Outdoor Research Trailbreaker pants are the best

**LeeLau** · 03-14-2013, 01:51 PM

I just had to spam that because my yellow ass will appear on the sidebar to the right of the forums for at least the next couple of days till some other picture like say snowboard boots replaces it.

Thanks to the touring pants thread for letting me share the OR love.

To be honest all the rest of the other gear is fine but nothing really jumps out there except that it's reasonably priced and OR cust service is pretty good

http://www.tetongravity.com/blogs/Ou...ng-6516290.htm

and the pictures which got snipped out or super heavily edited for some reason

**sfotex** · 03-14-2013, 02:38 PM

The Centrifuge Fleece Jacket is the shitzz too for touring.

**djrez4** · 03-14-2013, 02:48 PM

I concur on the Trailbreakers. They'll be covering my ass on a Commando Run in the morning.

**AKbruin** · 03-14-2013, 02:57 PM

Thanks, Lee. How tight are they in thigh area? Generally roomy or more "Euro-fit"?

I've generally been impressed with OR. Their stuff seems to be functional, unfussy, and reasonably priced. My OR technical shell has been bomber.

I've only owned the Incandescent puffy for a little while, but I like it. Thus far, I've found the zipper one of its selling points. Mine doesn't seem to catch at the bottom and never snags on the way up. It's still early though. I could do without the bottom zip feature, but I suppose it wouldn't work for climber-folk then. Also, it has a lifetime warranty, which is a nice thing to have on a thin-shelled puffy.

**LeeLau** · 03-14-2013, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Thanks, Lee. How tight are they in thigh area? Generally roomy or more "Euro-fit"?

Kind of in-between. Doesn't cinch up and snag balls when you wear a too-tight harness for example which is kind of nice for breathing space.

**Rimwalker** · 03-14-2013, 04:17 PM

Don't come in tall guy sizes, ie, they suck.

**angrysasquatch** · 03-14-2013, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Rimwalker

Don't come in tall guy sizes, ie, they suck.

Well there goes my interest...

**PNWbrit** · 03-14-2013, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

more "Euro-fit"?

Made me laugh.

Sorry Lee.

**LeeLau** · 03-14-2013, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

Made me laugh.

Sorry Lee.

Isn't that like the Schneider homohosen fit?

**djrez4** · 03-14-2013, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by angrysasquatch

Well there goes my interest...

The Trailbreakers are amputation-worthy.

**jamesp** · 03-15-2013, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Rimwalker

Don't come in tall guy sizes, ie, they suck.

I'm 6'2" & they fit great...

**brown9** · 03-15-2013, 09:01 AM

In photos in your attached link, there are some orange gloves... appear to be similar to Arcteryx gloves, is that true?

Also, should they call a pocket in the pants, the beacon pocket? Everything I've been taught is to wear the beacon as designed by the beacon manufacturer, with the attached harness. Just curious, though it's probably been discussed in some thread to the end of the planet.

**jamesp** · 03-15-2013, 09:04 AM

I've seen some guides mod cargo pockets (ie add a keeper strap) to carry a beacon away from their upper body. Theory being radios are often in jacket pockets & they want the beacon further away from the radio to avoid interference.

**LeeLau** · 03-15-2013, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by brown9

In photos in your attached link, there are some orange gloves... appear to be similar to Arcteryx gloves, is that true?

Also, should they call a pocket in the pants, the beacon pocket? Everything I've been taught is to wear the beacon as designed by the beacon manufacturer, with the attached harness. Just curious, though it's probably been discussed in some thread to the end of the planet.

I did have Arc gloves on in some pictures.

As for beacons in pants or jacket pocket, its not uncommon especially in spring.

**sfotex** · 03-15-2013, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by brown9

Also, should they call a pocket in the pants, the beacon pocket? Everything I've been taught is to wear the beacon as designed by the beacon manufacturer, with the attached harness. Just curious, though it's probably been discussed in some thread to the end of the planet.

Having the beacon closer to your airway is probably better, but when I have a radio in my chest harness the beacon gets in the way.
The beacon pocket in the OR pants also sucks if you have a climbing harness on. I would never put a beacon in a cargo pocket on the thighs...

TG · 03-15-2013, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by brown9

Also, should they call a pocket in the pants, the beacon pocket? Everything I've been taught is to wear the beacon as designed by the beacon manufacturer, with the attached harness. Just curious, though it's probably been discussed in some thread to the end of the planet.

As designed by the manufacturer? Well my Pieps DSP user manual says to wear the beacon in the supplied harness, or in a trouser pocket - as long as the safety cord is suitably attached to an eyelet on your clothing as a backup - which is easy on the trailbreaker because the special beacon pocket also includes a well sewn in ring to which you clip in that backup cord.

I like having the beacon in that pants pocket. It's streamlined, no fiddling with the harness, and the beacon is still sheltered in your pocket even when changing top layers or stripping down to a base layer on hot climbs. Lots of folks skinning around with their beacon outside their outermost layer of clothing, which is much less secure than having it hidden in your pocket, or hidden within 2 layers of pocket as is the case with the trailbreaker pants.

edit to add: I guarantee that in an emergency I can deploy that beacon faster from it's sleeve in my right hand pant pocket than you can from inside its harness pocket under your zipped up outer layer between your pack straps.

TG · 03-15-2013, 03:32 PM

I've put almost 200 days on the trailbreaker pants. Overall I really like them.

The big side vents are great BUT :

their design makes them stay wide open when they are open. Perfect snow catchers. When in powder, snow finds it's way too easily into those openings. Brush against a powder laden tree, brush against the wall of a deep skin track trench, or even from snow flying off your uphill pole basket as it drags in the snow. All this is magnified threefold when performing the activity after which the pants are named. IMO there is no need for the vents to be so wide open when open, soem lightweight mesh or some other lightweight fabric strips to allow the vents to open enough to breathe but not open enough to create a huge gaping snow catcher would be great. I think it's a design flaw. After another winter of being pissed off (but obviously not pissed off enough to stop using the pants, they're still the best) , I'm going to try and customize a little to mitigate it.

On a related note, I've found that the vent zippers will work their way fully/mostly open when skinning. Even if I just open the zipper a little bit for a little bit of ventilation, or I try open the zipper just a little bit to prevent the snow catching situation I've described above.

**PNWbrit** · 03-15-2013, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by TG

I've put almost 200 days on the trailbreaker pants.

Don't you mean in?

**mtbcat** · 03-16-2013, 10:30 AM

Lee.
Does the OR pant work with the Vulcan.
I have the Arc'teryx Men's Beta AR Pant. There light and fit me well.
Problem is i now have new touring boots Mercury's and can't get the bottom cuffs to zip closed in touring mode due to the width of the Mercury top buckles open for touring.
Anybody else have this problem with other touring pants. ?
Don't want to spend a ton of money on new pants. What works well that fits the wider profile of the Mercury in hiking mode ?

**sfotex** · 03-16-2013, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by mtbcat

Lee does the OR pant work with the Vulcan.
I have the Arc'teryx Men's Beta AR Pant. There light and fit me well.
Problem is i now have new touring boots Mercury's and can't get the bottom cuffs to close in touring mode due to the width of the Mercury top buckles open for touring.
Anybody else have this problem with other touring pants. ?
Don't want to spend a ton of money on new pants. What works well that fits the wider profile of the Mercury in hiking mode ?

You can modify your pants so the buckle ends up outside the pants. There's some threads on here about it.
or http://www.wildsnow.com/6371/dynafit-tlt5-buckle-mod/

**XXX-er** · 03-16-2013, 10:37 AM

I believe Dynafit has a pant with cutouts for those buckles, which will probably be expensive hard to find and it will obviously be eurofit

I been using the arcterxy fury soft shell pant and no problems, the pow cuff will work bunched up higher on the boot sometimes the top buckle closes on the pant or the power strap so it can't lock the cuff but I just move it and try again ... so nothing I can't deal with

**mtbcat** · 03-16-2013, 11:48 AM

SFOTEX
Thanks for the links !!!. Got it figured out.

**1000-oaks** · 11-25-2019, 12:10 AM

Just compared the 2020 Trailbreaker II to the prior version (which I believe is actually the second-generation version, of which I have two pair).

Observations:

T2 has one medium front snap above the zipper, T1 has two small ones
T2 has slightly smaller hamstring pockets, probably to keep stuff in the pockets from swinging between your legs
T2 deletes the one small back pocket on the TI (located where back pockets are on jeans)
T2 is a closer fit on the butt than the T1
T2 front pockets are slightly wider
T2 seems to be slightly burlier material, especially the bottom sections
T2 doesn't include OR's suspenders, but has the same loops for them as T1
Waist size is the same, but velcro straps (to tighten waist) on T1 are a bit short if you're adjusted to max size, T2's straps have been lengthened to proper length
Biggest difference: T2 has a longer inseam by about 5/8" (the T1 was probably kinda short for tall people)