i'm shopping for down filled pants. help?

[pointysticks]

i think i know what i am looking for. i want them easy to take on and off..so zippers or snaps down the sides would be awesome. i want them to be reinforced in the butt, and maybe the knees so i can sit on the ground with them. pipedream?

sitting and glassing in super cold weather..i hate it. it would be great to unpack a pair of tightly stuffed down pants and slip them over my legs for the long sits.

i emailed KUIU and their pants have the zippers..designed to go over boots. but they responded to me saying their pants are supposed to go under their regular pants. you have to take off the boots to take off their regular pants..so the side zippers are moot.

any ideas? slim?

[Harmy]

Sitting on cold ground with down does not realy work too well in my experience as down compresses so much. I still freeze from the ground. What I do is a bit different from what you are seeking. I have down pants that I can put on over the top of my clothes like you are seeking. They are just like the Kuiu design (well, not quite...). I also take a crazy creek chair or a short insulite pad (the chair is better as now you have a back rest). This is what I sit on and the chair is not that heavy. The combo is not that heavy either (probably not as heavy as a pair of insulated and reinforced heavy duty ski pant setup). I feel that this setup is much less bulky too (pants in stuff sack inside my pack and hook chair on outside of pack). I don't feel I need the heavy reinforced fabric on these down pants as I am not walking around doing things in them where I might damage them. Thus, for me the Kuiu option is superior for my style of sitting on my butt for long periods and glassing. I do not wear another layer over the down pants (unless it is snowing).

[Indian Summer]

Cabelas USED to make down underwear. I have the top. It's like a low bulk jacket. I tried to get the bottoms and found they were discontinued. They aren't outerwear anyway.

Sounds like you might be in the market for a Heater Body Suit. Pricy but they'll give you a break if you find 2 friends and buy 3.

They roll up nice and have shoulder straps for carrying. Nice thing is boots and all go inside so no cold feet either. They are really nice. It hardly gets cold enough to use mine that much.

[WindedBowhunter]

pointysticks I am assuming you would like for these down pants to be outerwear?

As others have pointed out, if the down gets wet, the party is over... So, maybe a synthetic pant might work, something like the Sitka Gear Kelvin Pant or Kelvin Pant lite. But, these are insulation layers, not made for brush busting or outerwear! For local whitetail hunting, I personally wear my Sitka Gear Kelvin Pant to the stand, once I reach the stand and get setup, I then put on my outer layer pant, when it below 25*F.

If you are set on down, Montbell makes a nice ultralight down pant that I have used in the past for my backcountry adventures.

Winded Bowhunter/Rudy

[Lefty]

Not really sure what you are looking for, something like down bibs?
Sitting is going to compress the down and you will loose most of its insulation value in your rear,You might want think about customizing a down sleeping bag, or as suggested a heater bag and bringing along a closed cell butt pad to sit on
I use to bring an old military feather/down bag for my daughters in the goose blind layout,..Something that stops all the wind is important also

[bnsafe]

down underwear rocks if you can find them. i have a couple pair in the house. but they are way to hot to walk in and dont do well if its raining.

[Indian Summer]

That's the "downside" (ha ha) if natural down gets wet or compressed it's useless.... and, it keeps you sooo warm that you don't want to wear it while walking to your spot unless it's not far and very cold out. That's why I like to have the warmest solution possible... and carry it to my stand or glassing spot. The idea to use a sleeping bag is definitely a good one if it's THAT cold out and you'll be on the ground.