Gear Review – Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants
Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants
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MARCH, 2023
Hiking pants aren’t at the top of the list of ‘sexy’ backpacking gear. Some hikers just grab whatever bottoms they have handy and head out on the trail. But if you hike long enough you’ll come to appreciate a great pair of hiking pants. Something that’s light, comfortable, breathable, durable, dries quickly, and has plenty of pockets for storage. Oh, it doesn’t hurt if they look good too – for wearing around trail towns before and after a hike. I’ve tried many pants in the 13 years I’ve been backpacking and no hiking pant comes close to the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight hiking pants. Check them out on Railriders website here.
Tried many hiking pants before finding the Railriders VersaTac
It took a while to stumble upon the RailRiders VersaTac Ultralight pants. I have a bin with all the hiking clothes I’ve used since starting backpacking in the fall of 2010. There are many different pants in it. The first pants I used for a significant amount of time were Columbia Titanium convertible pants. ‘Convertible’ pants have zippered legs that allow you to make them into shorts. They were great. Sadly, Columbia doesn’t make that version anymore, and I don’t like any of their current pants. In 2016 and 2017, I used PrAna Zion convertible pants. I loved the PrAna’s, but they were heavy, and the material retained water. In addition, they began to smell bad after many days on the trail (likely due to staying wet longer).
“I‘ve been buying hiking clothes for many decades and the Versa-Tac ultra-lights are by far the best. They are worth every dollar for the quality you get. They’re the most comfortable pants I’ve ever worn. The ultralight pants are the lightest pants I’ve come across. I love all the special features and pockets.” – Ian D. Review
Discovering the Railriders Versatac Ultralight pants
I’d love to share an exciting story about discovering Railrider pants. Perhaps finding a pair at the end of a rainbow on a beautiful Glacier trail. But it wasn’t nearly that interesting. After the 2017 Great Smoky Mountain National Park hike, I noticed the Columbia Titanium pants I had used had a big hole in the crotch. From prior research, I knew Columbia no longer offered the Titanium convertible pants. I started a search for something else to replace my Columbia’s. An outdoor gear store had sent me a marketing email with a discount code for Railriders pants. Even though they were pricey ($110), I decided to try them. Before I even tried them on, I knew I would love them. It was apparent they were extremely well constructed. The material was lightweight but had some mesh stitching throughout to add strength. It was love at first sight!
Materials, Features, Colors and Weight – VersaTac Ultralight
The VersaTec pants are constructed from lightweight 30z rip-stop nylon. The knees and butt area are reinforced. There are two identical side ‘cargo’ pockets – more on the pockets below. The pocket openings are reinforced to prevent abrasion from knife clip chafing. There are two back pockets with both button and velcro closures, as well as a flap that comes over the opening to protect against weather. The VersaTac Ultralight pants come in five colors: Loden (pictured at right), slate, black, khaki, and light tan. The Railriders website lists the weight as 14 ounces (397 grams). I have two pairs. My loden pants weighed 485 grams, and my khaki pants weight 478 grams. The difference is mainly from the web belt I use. The VersaTec pants don’t come with a belt.
VersaTac Ultralight pockets are “The Best Pockets Around”
Railriders list one of the features on the VersaTac pants as “the best pocket around.” I’m unsure if they’re the best, but the pockets are undoubtedly the most complex. Two identical cargo pockets are on the front sides of the pants in the upper thigh area. There are also two pockets on the back in the upper butt area. All four of the pockets close using the same methods. They close with two buttons, velcro, or both. In addition to being used for sealing the pocket, the flap on each pocket also covers the pocket opening. The flap comes down about two inches to provide weather protection. Each of the pockets is quite large and allows for plenty of storage. The front pockets are the same size and slightly larger than the rear pockets.
Pockets inside of pockets – and zippers on the side of the pockets
In addition to the top velcro/button opening, the two side front pockets also have zippered openings on the side. I’ve never used the side zipper openings, and I’m wondering why you need a zipper on the side in addition to the top opening. (OK, the website mentions the zipper is for front pocket access while seated or kneeling… ok then!). The left front pocket has an additional smaller, narrow internal pocket that could be used for storing a small flashlight, lighter, or similar small, thin item. The right front pocket has an additional larger pocket that is intended to be used to store a cell phone. I’ve found in field use, the pockets are easy to use and have plenty of space for maps, cell phone, keys, dog leashes, etc.
VersaTac Ultralight Pants – Cost, Field Experience and Durability
As of this article (March 2023), the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants cost $120. I bought my first pair in June 2018. At that time the list price was $110 and I found a company (Thunder Adventure Company) offering a 10% discount. My final price was $99. I’ve owned a total of three pairs of VersaTac Ultralight Pants – two in loden and one in khaki. The first pair I bought in 2018 developed a tear in the front crotch area (in 2021). Railriders’ website doesn’t list a warranty return process or time limit. I probably could have worked with them to get it fixed or replaced, but I felt I had received a reasonable life. I simply bought another pair of the same pants. My experience has been that Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants have been extremely durable.
Conclusion – Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants
If you’re looking for hiking pants that are durable, lightweight, comfortable, versatile, and also look good, you should check out the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants. I’ve used three different pair of VersaTac’s over the last five years of hiking and they have been perfect for me. Note that this review is for the VersaTac Ultralight pants, not the VersaTac Light pants. The two different pants look identical but the ‘light’ version is made from heavier material, and weighs four ounces more than the ultralight pants. Railriders also makes VersaTac Ultralight shorts which are also fantastic. I own two pairs of the shorts in addition to the pants. I highly recommend Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants, and Railriders clothing in general.
