Description of Mountain Hardwear Transition Tights - Women's:
With Windstopper Featherweight fabric, the Mountain Hardwear Women's Transition Pants protect your legs from evil gusts and gales to keep you comfortable while cycling or cross country skiing. These windproof breathable tights prevent wind chill during aerobic activities but won't cut off the air supply to your legs. Mountain Hardwear constructed these ultralight pants with a stretch inseam gusset so you can run and ski with cat-like agility. Wear the Transition tights under your shell pants for wind-blocking insulation on an alpine ski trip—their performance fit and welded construction provides smooth layering with no pressure points.
Bottom Line: The Mountain Hardwear Transition Tights block out harsh winds during mountain workouts.
I've been looking for a lightweight but wind/water resistant pant to skate ski and run in - this pant's material might do the trick, but it's sewn into the strangest fit I've ever put on - too big in some places (waist and in back at the upper seat, wierd) and yet too tight in others (thighs and length) (I'm anatomically normal, just a plain old medium gal). Not comfortable at all, and to make matters worse, the material doesn't stretch or give at all, so movement is difficult. I remember now that I'd tried these very tights a few years ago and thought the material held promise if they'd just adjust the fit; they haven't yet, so they're not for me. I hope the people at Mtn Hardware read this review - maybe I'll try again in a couple years....
Last winter (2008-2009 season) I tried these and the TNF Windstopper Hybrid tights, and went with the TNF tights. These Mountain Hardwear tights seemed very lightweight. The fit was sort of OK (I don't remember the particulars), but Holy Static Cling, Batman! The tights were not stretchy enough, and there were no ankle zips. I found these tights to be ridiculously clingy and wrinkly. Another case where there's a good idea (lightweight wind-blocking tights) but poor execution.
I'm onto my second pair of Mt. Hardwear Transition Pants and love them for many reasons. I'm 5'3" 126 pounds with a fairly athletic build and the pants fit me just the way I want them to. With the addition of the drawstring that came in the updated version of the pants, I adjust the waist to fit well. The drawstring feature is certainly an improvement over the previous model.
I find the pants stretch in all the right directions, breath well, wear well, wash well and dry fast. As both a runner and a long distance backpacker I like that I can easily roll up the bottom of the pants to just beneath my knees to get the benefit of added cooling and what I think is a good look for these pants. Looks certainly aren't the number one reason to buy workout gear, but wearing what I feel is a flattering item of clothing that performs well and looks good too is great.
A friend of mine loves these pants on me and asked me to find a pair for her. After hiking the Tour du Blanc last month and running this morning, I couldn't be happier with my Transition pants.
