Our Patagonia M10 Storm pants review explores some innovative hardshell pants designed specifically for mountaineering. We hope you find it useful.
introduce
The Patagonia M10 Storm pants are part of a new line of what Patagonia calls “mobile-first apparel for the most demanding alpine targets.” The range includes softshell pants, jackets, jackets reviewed here (we reviewed them) here) and soft shell bibs.
This series is designed to provide complete protection and unlimited mobility. With this in mind, functionality has been kept to a minimum, while the fabric exceeds Patagonia's waterproof and breathable standards. All products in this range are free of perfluorinated chemicals (PFC/PFAS).
It's a really interesting range, Paul and Ben have been testing windbreakers and trousers, while Carl has been experimenting with women's specific fitted jackets. This Patagonia M10 Storm pants review focuses on the shell pants. Paul's review of the M10 Anorak has also been posted here. We sincerely hope you find it useful.
feature
The Patagonia M10 Windproof Pants are made from 3-layer 20-denier 100% recycled nylon ripstop fabric with an Xpore nanoporous membrane and jersey backing. They also feature a DWR (durable water repellent) finish and are free of perfluorinated chemicals (PFC/PFAS).
Softshell pants are specifically cut to maximize freedom of movement. This comes from their unique design. Apparently, the design team took inspiration from jiu-jitsu pants to create a 4-point gusseted crotch and articulated knees. The aim is to allow unrestricted leg movement. This gives the crotch a rather unique look (see photo above), more on that later.
There is an offset zip fly and a single zip thigh pocket. There is elastic at the waist and elastic at the ankles. The waist and ankle elastics are grippy lined to keep them in place. The legs have an embedded RECCO reflector.
The Patagonia M10 Storm pants are available in dark blue and weigh 240 grams in size medium. Retail price is £270. This product is suitable for men only. The M10 Storm Bib is available in a women's fit option. The M10 product range is produced in Fairtrade certified factories.
In use
Free movement every time you lift your knees
I'm going to start this Patagonia M10 Storm pants review by stating a simple fact – these pants are pretty special. When you wear them, you'll inevitably try out some climbing-focused leg moves. That is, if you plan on using them for climbing. When you do, I'm sure you'll be as impressed as I am. Unlike many hard shell pants, you'll have complete freedom of movement. It was truly a revelation. You can stand high and unhindered. Suddenly, climbing in hardshell pants was no longer a chore.
4 point gusset
To achieve this, Patagonia uses what they describe as 4-point gussets. I'm not an expert on crotch design, but this shows up in the fact that the crotch of the pants has more material to allow for free movement. This does give them a rather unique look, but it's worth it for the superior performance. When your legs are together, your hips become very loose. When the legs are spread, the excess fabric at the crotch will be obvious. The design focus is on functionality.
Waist, cuffs and ankles
Simple elastication at the waist. There are no frills, but the effect is perfect. The grippy rubber lining on the elastic straps further helps keep them in place. This minimalism saves weight while also ensuring the pants are very comfortable under the harness.
The ankles are the same. No adjustment required, just attach the elastic to the boot. I wondered if they would be easier to climb up as they climbed, but that wasn't an issue at all. There are several small loops sewn into the ankle so that a rope can be threaded under the foot to prevent the ankle from riding up. I don't need them. Patagonia doesn’t add any reinforcement or abrasion protection around the ankles, so you’ll need to be careful when wearing crampons or scraping on rocks.
Durability
I already mentioned that the ankle area of the pants is not reinforced. In fact, there are no reinforcements anywhere, so long-term durability will be a consideration. This is especially true given the M10's relatively high price for a technical hard case. However, once you try them, I suspect you'll find that the durability trade-off is worth it.
Other features
There is a simple zippered pocket on the thigh for storing small items. The zipper fly is great for when nature calls, especially when wearing a harness.
sizing
I think the size is true to size. This is consistent with the opinions of reviewers on the Patagonia website. I find the small fits my 30-31 inch waist perfectly. For someone who's 5'8″, I usually go for a shorter length when the manufacturer offers that option, but this one only has the 31″ inseam option. In fact, it doesn't matter as the elasticated ankles mean they stay comfortably in place at the cuffs of the boots no matter what. Regardless, a little more length might actually be helpful when doing high steps, but that's purely my observation and I can't say for sure.
Weatherproof and breathable
Patagonia says the fabric used exceeds their waterproof/breathable performance standards (explained in detail here). In the wild, this should provide a high level of waterproofing and excellent breathability. I've been testing the M10 softshell pants for a few weeks while ice climbing in Norway, and it's fair to say that any fabric will hold up in these conditions. Walking up a mountain can make you sweat. Water resistance is then tested by dripping water from snow, ice crystals and sometimes not-so-frozen waterfalls. They perform effortlessly in all these conditions. I'm really touched. They haven't suffered any sustained heavy downpours yet, but so far they seem ready for any conditions. The fabric also breathed very well under the conditions I tested.
Durability
Hard shell pants, especially for mountaineering, always present difficulties. From running through boulder fields to blowing up icy chimneys (and every other possibility in between), pants will take a beating. At 20 denier, the material is on the lighter end of the spectrum of hardshell fabrics. That is, it’s a trade-off that we’re either happy to accept or not. Lightweight and foldable, the VS is heavier but durable. I haven't had enough testing time to tell how long the performance of these pants will last. I'm usually very careful with my gear and they've certainly made it through a few weeks of ice climbing without any issues. However, that's all I can say for now.
sustainable development
Anyone familiar with Patagonia will know that they are leading the way in sustainable manufacturing. It’s well worth learning more about the environmental contribution they make to outdoor apparel manufacturing. They have a lot of great information on their website here. Also interesting are the books by Yvon Chouinard, the legendary founder of Patagonia. “Let My People Surf” and “The Future of Responsible Corporations” are great for beginners, but there are a few others. Details of their book collection can be found here.
generalize
As my Patagonia M10 Storm Pants review highlighted, these are a pair of high-performance softshell pants with a secret sauce for ultimate mobility. Colin Haley, the famous mountaineer who helped develop the M10 series, said he would never want to climb in any other pants (Colin has a fascinating and detailed account of the design process of the M10 Storm Pants on his website) here), but once you try them, you'll also see the benefits that jiu-jitsu can bring to rock climbing. The Patagonia M10 Windproof Pants do exactly what they were designed to do. Patagonia says they got the design right when they stripped everything back as much as possible. I totally agree.
Of course, if you're familiar with Patagonia, you'll know that they're a brand focused on industry-leading sustainable manufacturing. All their products also come with their superb technical support Ironclad guarantee. For complete details on the M10 Softshell Pants, visit the Patagonia website here. You can also find complete details on the entire M10 range here. Finally, the first video below provides an in-depth look at the design of the wind pants, while the second video is a fun look at the design process for the entire range. Both are well worth a look.
We hope you found this Patagonia M10 Storm pants review useful. Paul has Also reviewed Patagonia M10 Anorak, you can find that review here. We regularly review a wide range of clothing and equipment from various manufacturers. These and many articles of inspiration and advice can be found on our blog here. We hope they are interested.
