I've been waiting for a thread like this to come along! Below are my recent experiences of walking trousers.
In July I bought a pair of Pinewood 'Finnvedon' trousers, made in Sweden, cost me £40-ish. They really looked the business, strong, well-made, had all the thigh pockets, etc. and they were a perfect fit on me other than the legs being about an inch too long.
Wearing for walking, they were windproof but their breathable claim was debateable, for they felt a bit clammy on the legs. They also claimed to be quick drying but the material is 65% polyester and 35% cotton, and when I wore them on a 3.5 days backpacking trip in wet and misty Wales they gradually became damper and damper, they simply never dried out. They'll be appearing on eBay when I get around to it, but I wouldn't recommend anyone on here buys them.
To replace them I bought a pair of Tog 24 'Reno' for £35-ish. Again, they are well made and a good fit on me. There are a suitable number of pockets, though I would say the hand pockets, which are mesh, could be a bit deeper. The material is i00% polyamide (nylon) which I have found to dry very fast on the line, though I've yet to experience wearing them in damp conditions (I'm in a dryer part of the country to many of you!)
They are extremely light weight and I was afraid the wind was going to whistle through them, but in use I find them to be moderately windproof. One thing I didn't like at first, when I tried them on and was walking around the house and garden in them, was that I could feel the material sort of dragging against the fronts of my thighs above my knees, but when I went for my first day walk in them I didn't notice it, so no problem. The material has a rather cold feel, though, not soft and cosy, and because of this I don't think they'll become a favourite pair of trousers.
EDIT: As the OP said he was after a slimmer fit, I should add that I am 5 ft 11 in tall with matchstick legs and a small bum, on which the above models fit well. Over the years I have bought Craghopper Kiwis for daily wear, currently having 3 pairs in my wardrobe (old, everyday and best), and I have always found these to be baggy around my thighs and backside, while they would fall down if I didn't wear a belt. They are clearly made for "chunkier" bodies than mine.
