Vents
The Roam features both inner and outer thigh vents. The outer vents reach from the top at the waist to just above the knee, and feature three zipper heads per vent to that you can dial in the size and position of the opened vent. On the left side this outer vent is topped with a button flap that when opened allows you to open the vent and fold the whole back side of the bibs out of the way if nature happens to call.
The inner vents are ten inches long, and allow for a nice cross-draft when used in conjunction with the outer vents.
In the field, I’ve found the outer vents to be more than adequate for 75% of the touring I do, and have only had to resort to the inner vents on very warm days. This combination of vents allows the Roam to dump heat as well or better than any other pant I’ve used.
Cuffs
The Roam Bib has what Trew calls a “stretchy abrasion resistant kick patch” at each cuff. It’s sized and placed similarly to the cuff guards on most other pants, but instead of being made of thick, stiffer material, it’s actually very light and stretchy.
At first inspection it doesn’t inspire confidence, but I’ve come away impressed so far. I have a tendency to tear apart the inside cuffs of my pants with my ski edges, and the Roam has yet to show any signs of wear. Of course the true test will come this spring when I’m spending much more time in crampons, and I’ll report back if I run into any issues there.
Other Features
The Roam’s inner snow gaiters are simple and functional. There are no zippers or fancy adjustments, just a ring of elastic with rubber grippers, and a small hook to hold it over your boot. I did appreciate the tighter loop of elastic, since it means the cuffs stay down well over smaller-calved touring boots when bootpacking, an issue I’ve run into with some other gaiters.
The Roam’s suspenders are easily adjustable, and do a great job of keeping the pants up without a belt. However, I’ve found that over the course of longer tours they have a tendency to re-adjust and make themselves longer. This often means I’ll pop out at the top of a line with my pants significantly sagged. While this undoubtedly earns me steeze points, it’s a little annoying since as they sag, they have a tendency to start restricting my stride. I’ve fixed this issue by tapping the straps together under the buckle. So now they are secure, but not adjustable.
Durability
I’m always a little skeptical of lightweight, dedicated backcountry gear. I have a tendency to break and tear things, and having that happen on a long tour is less than ideal. However, so far I have been impressed with the Roam. After 19 days touring they still look fresh out of the box. I’ll report back as I get more days in them and expose them to more pointy tools.
Bottom Line
Trew’s Roam ¾ Bib is a well-designed, well-thought-out piece of backcountry apparel. Its appropriate fit, low weight, and well-thought-out vents and pockets optimize it for long days on the skin track and big descents. The suspender adjustment clips could be more secure, but I’ve found that to be a small gripe about an otherwise great piece of gear.
A few comments as I bought a pair of these also to use as touring pants, but had to ultimately return them.
1) I disagree on size, I feel they run large. I’m 5’10”, 150#, 32×30 jeans, traditionally a medium. I tried a medium, and they were huge around the waist. Trew cross-shipped me a pair of smalls, which fit much better.
2) I agree on the oversized beacon clip. I spoke to them about it, and they said it’s getting shrunk for ’16/’17.
3) I disagree on the gaiter size – they were too small to fit over the tops of my Vulcans (27.5). I could barely get it over the top of my Intuition liners, and couldn’t pull it over the power strap / buckle. This was ultimately the deal breaker for me. That said, when I mentioned it to them, he apologized and said that it worked fine for his Maestrales. It will probably be revised for next season.
Overall though, they do seem like a very nice pair of backcountry bibs which I would have kept if they worked with my boots.
Sorry to hear that Andy!
I’m a little surprised, I’m a 32″ waist and the Large, while not snug around my waist, was in line with Large pants from other brands, while a little slimmer, and especially with a bib pant, I don’t expect waists to fit so well for us long and skinny types.
Stoked to hear the beacon clip is shrinking, as I said, I cut mine off and just clip my tether to the fabric loop.
Not so surprised to hear that about the gaiters on the Smalls. I’m actually a little impressed that the Small was long enough for you at 5’10”, my Larges fit fine over both Fischer TransAlps, and my much bulkier Roxa X-Face’s, with Intuition PowerWraps.
I’m planning on purchasing a pair of these + Wander Jacket soon. Both reviews reinforced my decision, so thanks. Being a long time chest wearer of transceivers I was also a bit skeptical about the transceiver pocket. In my unique situation, having Trew’s transceiver pocket to (actually) avoid wearing my transceiver on my chest is great. I recently received both an implanted defibrillator and a mechanical aortic heart valve (2nd one in 30 years). The electronics of the transceiver could actually interfere with my defibrillator if worn too close to it , as well as irritate the area around it. Also, after two open heart surgeries I avoid wearing anything on my sternum which will be sore the rest of my days. Eliminating the challenge of layering (with a transceiver) as well as the quick access to it is another bonus for me and should be enough of a benefit for everyone else. The unintended result of the design for me is pretty cool.
I bought these and really wanted to love them. They wear pretty well and aren’t too baggy (nice for long tours/ any time crampons come out). The things that make me think that the pants aren’t going to work out are:
1. The built in gaiter cuffs. As the poster above said with dynafit boots these are a pain in the ass. It is a wrestling match to get them over an open cuff. In cold weather I don’t like to take my gloves off to mess around with stuff like this.They do their job wearing old school gaiters over my pants would too and also possibly make for quicker transitions.
2. At 5’11 160# I usually wear a medium or small for pants that I ski in. The mediums fit good through the legs. However the waists are basically clown pants. Not the end of the world in it’s self but when combined with the suspenders that slip after a very short period of time and don’t really do there job. I’d rather not have the suspenders and just wear a belt.