These pants have several major wins and one tremendous failure for me. I've used these regularly, but not to the point where I would expect failure, which did occur on the fly zipper. When you're out on a tour, relieve yourself, and try to zip back up only to have your zipper catastrophically fail creating a large funnel for cold air and snow directed at the most temperature-sensitive part of your body the entire time it takes you to get back to the trailhead, it will most definitely ruin your outing.
I'm having the fly zipper replaced at an alterations shop, but it makes no sense to me that Karpos used such a weak hidden zipper when the other zippers are all bomber, the construction of the pants seems excellent, and best of all, if you're tall, they fit! I'm 6'1" with a 34" inseam and unlike all the other pants, Karpos mediums actually fit me well, fit over a ski boot well, and are an amazing touring pant. These would be 5 star pants for the long-legged all day long if they used a better zipper for the fly. I tried on a lot of other pants at Skimo-co, and these are definitely the best for the tall and lanky types, which seem to be a significant percentage of backcountry skiers. I'd still get these again but would head straight for an alterations shop for a better zipper. It really is an Achilles heel of an otherwise excellent pant.
For those of us that sometimes wear spandex and use normal-size skis (often called “skinny”), the fashionable touring apparel is too bulky to get where you’re going. On mid-winter, foul-weather days, however, the only thing warm enough might be the aforementioned bulky apparel. Not anymore. Introducing Karpos’ magic pants, the Alagna Plus. Unlike the Alagna Lite pant, the Alagna Plus is the ideal warm-up, training, or speed touring pant on cold days. Breathable Thermodrytex PL+ is the majority shareholder in the Alagna Plus, meaning it’s not bulky at all. A windproof layer of durable Cordura can be found along the front half of the pant, down around the cuffs, and up on the butt. Reinforcing only the key areas of the pant allowed the Alagna Plus to be both lightweight and rugged. If you enjoy spandex but also enjoy being warm, the Karpos Alagna Plus will happily cradle your legs.
- Humongous YKK Zippers, only the best in the name of durability and jam-free operation.
- Cordura fabric, found on both the standard issue bulletproof vest and ski touring pant.
- Articulated knees are durable and fuss-free, even when your heart rate is up.
- Vislon Zip on lower leg is reflective and features an internal gusset as snow-proofing.
- Elastic waistband is adjustable via an elastic drawstring.
| Specifications | |
|
Weight |
486g [M] |
| Ventilation | N/A |
| Pockets | 2 |
| Waist | Elastic |
| Cuffs | Zipper with internal gusset |
| Specs Verified | Yes |
| Design | |
| Fit | Slim |
|
|
Thermo fleece, Thermodrytex PL, Cordura |
| Insulation | N/A |
| Seams | Overlock stitch |
| Lining | Light Fleece |
| Coating | DWR coating on front |
| Skimo Co Says | |
| Usage | Training, cold weather ski touring |
| Notes | Highly breathable pant, Cordura on thighs and seat |
| Bottom Line | Great breathable pant for backcountry skiing in cold temps |
| Compare to other Men's Touring Pants | |
