Paul Gallaher

Recently, I was given the opportunity to review a pair of Patagonia Nano-Air Light Bottoms. These pants have a water-repellent finish and are lightly insulated. Since I live in the high Rockies of Colorado, I thought these might be something I would be able to wear for much of the year

Patagonia Nano-Air Light Bottoms Review

Details: These pants were made with attention to detail and quality materials.

They are made with a recycled polyester ripstop shell. The fabric has some nice stretch and breathability. They do have a durable water repellent (DWR) to help them keep moisture out. That said, they are not waterproof or rain pants.

Under the shell material, they feature 40-gram polyester made of environmentally-friendly 93% recycled materials.

The bottoms of the pants feature elastic cuffs to keep the pants snug at the ankles. These and some of the fabric panels of the pants are made from recycled nylon fishing nets and Spandex with trademarked odor control featuring silver ions incorporated into the material.

Other design details: There is a zippered right thigh pocket big enough for keys or a snack and credit card. A drawstring is incorporated into the stretchy waistband.

Practical considerations: First, let me say these pants have quickly become a mainstay in my fall/winter/spring wardrobe. I live in the high Rocky Mountains where snow often flies from October to May. Nights sometimes get down into the negative-teens so, having pants with a layer of insulation is a must, even around the house! While I haven’t used these for exercise per se, they’re perfect for walking the dogs or running errands on a cool to cold day. I’m sure if you’re the kind of person that goes camping in cool weather, you’d want a pair of these. The pants are very comfortable for all-day wear and I often DO wear them all day. They are machine washable.

Things I’d change: I wish these pants had conventional “hand pockets”. Also, I wish they were available in a variety of inseams. I’m 6’2” and weigh 165 pounds. I found the Medium to fit me well, but they’re a tad bit “high-water”. I could use 3-4 more inches in length. One size does not fit all when it comes to inseams.

Yes, they’re in the higher price range for pants, but when you find something you really love and want to wear very frequently, they’re not really expensive on a per-day basis.

These currently retail for $229 and are available online or at a gear store near you. They come in two colors and sizes from XXS to XXL. All have a 31” inseam. They’re also available in women’s sizes.

Paul Gallaher

Paul grew up in Minnesota where he learned to love the outdoors, riding his bike, fishing and canoeing in the summers and skiing in the winters on Minnesota’s 300 foot-tall “mountains”.

After finishing college, he was commissioned as an officer in the USAF eventually becoming a special operations and reconnaissance instructor navigator flying and serving around the world for twenty-two years.

Living and traveling around the world has given Paul opportunities to explore outdoor passions. He is an advanced scuba diver, a pilot, a sailor and has skied in the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.