Mountain Equipment Mission £140

Mountain Equipment’s Ibex/ Chamois trousers have been Trail favourites for a decade, and we were almost tempted to include them in this roundup. But on this occasion, we’ve opted for a burly upgrade to the Mission Pants – a muscular, heavy-duty, and warm pair of trousers designed for the ‘most intimidating mountain missions’, as Mountain Equipment puts it.

If you’re heading up snowy Munros or venturing into the Cairngorms’ tundra in February, these trousers should have the winter-ready credentials to cope. They’re made from an interesting combination of fabrics, with Exolite 250 doubleweave soft shell in the body of the trousers and Gore-Tex Infinium across the seat and knees. The cut is slightly on the baggy side, with ample room for thermal base layers, and the all-round workmanship is high quality. Features are plentiful too, including extremely strong reinforced kick strips, thigh vents, integrated belt, lace hooks, ankle zippers and Velcro adjustment at the ankle.

IF WE’RE BEING FUSSY

All-day comfort is a little lacking, due to the heaviness and slightly baggy cut, while the Velcro ankle adjustment creates a pleat-like fold in the excess fabric, which we found rather annoying and uncomfortable. Versatility isn’t great, as these are only for the coldest and snowiest of days.

■ MEN’S SIZES 28-38in

■ WOMEN’S SIZES n/a

■ LEG LENGTHS Short, regular, long

■ WEIGHT 576g (men’s 32in, regular)

Verdict

A well-built, fully-featured pair of men’s trousers for snowy winter adventures – but versatility isn’t great.

“High quality trousers with winter-ready credentials”