Outdoor Research  Helium Rain Pants - Men's

Bought these for my AT thru hike starting Feb 2023. Lightweight and comfortable. Before use, I added Nicwax Direct spray, as I do with every new item I buy. I tested them using a high-pressure garden hose for 20 straight mins with no issues. I then used these during torrential rains in both hurricane Ian and hurricane Nicole and they worked flawlessly. They kept me dry, warm, and did not wet out, as that was my biggest worry. The pant leg zippers need to be just a little bit higher. Getting into them with my Altra lone peaks was easy. However, getting into them with my Merrell Moabs qtr shoes was a little slower. Nothing would stop me from buying about pair of these.

I wore these once for a day and a night on an army exercise where we were simple walking (navigating) through foothills and forest. To my annoyance, when I returned there was a large hole in the crotch. Just from walking. Not running, no snags, just walking. I expected better seams for something I'd wear outdoors and certainly for these to last more than a day. Fortunately, they replaced them via their return program but I'm leery about wearing these for anything other than very light walking or standing. Do better. On the next version, double-stitch and reinforce your seams with fabric or just discontinue the Helium line.

I was looking for a lightweight pair of rain pants to bring hiking and bikepacking. The advertised full length zippers are a great idea but in reality they are no good. The zipper goes all the way up into the waist band with a snap closure. When you wear a backpack the hip belt digs into the zipper and your waist. Very uncomfortable. There is also no waist band drawstring. The size of the waist band is what you get. Lastly there is no draw strings or velcro closure on the ankle cuffs. So you can't do them up tight when doing activities. I feel like OR really missed the mark while designing these pants.

I was excited to try out the helium pant because they were pretty light weight. They are good for powder, or a commute in the rain. However, if you're doing any objective that has ice, rock, or require a lot of movement, these pants would probably rip. My first pair ripped just stepping over a downed tree, and my second pair ripped in multiple places just climbing up some rocks.

These were adequate in drizzle and brief thunderstorm. They soaked through in steady rain. I exchanged them for a more water resistant fabric pant which was more than worth the few extra grams of weight and few dollars more in cost.

Very impressed with the waterproofing for such a lightweight pant. I bought these primarily for bike commuting in the northwest coast of British Columbia and they've kept me completely dry with water coming from all directions. The large/tall are a perfect fit for me (6'4" 175lbs). Have yet to trial these on extended hikes, but I'm optimistic that the light weight and solid waterproofing will make them a good addition to the gear. Only change I would make right now would be to have a front pocket rather than a rear pocket. Will see if they are durable in the long term, but I've been using an OR rain jacket for the past 6 years and it's still keeping me dry so hopefully these pants meet that standard.

I bought this for this upcoming spring backpacking seasons, and I’m very pleased. It is incredibly light, packs into its own back pocket, and is highly waterproof. I was in everything from light rain to driving rain while peakbagging, and it took 4 or 5 hours to wet out. I’m a huge fan of the lace hook, it really helped protect my gaiters and keep my socks dry. The pants got all muddy, but my gaiters stayed fairly clean, which helped keep my socks clean. That being said, I would like to see a little bit more breathability, and the waist is a little smaller than your typical medium.

Like the pants but unfortunately I've had to warranty two pairs. The durability just isn't there. Neither pair made it past a year and a half. Thankfully the OR warranty is great.

Just like its companion jacket, the helium rain pants make it in my bag every trip unless I am really expecting heavy rains or snow. Perfect as a wind or rain layer, especially for folks (like me) who tow the line between ultralight and too light, these pants have a range of utility. If you're expecting to wear them all day you may want to go with something else that has pockets, etc., but if you're throwing these on before you reach the summit so as not to freeze at the top or when you get caught in an unexpected shower then they are by far the best option out there.

I just test it out in a light rain for 80 minutes, a bit windy but not too hard, but the pants already show moisture inside both outside thigh areas. Very disappointed.