Review: RAB Latok GORE-TEX Pro Pants – Men’s and Women’s

Just how important are waterproof trousers? The answer really depends on your intended activity. Waterproof trousers come in different levels of protection, technical performance and purpose. They are designed to be worn over your usual hiking or climbing trousers, and provide a layer of defence against abrasion, as well as the obvious – stopping you from getting wet.

When it comes to mountaineering and winter climbing, a good pair of waterproof trousers will not only keep you comfortable, they also offer an added layer of insulation. In extreme cold, GORE-TEX waterproof trousers are a good option as they have a degree of breathability too. Being sweaty in extreme cold is at best uncomfortable, and at worst, dangerous. So, in this case the answer is – very important indeed!

Myself and my partner in climb, Sam, gave the men’s and women’s Rab Latok GORE-TEX Pro pants a thorough testing in the depths of Scottish winter. GORE-TEX Pro is basically a step-up from GORE-TEX’s original membranes and technologies, with added durability and extra protection from the elements. For an in-depth run-down on these premium pants from the renowned mountaineering brand Rab, read on…

Let’s get that one and only ‘con’ out of the way nice and early. Straight off the hanger, these pants are a little bit stiff and rustly! However, after proudly parading around the house in them for half an hour plus a full day out in the corries, we can confirm that we sound significantly less like a pair of walking paper bags, and that old familiar crackle of that DWR coating is lessening with every outing. On the subject of DWR – it’s worth reading around the PFC content of these coatings and their environmental implications. A lot of technical waterproof garments use DWR containing PFCs, it’s pretty hard to avoid. However, Rab are continuing to make significant moves towards lessening their environmental impact generally, and GORE-TEX has developed a DWR that is free of PFCs of environmental concern in their less technical products.

They fit and feel premium in quality and the leg lengths are just right. The all-round taped seams and zips are reassuringly rugged, and Sam notes with delight that they have pockets! The Latok pants also have belt loops and brace attachment points, and we did purchase additional braces for ours as there’s nothing worse than a downward creeping waistband, and multiple layers on your bottom half will do that to you. Rab’s own braces are £30 RRP, but can be found online for as low as £22.

Aesthetically, they’re black, they look the business and are subtly branded with a Rab logo at mid-thigh height.

This year’s winter exploits have been mostly confined to the Cairngorms, with a number of trips into Coire An t-Sneachda for gully bashing, powder wading and axe-wielding. We dropped pretty lucky to have half decent conditions most of the time, and some less-than-ideal ones that we made the most of anyway.

The Latok GORE-TEX Pro pants have seen us through two winter Munros with 50mph summit gusts and spindrift, drizzle and dreich as well as a blindingly sunny and slightly sweaty day in Mess Of Pottage. We’ve had the pleasure of swinging axes on mixed and ice pitches, and thoroughly tested the pants’ durability with some bum sliding when the descent became a bit mundane.

At £340, the Latok GORE-TEX Pro pants are an investment item in our book, though the price is fairly similar to comparable designs from other brands. In terms of weight, technical performance and material, plus the reassurance of knowing you’ve got a quality pair of pants that are essentially a bit of safety kit when it comes down to it, you wouldn’t expect them to be cheap.

If looked after right, we reckon the Latok GORE-TEX Pro pants will look after us for a good few years to come. Rab also offer a wash, repairs and spares service, so if you do manage to knick your troos or rip a zip, they’ll patch them up or replace the broken bit from £10. Of course, you can always invest in GORE-TEX repair patches and do it yourself if your repair doesn’t call for a professional.