Whilst Im in no way trying to emulate some of the utterly brilliant gear reviews on here I would like to give a brief overview of a pair of trousers I bought recently from W Slack and Sons. I am still amazed that people spend loads of cash on the perfect jacket, but completely fail to cover their bottom half in anything decent. I think Ive finally cracked it. All in my own opinion of course.
As usual, Ill state that I have no personal connection with the seller etc etc blah blah blah. W Slack and Sons is a family run company and was an example of truly excellent customer service. John who dealt with my enquiry and eventual order was brilliant. They stocked a multitude of waste sizes and leg lengths for these trousers so I was able to be supplied with a very comfortable pair without having to make any sort of mods. Get one size up from what you normally go for is the recommendation and one you wont regret.
I was after a pair of £85-£90.00 trousers primarily for work (landscaper) but being a life stylist (good at work/life balance) I wanted a pair that I could use for bushy stuff, canoeing and ok I admit it: Look and feel good in green! I did toy with Fjallravens Foresters which there is loads on this forum, but they got pipped to the post by Stealth Gears Extreme Photographers trousers (green).
http://wslackandsons.co.uk/Stealth-...-Photographers-Trousers-2-green/prod_902.html
OK, so the name is a little OTT, but someone has really put a lot of thought into their design, of which there is an effusive amount of information and video footage on their site. It has all the techy info too if thats important to you. I personally dont think much needs to be expanded upon based on how much bumpf they have given. Only Aaardman knows how to make a big deal out of trousers
http://www.guba.com/watch/3000044864/The-wrong-trousers
Anyway: Although I havent worn them yet in cold conditions I am very chuffed so far. I can probably vouch for the fact Ill stick to my shorts in hot weather. These are probably too warm during any physical activity in warmer temperatures. That said: If you are keeping still stalking and staying still as a photographer might, you may need the warmth. Ive been out in very heavy rain and long wet grass for hours on end and they did the job. Brambles didnt seem to hassle the material much and nettles didnt even feature. Sitting by an open fire didnt seem to overly heat up the material although I reckon common sense should prevail as to how close you get to a crackly, sparking fire. Apart from the knees and seat, these trouser have a faux moleskin texture which gives a more traditional feel. (As opposed to the plastic fantastic gear you see ramblers wearing)
There are plenty of pockets and loops for hanging/storing your bits and bobs. In my case for work I hang my knife and phone off the two strong loops on either hip. There are loads of pockets too (some expand with a baffle construction), the only one that is of no use to me is the twin memory card holder. Methinks they could keep 2 emergency Mint Imperials on my person should I bump into Bushcraft Betty on my bimbles. (Dont tell the wife). Ive also removed the little tabs of material on the actual zips although I may regret this when wearing gloves.
Another real cosy addition are the removable, internal gaiters. These are surprisingly comfy and although I have never had leaves go up my trousers (sound like a nice experience) as the marketing bumpf says but Im sure they are a useful cold weather addition. Probably very good at keeping snow out too.
There are removable knee pads too which are an utter pleasure for my line of work. They genuinely are comfier than any industrial strap ons or inserts you can get. But forget work! They are the business for canoeing if you prefer to kneel in my boat as I do. The pads squeak a bit, so if you are in stealth mode, these surprisingly quiet trousers need the pads removed.
I mainly wear boots regardless of what I am doing work-wise or play-wise and the ankle straps on these trousers are great for tightening them up around my ankles above the boots. If Fjallravens Foresters had these they would be perfect. A jump up to £145.00 for Fjallravens Chaps for ankle fasteners was too much to justify a purchase.
Finally John at W Slack and Sons supplied me with a pair of braces. Now Ive got to say they have taken a while getting used to them, but they are proving very comfortable and possibly a major threat to my belts in the wardrobe. Im bent over lifting/laying heavy materials all day and I dont get cold kidneys with these. I guess if I ever grow a beer belly as a result of my home brew operation, braces will be my saviour.
All in all, I genuinely think these are the best trousers yet. My reservation was the amount of man-made textiles used (like gore-tex) as I prefer natural materials. But from a value aspect, these trousers have got so much more to offer for £85-£90.00 than any others I could find out there.
I hope you enjoyed my attempt at a review..........hc
As usual, Ill state that I have no personal connection with the seller etc etc blah blah blah. W Slack and Sons is a family run company and was an example of truly excellent customer service. John who dealt with my enquiry and eventual order was brilliant. They stocked a multitude of waste sizes and leg lengths for these trousers so I was able to be supplied with a very comfortable pair without having to make any sort of mods. Get one size up from what you normally go for is the recommendation and one you wont regret.
I was after a pair of £85-£90.00 trousers primarily for work (landscaper) but being a life stylist (good at work/life balance) I wanted a pair that I could use for bushy stuff, canoeing and ok I admit it: Look and feel good in green! I did toy with Fjallravens Foresters which there is loads on this forum, but they got pipped to the post by Stealth Gears Extreme Photographers trousers (green).
http://wslackandsons.co.uk/Stealth-...-Photographers-Trousers-2-green/prod_902.html
OK, so the name is a little OTT, but someone has really put a lot of thought into their design, of which there is an effusive amount of information and video footage on their site. It has all the techy info too if thats important to you. I personally dont think much needs to be expanded upon based on how much bumpf they have given. Only Aaardman knows how to make a big deal out of trousers
http://www.guba.com/watch/3000044864/The-wrong-trousers
Anyway: Although I havent worn them yet in cold conditions I am very chuffed so far. I can probably vouch for the fact Ill stick to my shorts in hot weather. These are probably too warm during any physical activity in warmer temperatures. That said: If you are keeping still stalking and staying still as a photographer might, you may need the warmth. Ive been out in very heavy rain and long wet grass for hours on end and they did the job. Brambles didnt seem to hassle the material much and nettles didnt even feature. Sitting by an open fire didnt seem to overly heat up the material although I reckon common sense should prevail as to how close you get to a crackly, sparking fire. Apart from the knees and seat, these trouser have a faux moleskin texture which gives a more traditional feel. (As opposed to the plastic fantastic gear you see ramblers wearing)
There are plenty of pockets and loops for hanging/storing your bits and bobs. In my case for work I hang my knife and phone off the two strong loops on either hip. There are loads of pockets too (some expand with a baffle construction), the only one that is of no use to me is the twin memory card holder. Methinks they could keep 2 emergency Mint Imperials on my person should I bump into Bushcraft Betty on my bimbles. (Dont tell the wife). Ive also removed the little tabs of material on the actual zips although I may regret this when wearing gloves.
Another real cosy addition are the removable, internal gaiters. These are surprisingly comfy and although I have never had leaves go up my trousers (sound like a nice experience) as the marketing bumpf says but Im sure they are a useful cold weather addition. Probably very good at keeping snow out too.
There are removable knee pads too which are an utter pleasure for my line of work. They genuinely are comfier than any industrial strap ons or inserts you can get. But forget work! They are the business for canoeing if you prefer to kneel in my boat as I do. The pads squeak a bit, so if you are in stealth mode, these surprisingly quiet trousers need the pads removed.
I mainly wear boots regardless of what I am doing work-wise or play-wise and the ankle straps on these trousers are great for tightening them up around my ankles above the boots. If Fjallravens Foresters had these they would be perfect. A jump up to £145.00 for Fjallravens Chaps for ankle fasteners was too much to justify a purchase.
Finally John at W Slack and Sons supplied me with a pair of braces. Now Ive got to say they have taken a while getting used to them, but they are proving very comfortable and possibly a major threat to my belts in the wardrobe. Im bent over lifting/laying heavy materials all day and I dont get cold kidneys with these. I guess if I ever grow a beer belly as a result of my home brew operation, braces will be my saviour.
All in all, I genuinely think these are the best trousers yet. My reservation was the amount of man-made textiles used (like gore-tex) as I prefer natural materials. But from a value aspect, these trousers have got so much more to offer for £85-£90.00 than any others I could find out there.
I hope you enjoyed my attempt at a review..........hc
