Thread: Warehouse ”Back Country” trousers

I’ve been meaning to write a review of these trousers for a while.

Some may well laugh and scoff at the title! I get that, we are not talking KUIU here. But bear with me.

https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/bac...124954-1M.html

I have been wearing a pair of these trousers for four successive winters now. They have had an incredibly hard time and yet they are still pretty much completely intact except for a sewn up rip on the rear end. The reason these work so well for me is that they have a waterproof outer on the rear end, over the knees and down the front of the legs to the ankles. I can vouch for the effectiveness of this outer layer because I have spent hundreds of hours sitting, kneeling and lying prone in wet muddy grass, and I noted again this last trip that whenever I get back to the Homestead I’m always dry (even when I’ve been rained on a fair bit too).

I wore them during the recent bluebird cold snap (with light thermals). I was starting out in the predawn -5°C and getting a decent walk in and didn’t feel in the slightest bit cold. I actually got a bit too hot in them a couple of times and ended up dropping the thermals. I particularly value their warmth when riding the quad back to the Homestead in the dark around 4-5°C. The last leg is usually a 4 km drag up the road to avoid having to ride through the farm with all the gates. If you are wet or underdressed it doesn’t take long to get very cold on that ride home.

What really impresses me though is how easy they are to clean. When I get back home of an evening these trousers are usually totally covered in mud, shit and blood. Because of the steep terrain I’m usually cutting up deer using my legs to hold the torso in position so I always get covered in blood. I just chuck the trousers into the washing machine on a cold intensive cycle with no washing powder, spin them on high and hang them in front of the fire overnight… and put them on again in the morning. Perfectly clean!

For $60 they’re a bloody steal. Just bought another 2 pairs, and I’ve probably got hunting trousers for life now.

good stuff..might just have to invest in a pair myself....have found this winter Im wearing fleece pants more often and doing away with thermals and gaiters...they great in summer but with fleece pants I dont need them...the nylon bit in front might be ideal out in tussocks and spanyards...maybe a bit scratchy in the ferns??? but probably no worse then gaiters.
thanks for taking time to write this up.

My Back Country tops and rugger shorts usually outlast most name brands. The rugger shorts have deep pockets; ideal for holding staples when fencing.... And maybe good if you're a short armed drinker who doesn't like to shout at the pub... I looked at an old hunting pic the other day and realised that I'm still wearing that fleece bush shirt about 9+ years later! And I usually wear them every day

Thanks for the review going to grab a couple of pair tomorrow.

I've got 3 pairs now retired from full time farm use (as I am) best value winter wear ever. Only thing they need is a zip fly, got to pull them down and wave your bum in the breeze for a pee.

Great trousers, can be a bit to warm even on frosty nights if moving about/climbing uphill but excellent when sitting for a long time waiting for animals to come to the party.

Thanks for the heads up. I've never spent decent money on hunting pants because I simply hate wearing pants. I'm a shorts all year round even at work guy. But at 60 bux ill grab a pair for cold long glassing sessions. Cheers

If it's the pair I got a few years back and good wearing pants but found I sweated like a bastard in them on the last few trips. Legs were soaked and pants a bitch to dry out. They look similar but got them 6 years ago so maybe a close type

Originally Posted by csmiffy

If it's the pair I got a few years back and good wearing pants but found I sweated like a bastard in them on the last few trips. Legs were soaked and pants a bitch to dry out. They look similar but got them 6 years ago so maybe a close type

Yeah they’re definitely better as colder weather pants for Gentlemans hunting, i.e. sitting around glassing waiting for something to pop out of the scrub. They are too warm for lots of walking especially if it’s humid.

When I know I’m going to be walking a fair bit, then I wear the Back Country rugby shorts @bumblefoot mentions, with Sarvo’s M-Tac Ukrainian thermals and calf length TwinNeedle gaiters. I carry a bunch of stuff in the one box on the bike, and will get changed on the hill around mid-morning when it's warmed up.

Those Ukrainian thermals were a bloody good buy, there’s a few of us on here that were wearing the stuff well before Zelenskyy turned up in M-Tac gear!

I have the same pants and matching coat and they have both been awsome for the last 4 years and still look like new.
The heavy gauge fleece makes some of the high end stuff look like tissue paper

Appreciate reviews on affordable gear, its too easy to get caught up in all the flash gear as its always advertised etc and as a result not consider other options. Cheers

Originally Posted by TimC

Thanks for the heads up. I've never spent decent money on hunting pants because I simply hate wearing pants. I'm a shorts all year round even at work guy. But at 60 bux ill grab a pair for cold long glassing sessions. Cheers

@TimC I worked out the other day that I've only worn long pants and shoes once in 2 1/2 years.... A week or so ago I bought another pair of Back Country rugger shorts as my "going out shorts".... Hillbilly Top Level Tier achieved..... The pockets in those shorts go right down to the hem of the shorts; ideal for the phone etc! No; I'm not sponsored by the Warehouse....

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

@TimC I worked out the other day that I've only worn long pants and shoes once in 2 1/2 years.... A week or so ago I bought another pair of Back Country rugger shorts as my "going out shorts".... Hillbilly Top Level Tier achieved..... The pockets in those shorts go right down to the hem of the shorts; ideal for the phone etc! No; I'm not sponsored by the Warehouse....

Haha nice. Yeah well I'm right up there with you in that top tier, I even got married wearing shorts and bare feet!

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

@TimC I worked out the other day that I've only worn long pants and shoes once in 2 1/2 years.... A week or so ago I bought another pair of Back Country rugger shorts as my "going out shorts".... Hillbilly Top Level Tier achieved..... The pockets in those shorts go right down to the hem of the shorts; ideal for the phone etc! No; I'm not sponsored by the Warehouse....

So @bumblefoot... Do you have the same problem as I do with the Back Country shorts I wonder. That is to say, my tackle tends to hang out of the one side of the shorts when I sit down. This has caused some commotion as I've done it without realising in the presence of my wife's girlfriends, resulting in much shaming and humiliation. I've been bitten there (lots) by sandflies, and on one notable occasion shifted position while sitting in the grass and impaled my bits on a thistle. Not nice.

It's almost bad enough to warrant wearing Y-fronts or "briefs" but that's been a step too far to date.

Yup; so I wear these..... https://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/p/tra...160546-1M.html Especially so as I've been teaching a lady to hunt and didn't want to horrify her if she happened to look up if I was in front of her when climbing a hill....