Thanks, in large part to the Cub Scouts, my son and I have taken up hiking and camping this summer.  These are both activities which I have always enjoyed, and I am thrilled to share these activities with my son.  The first time we went camping in the spring, I almost immediately realized that I was not exactly dressed correctly.  Camping and hiking require layers and adaptability.  While this is not too difficult with shirts and jackets, pants can be a problem.  What I needed were pants which could easily switch between pants and shorts.   In camping parlance, these are known as switch back pants.

In addition to the ability to switch between pants and shorts, I also need to carry quite a bit of gear.  Especially when we are hiking.  So, let’s see, I need pants with lots of pockets and zip off legs.  I am sure that there are a lot of different companies which would make pants like this, but as soon as I recognized my needs, I made SeV, also known as ScottEVest my first and last stop.  SeV is well known for their abundance of pockets, and as soon as I spotted their Ultimate Cargo Pants, I knew they were exactly what I needed.

Let’s start with an overall look at the pants.  They are made from a linen/cotton blend, which is treated with Teflon.  What exactly does that mean for you?  The linen/cotton blend means that these pants are light and breathable.  Perfect for hard work in the woods.  The Teflon means nothing sticks to them.  Hiking and camping are both pretty messy activities.  These pants got splattered with everything you can imagine, including water, mud, bug spray, and tree sap, and pretty much anything else you could find in the woods.  nothing stuck to them.  During one trip, we were sloshing around in the mud and rain, I looked down and found my pants were splattered with mud.  A quick swipe with my hand and they were nearly clean.

The pants are secured by both an inner and outer button, as well as a heavy duty zipper and drawstring.  Needless to say, you should have no fear of getting pantsed by any woodland creatures.  More importantly, though, this means you can tromp through the woods, rivers, and other rough terrain, fully loaded with gear, with no fear of loosing your pants along the way.

The pants also feature a whopping 14 pockets.  By comparison, normal cargo pants typically feature about half that.  Now, I am not going to go through all of the pockets, that would bore you, but you can see most of them in the x-ray photo above.  In the meantime, let me give you the description from SeV themselves:

The SeV Ultimate Cargo Pants offer 14 pockets, patented Personal Area Network, a key holder, magnetic closures, adjustable waist, change pockets, battery holders and much, much more! We’ve even added clever innovations like the “airplane pocket”. Located mid-shin, it allows you to stow and access necessary items while buckled in and trapped by your tray-table.

I have to say how impressed I was by the “airplane pocket” near the bottom of the legs.  It does not look like much…and it really isn’t much.  Just a small space on the leg, barely big enough for a couple of dollars or a pen.  The reason I like it so much is that it really shows the attention Scott Jordan, the CEO and founder of SeV pays to little details.  He does not just toss a bunch of pockets onto the pants, but really thinks about how you are likely to use the pants.  What other companies do you know that consider the precarious positions you in which you might find yourself and plan the design of the pockets accordingly.

Most of the main pockets are secured with the same magnet snaps which I have used and loved on most of my SeV jackets.  just be careful not to stand too close to the tent poles, car, or other metal objects.  I love these magnet snaps because they secure the pocket, but are easy to flip open with one hand in order to access the contents.  I will say, however, that I would have liked a zipper on the large pockets near the knees.  Like most cargo pants, anything I slip in there tends to slide around, creating a danger that it will fall out and get lost.  A zipper would have been extremely helpful here.  To counter this a bit, there is a small mesh pocket inside the cargo pockets on the knees, which can be used to secure smaller gear.

Like all SeV clothing, the Ultimate Cargo Pants also the SeV personal area network, which allows you to string cords and cables throughout the interior of the pants, keeping them out of sight and out of the way.

The final feature I wanted to mention, is the one which attracted me to these pants in the first place, the removable legs.  Right above the knee, you will notice a zipper on each leg.  Just give it a tug and watch the legs peel off.  What is really nice here is that SeV recognizes how easily confused so many of us can get.  Yeah, that’s right, I am talking about not being able to tell two identical legs apart.  Which is right and which is left?  Well, SeV thought of this problem as well, by attaching the zipperhead to the leg on one side and the main body of the pants on the other.  No more mix ups for you.

Pretty much the only thing I would have changed on these pants were the ankles.  When camping, it is pretty common to be assaulted by bugs and insects.  As such, it would have been nice to find a drawstring on the ankles, in order to draw them shut and keep the insects out.  But that is really a pretty minor point, and one which is pretty easily fixed with a simple leg strap or piece of string.

In the end, I have to say that I absolutely love these pants.  Although I bought them for hiking and camping, I find I wear them almost everywhere.  They are just the perfect pants, whether you are going to the store, the woods, or just for a walk around the block.  Heck, I even wore them to work once or twice.  The nice deep cargo pockets give you plenty of room for all of your essential gear (electronic or otherwise).  I am a huge fan of cargo pants, but this takes the cargo pants to a whole new level.  They truly are the Ultimate Cargo Pants.

What I Liked:

• Fantastic and sturdy construction
• Well designed and placed pockets
• double button waistband design ensures pants are secure even when loaded with gear
• Personal area network
• Airplane pockets on shins
• Switchback design to remove lower legs

What Needs Improvement:

• drawstring on ankles to secure them from bugs
• zippers on cargo pockets on knees

Price: $70

Where To Buy: SeV