Patrik Orcutt 04.05.23
Outdoor Research is a Seattle-based manufacturer of technical apparel and gear for outdoor sports. They were formed back in 1980s after a climber was attempting a summit of Mt. Denali when he and his team had a failure of a set of gaiters that sent them packing back down the mountain. That climber was Ron Gregg and after just over a year, Ron would have started his own outdoor brand, Outdoor Research (OR). Back in 1980, their flagship product was an improved pair of gaiters, fixing the problems Ron had with older pairs. Today OR’s product line includes everything you would need for alpinism, rock and ice climbing, backpacking, paddling, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding. This particular review will focus on the Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants.
I have been wearing the Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants for the better part of 3 years now and they have been utilized in applications such as hunting, hiking, and military courses. The Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants were independently purchased and reviewed by myself and OR has not been allowed to preview this review.
Back in the fall of 2020, I found myself working with multinational snipers on the mountainsides of the rugged Austrian Alps. I was photographing some Special Forces sniper training which required me to be laying on the ground for long periods of time. It had also rained many of the days I was there and there was still snow on the ground up at higher elevations. Needless to say if you weren’t wearing waterproof pants you were probably soaked from all the wet ground and snow. I just so happen to be that person and told myself that as soon as this mission was over I was going to buy myself a real pair of rain pants. I knew exactly what pair of rain pants I wanted to get as some of the snipers were already sporting them. Those pants were the Foray’s.
Specs – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
- Weight: 10 oz
- Fabric: 100 Percent Recycled Polyester
- Origin: Vietnam
- MSRP: $180
Water Resistance – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Outdoor Research’s Foray line is all top-notch water-resistant gear. I also own one of their jackets. The pants have a DWR coding that holds up to all but the heaviest downpours. after lying down in the snow and wet mud and grass and mud with these pants on I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only was I not wet, but the pants did not retain any of that wetness. After only a few minutes of standing up most of the water would either run off the pants or evaporate it’s also very helpful that the zippers that run 3/4 of the length of the pant are waterproof and don’t allow any water in. well these are the only pair of waterproof pants I own aside from the ones the military has issued me, they really impressed me with their water resistance.
Comfort and Mobility – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Some rain pants you wear like the ones that the military might issue you are bulky and made for one size fits all. They also tend to be quite noisy and not comfortable. The four rays are incredibly comfortable and have a very soft and quiet fabric so there’s not a constant blank sound while you’re walking. The fabric is also stretchy meaning that you will stay comfortable even when bending over or performing nontraditional tasks.
The pants are cut and tapered to minimize flapping in windy conditions as well. while they are tapered at the bottom it is not impossible to get them over a pair of snowboard or ski boots. When I tried this with my suit of ski boots they just barely fit around the bottoms and I opted not to wear them because I was afraid they might tear apart if I fell down too many times.
The pants also have three-quarter length zippers that run all the way down from the top of your thigh to your foot. This makes putting these pants on incredibly easy even if you’re wearing large boots. I’ve often found the worst part about putting a wet weather system on is removing other layers or taking off boots or helmets. Outdoor Research did a great job designing this part of the pants and it makes them incredibly nice to take on and off
Breathability and Venting – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Some waterproof pants can become incredibly sticky on the inside when you start to move around as sweat builds up. Fortunately, the Forays are very breathable and I never had this happen to me. One of the major ways to accomplish this is with that aforementioned three-quarter length zipper. If you’re getting too hot you can slide down the zipper a little bit and vent all of that hot air out. I found these zippers also worked great for leg pockets where I tend to store my phone. The Gore-Tex that these pants come with is also breathable and designed around an air-permeable fabric that vents moisture better than most other garments.
Weight – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Coming in at 10 ounces on my scale, the OR foray pants are not particularly white or heavy compared to other products on the market. With that being said though they are still light enough to stuff away inside of a bag and forget you have them. Being only 10 ounces there’s really no reason not to bring these on a hike if there’s any chance of wet weather.
Features – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Obviously, the stand-out features of these pants are the three-quarter length zippers that run down the pants. Other features include one pocket on the back and loops for suspender attachments. The bottoms of the cuffs of the pants have an elastic band in them to keep the pants tight to your feet. Overall these are very minimalistic and designed but I would like to see a version of these someday with one or two front-leg pockets.
Durability – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
Honestly, I’m pretty damn impressed with the durability of these pants as they don’t feel like they should be that tough. In all of my uses of these pants, I only have one small rip that just developed a few months ago. I want other than that everything else works as well as it did the first day I got it including the weather resistance. Some DWR coatings lose their water resistance over time but the four A’s seem to still be holding up.
Likes
- Waterproof
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Breathable
- ¾ length leg zips
Dislikes
- Expensive
- Only 1 pocket
Wrap Up – Outdoor Research Foray Rain GORE-TEX Pants
If you were looking for a breathable durable and lightweight pair of rain pants that offer just enough features then the outdoor research foray pants are perfect for you. They are a little bit expensive in my opinion at $180 but that seems to be the going rate on quality wet-weather pants these days. If you are an outdoor research pro affiliate or discount holder you can get them for half that price but they also seem to be on sale quite often around $100. For that price, I think they’re a no-brainer.
