Outdoor Research Trailbreaker Women’s Tour Pants Review

Outdoor Research has been creating durable, reliable products Made in the USA since the ‘80s. The Outdoor Research Women’s Trailbreaker Tour Pant is no exception to their design excellence. The combination of a stretchy double weave upper leg fabric and a waterproof snow shedding lower leg fabric reinforced at the knee sets these pants apart in terms of comfort, temperature control and performance.

Flexible Soft Shell

The Outdoor Research Trailbreak Tour Pants will neither hold your range of motion back nor make you second guess squatting down to observe the snowpack in fear of a seam blow out; they’re that stretchy. Adjustable waistband velcro tabs allow you to lock in everything where you want it providing a built in belt-like feature without having to actually wear a belt (but belt loops are there should you need to). I usually wear bibs because of my backpack waist straps, anything around my waist makes me uncomfortable but I hardly noticed the tabs on the Trailbreakers.

Features

The wind resistant but breathable fabric lined with thigh vents allows me to manage excessive heat build up. Although it might be nice to have the vents lined with mesh like the pockets, it’s easy enough to zip up the vents to keep the elements out. All of the zippers on the pants, pockets and vents open and close so smooth like butter. I’ve yet to have them get stuck while opening or closing no matter the angle.

I found that the built-in gaiter and gusseted ankle zipper are easy to manage during transitions. The option to keep the ankle zips unzipped for the accent allowed necessary wiggle room for my boots to move freely and efficiently. The seal from the elastic band on the bottom of the gaiter combined with the snug fit around the boots when the ankle zipper is down and snapped closed (two tightness settings) keeps snow out better than any other pants I’ve tried. I love that there is a power strap slot feature built into the gaiter providing the option for extra security on the deep days.

Pockets

Ladies, I think that we can agree that not all women’s pants pockets are created equal and Outdoor Research is on our side in the matter. The two hand pockets and thigh pockets built into the Trailbreaker Tour pants are big enough to actually fit your hand in along with the snacks, dog treats, maps and other backcountry essentials we need quick access to. The mesh lining of the pockets doesn’t bunch up and is helpful in keeping condensation from body heat off electronics.

The avalanche beacon pocket is located in one of the hip level hand pockets and has a durable key clip to secure your beacon with ease. I normally keep my beacon in my thigh pocket so for my personal preference, having it located higher up at hip level took some getting used to.

• Weight: 22.4 oz/ 635g
• Best Uses: Ski Touring / Splitboarding / Cross Country Skiing

Outdoor Research Trailbreaker Women’s Tour Pants Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Stretchy, comfortable fabric for range of motion
• Features wind resistance and breathable fabric
• Functional pockets with dedicated avalanche beacon pocket

Cons:

• Mesh lining may not be ideal in thigh vents
• Beacon pocket location may not suit all

Overall Impression

If you’re looking for a softshell pant catered to the backcountry but functional enough to wear everyday look no further than the Outdoor Research Women’s Trailbreaker Pants ($249.00).  Cross country skiing is another recreational winter hobby of mine and these pants perform great when I wear them on the trails. I can move freely and don’t have to slow down to cool down.

Related Women’s Ski & Snowboard Pants

1. The North Face Women’s Ceptor Bibs
2. Black Diamond Recon Women’s Stretch Pants
3. Mountain Hardwear Exposure Pro Light Pants