RonhillMen's Trackster Origin

OK, I admit that I haven't yet been on any backpacking long-distance "thru-hikes" wearing these pants, but my initial impressions are good. I bought them for walking mostly long-distance hikes, rather than for running, as I read some blogs where experienced long-distance walkers (LDWs) have found this type of pant better than the usual hiking trousers. I can see their point.Firstly, they are nice and light. This is a real plus - I recently walked the 192 mile Coast-to-Coast wearing Montane Mens Terra Plus trousers. They are HEAVY and make you sweat. Heaven help you if it starts to rain when wearing them (and it rains a LOT in the UK, especially on LDW it seems), as your crotch very quickly becomes wet - followed pretty quickly by the rest of your legs - this is even with a long, good quality (Berghaus 7000 Extrem) hard-shell worn on the top half. And then the water starts running down your legs into your boots.... OMG. So, you can wear waterproof leggings over the top, right? No-way. You just boil and sweat so much. As the rain continued, I ended up taking the Montane trousers off, trying to dry my legs and then put on waterproof leggins (again, really good quality Berghaus, which keep me dry). I then had an even heavier pair of wet Montanes to carry in my pack on my back. There is an alternative....1. You can wear shorts all the time (and freeze when you get up to altitude and the wind is blowing and your legs are wet - latent heat of vapourisation will come from your skin, so you will very quickly become very cold), or2. You can keep an eye on the forecast and if it threatens rain at any stage during the day, start off in the morning with waterproof leggins, to wear ALL DAY! OMG, you will sweat, even in "breathable" fabrics and even with vented waterproofs.3. You can wear lighter hiking trousers, with some degree of water resistance, but these WILL become wet and the loose fabric will then "slap" against your skin as you walk along. This is uncomfortable and unpleasant and also soon results in over-cooling, particularly when you stop for a break.4. ANOTHER WAY is to wear, well, "TIGHTS" - but men of a certain age, (like me, 50-something) don't like wearing tights because with a balding head and big boots on, we look like Max Wall and people start to laugh. What you want, therefore, is a fully synthetic material, that wicks sweat away from your legs, but when it rains, you don't want slack material slapping against your skin and you want them to look DECENT. Ideally you SHOULD wear tights, I agree, because they work like a (very) thin neoprene wet suit - they "trap" some moisture in the fabric, warm that layer of moisture (and some air within the fabric too) and keep it next to your skin - you stay warm, but not dry. Combine this with a pair of completely ventilated non-goretex trail running shoes and you can happily splash your way though rainstorms, bogs, streams, etc, happy in the knowledge that your feet and legs are completely wet, but (apart from in winter) you feel warm, provided you are able to set your own pace and not hanging around waiting for a slower member of your party to get a move on. No thick socks, no blisters, no wet boots that don't dry out, no heavy and wet trousers that you can't dry out and have to carry. When you make camp in the evening, you dry your legs and feet, put them into warm clothes, keep dry and warm and let your Ron Hill pants dry out as much as possible overnight, and your trail runners. Yes, they might be a bit wet the next day, but if it's still raining it doesn't matter because they will become even wetter, but you will stay warm once you get going again. if, however, it's a dry day, your Ron Hills pants and your trail runner shoes will quickly dry out.So, these Ron Hill running pants are probably the ideal garment for 3-season thru-hiking of more than 5 days duration. I have found you cannot get reliable weather forecasts beyond 5 days, so chances are it's going to rain at some stage on an extended thru-hike and trying to keep your lower half and your feet COMPLETELY dry is just impossible. So if your going to get wet, get wet in THESE because they will keep you warmer and they will dry out quicker. They look quite respectable and are not tight "tights", but by all means wear some undergarments underneath, or some very lightweight fast-dry running shorts over the top, but it's probably not necessary, unless you intend to go into pubs, shops, etc - your appearance could arrest conversation mid-flow. They are light and so take 2 PAIRS - they pack small. Keep one pair dry (or alternate wearing one pair/ drying the other pair) and also use them to improve your sleep system on colder nights. But DO also take a pair of light weight hiking trousers or shorts - personally I use Berghaus zip-offs for versatility. I can wear these over the Ron Hills if it's cold. If it's warm and dry I can wear them as shorts. If it's cold and wet, then maybe you will still have to take your storm-proof over-trousers to counteract wind-chill in the colder months, but otherwise I would now tend to take 2 pairs of Ronhill running pants, one pair of Berghaus light zip-offs, 3 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of (thin) socks, one pair of trail runners - and that's it for the lower half.The only draw-back I can see is the lack of useful pockets, but I have these in my mid-layer upper, also my Berghaus 7000 Extrem hard-shell, also on my rucksack hip belt pockets, and I can carry a waterproof map case, so trouser pockets are not a must-have and in any case, when I have used them, the things I carry in them often cause discomfort.Size? I'm a 33" waist and 31" leg. I bought the MEDIUM Ronhill Mens TRACKSTER ORIGIN, but I got the LARGE in the CLASSIC GT TRACKSTER Running pants. The 2 products are made by the same company, but seem to have different sizes. Both fit well. The GT Trackster is slightly longer on the leg. Neither of them are loose on the waist or arse, but they are not tight tights either (like you see on older age cyclists, who should know better). The 2 pairs I've got seem to be very good - good quality, good material, good shape and style and I think they will be right for thru-hiking. I don't find the foot-straps/stirrups to be a problem, but both pairs of pants I have got from Ronhill have them.They are certainly MUCH cheaper than "proper" hiking pants, lighter, faster drying, pack smaller and just....better.Hope this might be of some use to anyone thinking of making the change from "traditional" long-distance hiking gear in 3-season hiking. Winter is another matter and my clothing advice given here is not intended for winter or generally colder (eg sustained higher altitude) walking.

These are great. I'm fed up of running round in baggy track suits but didn't want to look like I was wearing sprayed on Lycra (I'm a 50 year old man with a 36 inch (and happily getting smaller) waist. I think the fit is correct, although I tend to buy things that are extra large normally. I bought Large and they're fine. I thought I might find the ankle straps annoying but they're fine. Certainly don't need to wear shorts over them or anything silly.

I've got two pairs of older, rather battered Ronhill running trousers that have been great over 4-5 years, despite the battering I give them running x-country the get snagged on brambles, branches, etc. They've also be used on dog walks and outdoor jobs so been well tested. Despite a few snags and holes from sparks from the bonfire, they're still going strong and I'll continue to use them for those uses. However I'm doing more road running and thought I'd try to be a fraction more respectable so invested in two new pairs of Trackster Origin.As with before, they're great. Lightweight. Breathable. Quick drying. Comfortable.The improvement on my original pair is a zip up back pocket. My previous Ronhill's had a tiny pouch under the waistband at the front that could just fit in the electronic car key (without anything else) so left me with a problem on what I do with my phone (I use Strava to track runs). With a jacket you could use a pocket, but this was more of a pain in the summer. With this pair, an i-phone 6 slots in comfortablyIn terms of size I am 32-34" waist with 30"/Short leg. I went for the medium and they were fine. Comfortable around the waist. They're a little long on the leg (I would estimate set for 32" legs) but it's no problem. The material stretches so if you're lucky enough to have similar waist, but longer legs you should be fine too.

I bought these for running in the winter in the UK, where it might be cold, windy, rainy, snowy, sunny, or a combination of all of the above. They have worked perfectly so far, although i haven't run in any really rainy weather as I am not that masochistic.The fabric seems tough, and I expect it to last a good while. Don't know about the stitching, but so far so good.In terms of fit and appearance, the fit is snug but not tight. These are not tights, but they are not loose like pants, either. They are in between and closer to tights than pants. They are not very revealing (ahem), unless you stare and use your imagination. I wouldn't wear them to work, but no problems at the gym.Overall, I love these. They are great product and I highly recommend them.

Ordered these for my husband on Monday and they arrived Tuesday morning !! Fabulous service, amazing product.We have several pairs of these tracksters between us and have been buying them for as long as we can remember. They are such a good, comfortable trackster suitable for running, cycling, walks and just wearing around the house.We will be carrying on buying them for a long time yet. Thank you.

Bought these to cover my lallies during the winter months and they are just great at keeping me warm whilst running and cycling, I’ve previously owned Ron Hills and they last a long time and soak up abuse, I can’t find any fault with them to be honest, I will continue to buy the brand as they work very well for me.

Not used for what they are meant for but for cycling. The legs could be a bit longer like my old pair which were damaged in a car collision. Nice to have a zipped rear pocket and hopefully the backside will stand up to my bike seat. There is a little bit of water resistance but it won't stop a soaking in heavy rain.

Been using Ronhill tracksters for nearly 40 years and always been happy with them. They were always durable, comfortable and good value for money.Not anymore I am afraid, much cheaper material and the stitching starts to unravel after a couple of washes. Very disappointed with the quality.