UKH

With features designed for climbing, and style for everything else, our sportswear bottoms are built to move. Featuring our new Forged Climbing Denim, which are literally changing the game of stretch climbing pants, that look as good as they climb, our collection of bottoms blend durability and versatility with timeless style for crags and beyond. BD athlete Hazel Findlay has not only been involved in their development but also tried and tested them intensely on her recent trip to Yosemite Valley.

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In reply to UKC Gear:

I never realised it was possible to write so much BS about a pair of stretch jeans.

In reply to UKC Gear:

£100 then yeah?

In reply to UKC Gear:

"Something you can wear from a day of climbing to the bar."

This is a worrying trend in outdoor clothing.  With other things such as Alpkit's Woodsmoke shirt also advertising themselves on the same premise, I can forsee a time when all outdoor clothing will be designed not just for walking and climbing but also for other, more socially acceptable pursuits.  How long is it going to be before someone designs a three-piece suit that you can wear whilst flashing an E4 before breakfast and then go straight to your high-powered office job?  

We should resist such things, and argue the case in the opposite direction so that it becomes perfectly normal to dress in Ron Hills tracksters for your senior executive role in the City.  

T.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Looks like Nalle and Daila are part of a hive mind desperate to find clothing that is perfect for a seamless climbing-piss up transition:

"Love these new stretchy jeans!" says Nalle. "Never once felt restricted by them while climbing and the fabric is comfy and durable. Something you can wear from a day of climbing to the bar. What's not to like?"

"Comfortable, durable and practical," says Daila. "You can feel like a climber on the rocks and like a climber at the bar drinking a beer."

This is what happens when you have unpaid internships

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Already done:  youtube.com/watch?v=LXuFOWuanF0&

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Ron Hills acceptable again? I'll get mine out back of the wardrobe!

In reply to UKC Gear:

They look very nice, and I would wear them but I reckon I'll stick to my £30 Decathlon stretch climbing jeans though. They're fab.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Dislike it all you want, but I'm intrigued to see how they actually are in use/over time.

Stretchy jeans are my go-to legwear throughout much of the year, and over the years I've spent a not entirely insignificant amount of money buying them as/when they wear out. In a day and age where we should be thinking twice about whether or not we should indeed "buy cheap, buy twice" due to environmental considerations, maybe these are worth a second glance?

Here's a quick price breakdown of a few 'competitors':

Simond Jeans2 £32
Rab Copperhead Jeans £70
Metolius Axiom Pant £80

Consensus amongst the people I've spoken to is that in tough use the Simond Jeans wear out in/around the bum after 6 months use. Having used the Axiom Pants for years the exact same thing happens with them, but after 12 months. So far I've only put the Copperheads through 6 months use and they've done well apart from a small hole in the knee; however I suspect that after 12 months they'll be battered.

With that in mind, if these BD Pants were to last me 2-3 years I would actually be making a saving. If they manage to last longer, say 4-5 years, then...well...you do the maths...

Just a thought anyway.

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

They might last 2-3 years but just imagine if they were out of fashion next year. It’s alot of money on an item going to the charity shop.

In reply to webbo: Surely that only matters if you are as described in the article, a 'Fashionable lady crusher'

Either that description or the act itself is surely a criminal offence

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

FFS........ Don't get me started on stretch "jeans" again. Actually do - I havn't had had a really good rant on here for some time.......

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:

They are NOT jeans. 

In reply to Robert Durran:

Funnily enough I did think of you as I was writing that post

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Yeah, what I'm curious about is whether the Cordura fibres actually make them more durable, and if so how much.

As a confirmed gritstone thrutcher, I have a high denim turnover, even with a lot of patching.

So if these are significantly more durable, I might be interested. Whereas I really don't care whether they are more bar-appropriate than other stretch jeans.

In reply to UKC Gear:

The Ron Hill style department (if such a thing can possibly exist) are missing a trick here; Ron Hills in a denim pattern with printed on pockets!

The ultimate climber's wear

In reply to UKC Gear:

I’m not a particular fan of the article but as someone more flexible than the average guy who also gets through trousers quicker than I care to mention, I’m interested to hear a honest account. 

In reply to ericinbristol:

Hitherto i hadn't realised that the cheap craghoppers I'm wearing at the crag were unsuitable for the bar afterwards.  What is this affliction with denim jeans anyway ? Is it a desperate attempt to mimick the king of cool,  Jeremy Clarkson ?

In reply to Hat Dude:

I believe they're seeking members for their out-of-focus group.

T.

In reply to slab_happy:

As a fellow gritstone thrutcher, I've been mightily impressed by the £20 paper thin 'shell' style trousers I picked up in Decathlon. A good 3 months wear and the only hole actually came from a granite crystal. They've survived many a good squirm on God's own! 

In reply to Emilio Bachini:

I've had a pair for the past month, so can comment on some things (fit, feel etc...) but not others (durability). 

When it comes to fit, they are - at least for me - pretty much perfect, so much so that I can wear them without a belt of any kind (something I most definitely had to on the Rab + Metolius models). As someone that used to do a lot of fell running I often have trouble with trousers (n.b. this would make an amazing route name), insofar as I often have to increase the waist size in order to get the legs large enough.

Clearly the stretchy fabric helps with this, but not always, and I was initially dubious about which size to order as a result of this. In the end I opted for my actual size and when they arrived they looked a little on the slim side (never a good sign); however, when on the stretch fabric + cut kicks in and they provide complete freedom of movement.

That's clearly a whole lot of positive, so what's the negative? Well, this isn't necessarily a negative, but more of a sign of their intended use. You can definitely tell something is a bit different with them, as they feel quite tough/scrunchy when they first arrive, which I wasn't completely convinced about. I'd presumed this was the cordura component within them creating a somewhat harsh feel, but after some use, chalk, blood, and dirt they feel much better.

They are - at least compared to the jeans I've mentioned before - thicker and therefore burlier. I can't see these getting holes in quite like the one I'd mentioned with my Rab jeans, simply because they have the feeling of being pretty bulletproof. That said, they are - at least from what I've experienced so far - a little sweatier, so maybe more appropriate for the autumn/winter than the spring (and definitely not summer).

As such, they're definitely not the answer to all seasons, but maybe that shouldn't come as a surprise, because what is?! If you are passing a stockist I'd recommend giving them a go and would be interested to hear anyone else's opinion on the feel.

That's probably enough words from me for now, but there you go - hopefully that's of interest. I'll try and get the full review written up for later this year, when it gets a wee bit cooler.

In reply to mrphilipoldham:

Good intel, thank you!

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

This guy seems to like them:

"Dawg it wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say these longs are essentially burly jeggings with the style dial cranked to 11. Frankly, I can hardly believe how durable yet stretchy this pair of limb tubes is, and I'm afraid you'll just have to try them for yourself. At first I was worried about spending twice the price of my normal pants for a new pair but after the first day of 9-5 in the office followed by laps at I-street I've been officially converted. Look out churches, there's a new religion in town and it's called comfort, entrance fee is high but there's no penance and heaven is found as soon as you slip into these pants and take two steps."

https://eu.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_GB/forged-denim-pants-mens-AP750020...

Is it you Rob?

In reply to steveriley:

I'm speechless...

What does that even mean?!?

In reply to Hat Dude:

RonHill jeggings?

In reply to steveriley:

"Two nations divided by a common language" - That old notion has been blown out of the water!

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

I don't know but it's my mission as a 54 year old man to drop "limb tubes" into regular conversation with a straight face. I admire his panache.

In reply to slab_happy:

I've got a pair of cordura cycling jeans. I once hit oil cornering at about 20mph and immediately slammed into the ground whilst wearing them. Jersey got shredded, as did the skin on my arm and my bar tape. The jeans were unmarked.

I have cyclist's thighs. They weigh me down on overhangs and mean this trend towards skinny jeans is a pain in the ass. I tend to wear prana stretchy jeans whenever I can find them cheap; they still only last me 6 months. It's more about cut than fabric, but if I can find something that lasts me a couple of years, I'm interested. (probably not these though, as they're skinny again)

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Had my moon jeans for about two and a half years - plenty abuse, still going strong!

In reply to UKC Gear:

It’s amazing how people want their jeans to be heavy duty but we might fuss about lightweight cams or quickdraws

I’d like to see how these compare to the Prana Bridges jeans (that I find super comfy).

In reply to afx22:

*Bridger*

In reply to UKC Gear:

A mate of mine has a pair of Adidas trackies which cost about £10 from Sports Direct and is out all the time and does every thrutchy route going. They're double lined so he wears them in fairly cool conditions and are as flexible anything else out there. 

He's worn them non-stop for climbing for must be 3 years now. To be fair, they do have a hole in the knee and the bum but with the double lining, no skin is showing so it's no big deal. Now, granted he's not going to wear them to the pub but fortunately he has other trousers. 

These new BD ones will need to last about 30 years beat my mates trackies for cost which is never going to happen.

As soon as you drop the must 'look good for the pub' requirement you can get a lot of trousers to last a really long time because they don't need to be thrown away once they're a little tatty.

In reply to FreshSlate:

Cactus Dreadnought Supertrousers (also makes a fine route name)

https://www.cactusoutdoor.co.nz/clothing/mens-pants/supertrousers-mens.html

Take about a year or so to start to soften up.... then basically excellent for the next 5 years.

Spendy ++ given GBP:NZD exchange rate though.

b

In reply to UKC Gear:

Hallelujah, I've lost count is the number of times I've ruined climbing pants falling over drunk after a hard day's cranking.

Rob, how have they coped with kebab grease and/or the obligatory chilli sauce stains associated with said drinking?

In reply to Ardo:

Rob has just shared some happy family news, so it's going to be different stains from now on! Milk dribbles, baby sick and nappy leaks. 😀

Congrats to Rob and particularly Penny who I suspect did much more work!

In reply to TobyA:  Is this going to be another article about genes ?

In reply to steveriley:

Limb tubes. That's my new favourite.

For the record, I'm a big fan of stretchy jeans. I've used Prana Axioms for years (they made two tech grades difference on Clip Clop) and now use Prana Theorems whenever I can hold of them. I wear them every day and they normally last 400+ days.

I'd be keen to try these limb tubes.

In reply to ben b:

I’m still waiting 6 years later for my Cactus Supertrousers to soften up! They still pretty much stand by themselves. I’m considering asking a builder friend to chuck them in a cement mixer with rocks for a half day.

In reply to UKC Gear:  What I don't understand is the need to look good in the pub.  When I used to drink I never looked good - on my hands & knees, in a pool of (probably) my own vomit - in the pub.  trousers were the least of it.  Just a different frame of reference I guess.

In reply to ChrisBrooke:

Love mine too but they aren't really jeans. I'm on my 4th pair and they are comfy but not exactly robust. They are thin cotton stretchy pants made to look a bit like denim. The moon ones I had are actually jeans and have lasted way longer. So whilst £30 is good, they don't last anywhere near as long. 

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

This is precisely what I've found. The decathlon ones 6 months and ripped in the exact same place on the arse everytime. The moon jeans lasted a year or slightly longer. They are still wearable but ripped on the back and the knee. If these BD genuinely last 3 years I'd pay for them even if they were £120.

But they won't. That whole press release is just loads of stupid words in capitals and they'll just be usual climbing jeans that are overpriced considering they will be in the bin in a year. 

In reply to snoop6060:

Thin cotton stretchy trousers is right. But they look nice, fit nicely, ‘move’ very nicely with all that stretch, and I love them. I’ve been climbing in them on grit 2-3 times a week for about  five  months and they’re not showing signs of wear. I put that down to my impeccable technique, such that only my finger tips and shoe edges make any contact with the rock  Well, more likely because I’m bouldering, not trad climbing, so I’m not doing much thrutching of the sort that wears out trousers. 

In reply to UKC Gear:

The one thing all of these tech fit trousers miss is a felt patch on the right thigh for me to scrub my boots on. 

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Thanks Rob, do you know of any of your female colleagues who’ve tried them out?

As appreciative as I am for your feedback I’m also quite interested how they hold up around the knees and crotch.

Which is where I get through trousers first and that doesn’t seem to be a problem for my friends who climb a lot less on their feet and proclaim themselves as inflexible. 

In reply to Wil Treasure:

Thigh? bloody norah, you're flexible!

In reply to UKC Gear:

Carhartt now do stretch burly work trousers, seen as most American climbing trousers were based on these why not go back to the original with added stretch

In reply to Robert Durran:

To be fair it is called “forged” denim

In reply to ChrisBrooke:

They are really comfy. Shame they discontinued the lighter ones as not as keen on the darker ones. I like them most for the waist band. Really low profile and elastic so ideal for under a harness. No excess buttons or belt loops etc. But I guess my point is that they often get mentioned as super value for money. Not sure they are as they are half the price but last (sometimes less than) half the time. And the fact they rip in the exact same place everytime suggests they could massively improve them. 

In reply to Emilio Bachini:

You’ll be glad to hear we’ve got a women’s pair in for review too 😊

I’ll chase this up when I get back off paternity leave, as I’m currently looking after my three day old daughter (who is - sadly - too young to review the trousers herself).

In reply to snoop6060:

I see what you're saying when it comes to weighing up value for money. (I have the dark ones - Comfort II type). I might be a bit 'old school' but I like them enough that if they do wear at the knees, or bum or whatever, I'll probably sew some reinforcing patches on to make 'em last. Then you're really talking value for money*! 

*(I already own a sewing machine, so not factoring that cost in ) 

In reply to ChrisBrooke:

I went through the seat of mine and ended up getting my mum to repair them as it was trickier job than my skill set covers!  

In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Many thanks, congratulations and wish you the best of luck.