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Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
Vollebak have already established their pedigree with an Indestructible Hoodie that I reviewed this year. My favourite cult outdoor clothing company recently sent an email out about trousers designed to last 100 years…waterproof, breathable FIRE PROOF and designed to outlive you. They are so strong they can support the weight of 550lbs off one waist cord.
The size small sold out in minutes and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of size medium to try out on a cold and rainy December day in Guilford in Connecticut at the Westwoods State Park.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The Fabric
At first glance what will surprise you is the fabric and how it feels. Reading their website you expect them to have a kind of hi tec softshell or snowboarding trouser feel but in fact they feel like a pair of very sturdy thick cotton trousers. The fabric is a triple layer of fire retardant, kevlar/aramid and polyester but reminds me more of the RAF flying Nomex Jackets. The trousers are warm, breathable and have a slight stretch to them that makes them very comfortable.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The fabric was very comfortable on my hike through the State Park , and importantly repelled rain water as well. They don’t feel stiff or sturdy, in fact they are very comfortable even when I was clambering all over wet rocks and steep paths. The trousers are effectively fire retardant and you can hold a naked flame to them. The middle layer will also expand 1000 times thicker (to 6mm) in a fire to protect you from burning. I’m rather hoping I never find out how effective this is.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The seat of the trousers have a sturdy Aramid coating and are double coated to avoid you wearing them through when sitting down on rocks.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
Pockets
There are 5 decent sized pockets on the trousers and 4 of them have sturdy zips. The front thigh cargo pockets are stitched in a bellows design so they can expand to hold insane amounts of gear, I actually reckon these trousers would mean I could do away with a bag on a day hike. There is also a zip bum pocket for your wallet and a small ‘watch pocket’ with a rather neat feature .
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The watch pocket has a piece of cord inside. It can hold you and your trousers up to a breaking strain of 550lbs. It means you can literally suspend your entire body off this cord. Better still in an emergency the cord is made up of a special tinder that you can use to light a fire.
The pockets also have a waterproof flap over the zips to keep your things waterproof inside.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
Temperature Management
Although breathable I can often go from hot to cold quickly when I’m outdoors. What I like about the trousers were that they have zips up from the ankle to knee to allow you to cool your legs easily if you get too hot, and the pockets for your hands also have a very fine mesh inside so you can also use these pockets for temperature management too.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The base of the ankles on the toursers have 4 width settings you can change with a popper system, tight when you want warmth and waterproof and loose when you want more airflow and keep cooler.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
The rear of the trousers below the knee are extra reinforced so you wont put a crampon through them when out on the mountains. I also gave them a wash to see how they faired. They were fine to tumble dry on low heat (something I don’t do often) and washed up fine whilst still maintaining their waterproof characteristics.
Little Gripes
The waist on the trousers is super comfortable and has a double popper and zip design, but a small gripe is that the two belt loops closest to the front are slightly smaller than the rest and make it difficult to thread my standard army cotton thread belt through. Its still doable with some twisting but not easy. I would make the belt loops bigger , but I do like the small karabiner attachment loops on them.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
Verdict
I love these trousers for a few reasons. They are perfect for the cold winters here in the USA, and I love the styling, they look like something a Star Wars pilot would wear. The features on the trousers are a huge talking point like a lot of Vollebak gear and they are super comfy too. As well as granite they also come in a khaki colour as well.
All the items made by Vollebak are unique and state of the art. They are very much a boutique brand and frankly if you are taken aback by the price you are sort of missing the point of their clothing.
Vollebak 100 Year Trousers Review
As for the claim that they will outlive me ? I’ll report back in a few decades and let you know how they are getting on.
vollebak ocean shorts review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0cg0xRkhB4&t=2s It all started with a discussion about ball comfort at Vollebak HQ. Any guy…
9 thoughts on “Vollebak 100 Year Pants Review”
Hi Lee,
Thanks so much for your review! Frankly I’m surprised that with my extensive research when buying new gear, I’ve only just begun to take notice of Vollebak. There is no doubt that these guys are special, and not just your typical run of the mill “sporty brand”!
I’m in the market for a new pant with an emphasis on colder weather. I thought what I needed was something of a hard shell…now I’m not sure! I’m based out of Quebec, and I expect to wear these pants on the ski slopes here, as well as some casual to intermediate hiking probably on a weekly basis. Do you think the 100 year old pant would suit my needs, and if not would you be able to point me in the right direction?
Thanks so much, and I hope you’re enjoying your Frank Pepe’s pizza. Cheers, Ryan
Yeh Ive written in a few Vollebak reviews that their gear launches tend to sell out in minutes once launched. Their quality is always top notch though so im rarely worried about trying something new.
I’ve been looking into the 100 year pants and your review is probably the best of them out there. I wonder if you would mind answering some questions about them based on your experiences?
How’s the breathability and waterproofness compared to gore-tex pants?
How do they handle abrasions and sharp objects compared to regular synthetic or cotton outdoor pants?
they feel more like wearing a thick cotton or loose fitting denim than a synthetic goretex. the waterproof layer repels water but not as well as a dedicated waterproof trouser. they are very breathable and comfortable to wear and IM STILL wearing them LOADS a few years on. they handle sparks etc well and dont ‘swell up’ unless you are in a proper fire ….and then you want that ! hope this helps
Hi Lee,
Thanks so much for your review! Frankly I’m surprised that with my extensive research when buying new gear, I’ve only just begun to take notice of Vollebak. There is no doubt that these guys are special, and not just your typical run of the mill “sporty brand”!
I’m in the market for a new pant with an emphasis on colder weather. I thought what I needed was something of a hard shell…now I’m not sure! I’m based out of Quebec, and I expect to wear these pants on the ski slopes here, as well as some casual to intermediate hiking probably on a weekly basis. Do you think the 100 year old pant would suit my needs, and if not would you be able to point me in the right direction?
Thanks so much, and I hope you’re enjoying your Frank Pepe’s pizza. Cheers, Ryan
Hi Ryan,
In case you’re still looking, they’ve now released some ski wear (jackets and trousers) and some 100 Year Joggers.
Best,
Olly
Thanks Olly,
I saw that as well…looking forward to the review 😉
All the best,
Ryan
I picked up some joggers (indulgent xmas gift), they went in a few hours. Sadly no time to wait for reviews!
Yeh Ive written in a few Vollebak reviews that their gear launches tend to sell out in minutes once launched. Their quality is always top notch though so im rarely worried about trying something new.
Hi Lee!
I’ve been looking into the 100 year pants and your review is probably the best of them out there. I wonder if you would mind answering some questions about them based on your experiences?
How’s the breathability and waterproofness compared to gore-tex pants?
How do they handle abrasions and sharp objects compared to regular synthetic or cotton outdoor pants?
How do they handle fire sparks and the like?
Thanks!
hello !
they feel more like wearing a thick cotton or loose fitting denim than a synthetic goretex. the waterproof layer repels water but not as well as a dedicated waterproof trouser. they are very breathable and comfortable to wear and IM STILL wearing them LOADS a few years on. they handle sparks etc well and dont ‘swell up’ unless you are in a proper fire ….and then you want that ! hope this helps