Current - Sitka Mountain Pant
Prior - Cabelas Guidewear Supplex
Prior to that - 3SP Mountain/Expedition Pant
Before that I had a poplin rip-stop BDU leftover from before woodland camo.
I'd have to say that the most important aspect of a good hunting pant when it comes to its use in the backpacking/climbing/off-trail mountains is its ability to work with you, not against you. We used to accomplish this with large, baggy cargo pants like the BDU, but the weaving in of polyester and then conversion to poly/nylon produces a pant with a two- or four-way stretch. I check a pant for this by lifting my knee toward my forehead and see if I can bring my forehead and knee together without any binding or tugging on top of my thigh or tight pulling on the butt. These two places are usually the cause of excessive drag when climbing.
I used to find myself pulling on a waterproof pant when the rain or water got excessive and those notoriously work against you as well. This can add a noticeable amount of effort over the span of a long hunting day, causing a bit more fatigue than you need to experience. Now I forego the rain pant, period, and like the stretchiness of the Sitka Mountain Pant AND the fact that it is built on the pattern of a large cargo pant.
Taylor
