost any pocket of a backpack. I could fit them right in the front pouch of my backpack if I needed a dry pair of pants. Therefore they receive a Tough Gear Packability Grade of an A+.
Tough Gear Final Grade: After reviewing all of the different points of view the Columbia Omni-dry Long Zip off pants receive a final grade of a B+. They held up and the zippers were extremely durable and didn’t seem to be thrown off by mud or sand. The pants dried very fast and really are one of the most comfortable pairs of pants I have ever worn. They do tend to stain a little bit but that all comes with use. Now that you have read our review it is time for you to decide what qualities you’re looking for in a pair of backcountry pants!
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