Arcteryx Beta AR Pant

It was a nice sunny day at Snowbird. The ski area was buzzing with shredders, the slopes smelled of pine, and the clouds seemed to twinkle...errr hold up! Before this turns into poetry hour lets get into the gear. Had the chance to try out the Arcteryx Beta AR pant today and I am pleased to share my findings. The Good This pant is beefy. The ankle panels feel like alligator skin and the GORE-TEX has a Chuck Norris beat down feel to it. Durability has never been a question with a brand like Arcteryx. The pant has nicely placed side zips to keep air passing through. The vent starts at the top of the pant a little below the waistline so you can actually grab it rather then fiddle around with your jacket. I used my Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch tight underneath and it was a good match for the semi-chilly temps. No back pocket, just a little pocket on the right to fit chapstick and two forms of I.D. I like the one pocket because it forces me to leave stuff in the car. The other thing that was missing, that I didn't miss, was that gator thingy that bunches up and hardly ever fits around my ski boot. They replaced that cuff with a cord cinch which is more minimalist. For the record the bottom of the pant fit perfect around my boot. The Not So Good I know these pants are focused towards mountaineering but for the price tag I would also like to use them for my telemark trail blazing. I found these pants really hard to drop a knee in. The knee is articulated somewhat but I think it is only slightly for ice climbing and hiking. When I did drop a knee I felt like the pant was either hiking up my leg or pulling my pants down. I'm gonna have to get with the program and match my sport with one of the many Arcteryx fraternities. Beta AR Specs Weight: 16.6oz. 3/4 length side zips that are waterproof. Straight forward belt with elastic waist band. BUY NOW: Arcteryx Beta AR Pant at Backcountry.com