Mountain Equipment Compressor Pant - Synthetic insulated trousers for Scottish Winter camping and photography
Some may say insulated trousers are not necessary in the UK because the temperature is not cold enough to warrant them. Whether that’s true for everyone, I don't know, but for me, I find ‘need' is generally nearly always trumped by ‘want'. I therefore purchased a pair of Mountain Equipment’s Compressor Pants (presumably they’re named after Maestri’s infamous route on Cerro Torre in Patagonia) and added them to my Scottish winter camping and photography kit list.
As a photographer, I appreciate the amount of warmth the Compressor Pants helps me retain when I am standing around on the summit of a hill at dawn or dusk taking photos. As an outdoor enthusiast, I like that I can wear them as we stand about talking at night on a winter wild camp and I can also use them in my sleeping bag, which allows me to bring a lighter bag. I also value the trousers as an emergency piece, being able to put them over everything I’m wearing and keep warm. (I run very hot so I wear minimal clothes outdoors but I like to carry enough to keep warm should I need to stop for any length of time). I refrained from purchasing a pair of insulated pants for many years, probably because they are overkill for Scottish winter conditions. However, I haven’t regretted the purchase for a single moment and they’ve also proven themselves useful this year on cold, wet Autumn bivvies so I’ve had more use out of them than you might think.
What I like about Mountain Equipment’s Compressor Pant
Very warm - They trap the warm air I’ve generated almost from the moment I put them on. I’ve found 80gm of insulation they offer to be an ideal thickness between ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’
Fairly light and compressible - They weigh 400gm in size XL and pack down small (I prefer not overpack them though)
Full-length side zips - Super easy to put on
Chunky side zips - Mountain Equipment haven’t kept the weight down by using skinny lightweight zips that catch or break easily
What I’d like to see changed
Primaloft Gold rather than POLARLOFT® insulation (simply because I’m a snob when it comes to synthetic wadding - Mountain Equipment do offer Primaloft Gold in their Prophet pant)
A slightly more robust shell fabric (Mountain Equipment uses Helium fabric, which is very light but somewhat fragile - I keep it well away from my crampons). This would make them heavier however, and less compressible.
The ability to tighten them more around your waist - They have an elasticated waist with a pop clasp at the front but because of the side zips there’s no bungee cords or similar way to tighten them further if you wish (They fit me fine when I’m stationary but I find myself wanting to pull them up occasionally when I’m moving around).
Overall, I’ve found the Mountain Equipment Compressor Pant to be perfect for my usage (which is static warmth in a non-climbing environment). Mountain Equipment classes them as ideal for super alpinism, ski mountaineering and winter camping. I imagine you’d want a more robust shell fabric if you were using them for belaying.
Alternatives
Mountain Equipment Prophet Pant - 60gm with a Gore-Tex Infinium shell (Mentioned above but not offered by Mountain Equipment in 2023. Its top half is the Mountain Equipment Prophet Jacket)
Haglofs Barrier Pant - 80gm QuadFusion™ insulation
Rab Photon Pant - 100gm with waterproof Pertex Shield sections on the shell. More I’d suggest for climbing.
Montane Prism Pants - 40gm Primaloft Silver Eco fabric. Presumably not as warm.