In reply to David Cowley:
No recommendations and here's why: I've found that pant fitting is a bit like shoe fitting, a very individual matter, and it is the fit that matters as much or more than all the other details.
My first criteria is that the pants not impede high-stepping. This turns out to be a remarkably severe condition, as with most pants I try, the fabric drags across the knee and upper thigh as you step up, and the friction between leg and fabric provides resistance that has to be overcome. If you happen to be a little sweaty from exertion, the resistance can be substantial. If the cut of the pant matches your body shape, then there should be no fabric motion over the knee when you step up.
The problem is exacerbated if long underwear is worn underneath, since it makes for more potential friction. But this also provides a good test: even if you don't intend to wear anything underneath, put the pants on over long underwear and test their mobility---if restriction is minimal or non-existent, you've got the fit you want.
I've found that manufacturers keep changing the cut of their pants, so even if you have some that work well, there is no guarantee another pair from the same manufacturer will be any good at all. I have a pair from ME and a pair from Marmot that are perfect, so I know perfection is attainable. Over the years, I've had pairs from Patagonia and Rab and others from Marmot the just weren't all that good for me.
The only other thing I pay any real attention to is pockets, and not much to them if I can get the fit right. One thing I dislike (my "perfect" ME pants have them) is hip pockets placed directly over the tops of the thighs. Maybe this works for skiing, but if climbing, you can't put anything in those pockets without it getting in the way of high-stepping. Such pockets are a total waste and I can't figure out what the designers were thinking when they did that. If there is going to be a hip pocket (I like one for an iPhone while hiking), it should be on the side of the leg, not on the top of the thigh.