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It was back at the end of 2018 when I went hands-on with the slimmest “puffy” jacket I had ever tried (which you can see here), which was my introduction to the great stuff Outdoor Vitals was producing. Just recently, they started up a campaign for a new garment perfect for when we can resume outdoor adventures – the Outdoor Vitals Satu Pants.
With pants, when I discovered pants that had some stretch to them, it was an absolute revelation. Now, whatever it is, be it jeans, khakis, or casual, stretch is where it’s at. Aside from any slimmer profile, just having that range of motion is lovely. When it comes to casual, outdoors-oriented pants, I’ve been partial to Coalatree and Western Rise (both of those see heavy weekend rotation for me), and these Outdoor Vitals Satu Pants looks to be another in that same vein.
To start with, the Outdoor Vitals Satu Pants offer stretch – but manage to do it without any Lycra. They’re also lightweight and quick drying, which are definitely key for outdoors. They’re also anti-bacterial which helps them to resist odors as well – again, great if you only want to have one pair of pants in your pack (or suitcase). They’ve also got some rather nifty features – waistband adjustments (don’t need a belt if you don’t want one, say, for airport security), and a “lace clip” that lets you lock the cuffs down at your shoes, keeping dirt and bugs out – and also allows you to adjust the cuff opening.
If you’re looking at the Outdoor Vitals Satu Pants for travel, more than outdoors, some of those features will be interesting. Key here is the stain and water resistance (don’t worry about some drips of coffee ruining your day), as well as the super-fast dry times. Why this is important is because you can wash the pants out in your sink or tub (at night) and then have them dry and ready to go in the morning. Great for keeping your packing light.
Next, there’s a hidden, zippered, cargo pocket, which is going to be handy for carry anything further down on your leg – say your phone or your passport – allowing your upper pockets to not get cluttered up. If you’re going back to adventuring – or just building up heat traveling – there are also vents built into each leg that you can zipper open (don’t worry, modesty is protected), sort of like snow/ski pants often offer.
The Kickststarter for the Outdoor Vitals Satu Pants is running right now, and closes out on May 21, 2020, with delivery anticipated for October. That means cooler weather, so you may want to layer up. If that’s the case, this campaign also has boxers, briefs, thermals (with a rather intriguing full-zip leg), and a hoodie on tap as well. While individual pricing for the pants starts at $99 in the earlybird tier, there’s also an option that allows you to build your own bundle of items. To see that, and these other garments Outdoor Vitals are offering, just head on over to the Kickstarter campaign page.
