The ideal hiking trousers, for me, should:
- not be too warm (good for May in the UK, also bearing in mind that you might need to wear waterproof trousers over them)
- be made of stretchy material
- have room for an OS map
- have cargo pockets on both legs.
I walked the West Highland Way last May in a pair of Fjallraven Barents. I really love the pocket layout on these trousers, but they are on the warm side (even for Scotland) and lack stretch. I found that stretch, or the lack of it, makes a real difference when you're tired and you're tackling the umpteenth ascent.
I also have a pair of Craghoppers Classic Kiwis but these too lack stretch and they have only one cargo pocket. Keeping a map and a guidebook in the same pocket just isn't practical.
So far I've identified two possible contenders: the Craghoppers Kiwi Explorers (a new model in their range) and the Rohan Upland Trekkers. Can anyone give their impressions of these trousers? I'd appreciate info about any others as well.