Like OR’s Alpine Onset Crew, my blue camo Alpine Onset Bottoms have become a staple in my outdoor-gear-for-cold-weather wardrobe. I love the style, fit, and functionality.(Also available in men’s sizes.)
Super Style
Right out of the bag I was excited by the Alpine Onset Bottoms. The fun, stylish design—featuring a wide black elastic waistband emblazoned with “Outdoor Research” in contrasting grey—had me feeling like one of the cool kids. I don’t know who in the fashion world first used this waistband style, but I love it.
More important: I appreciate how a wide waistband fits. Nice and flat. There’s no fabric around the waistband, so there’s no twisting or binding when I move. It’s also thinner, which is better for layering. There’s a yoke on the back of the bottoms, a smart feature that gives the pant more shape for a better fit. Likewise, the paneled pieces on the backs of the legs help shape the bottoms for fit and movement. Subtle but very important.
Perfect Fit
I tested a size L, my usual size, and found a very comfortable fit. The Alpine Onset Bottoms are designed to be worn “next to skin.” They are form-fitting but 100% comfortable during movement. The flat seams didn’t chafe in any spots, and the fabric has enough stretch to it that the bottoms moved with me.
The Alpine Onset Bottoms are made out of a merino/recycled poly blend, so they aren’t as soft initially as some 100% merino pieces I’ve tested. The poly adds durability, and I think some additional wicking and quick-drying properties, so I’m on board with this fabric. It still retains the most important benefits of wool (to me), such as warmth and wicking. The fabric softens with washing.
Washable, Durable
I am not normally hard on my clothes, but I’ve been pretty hard on my Alpine Onset layers since I’m using them primarily for my open water swimming adventures. I first used the bottoms, minutes after they arrived, under my wetsuit for a swim in the 37 degree F lake near my house. I didn’t think it would make a warmth difference because the wetsuit traps whatever water seeps in and keeps that space between my body and the suit warm somehow. Still, I had to try because during my previous swim I felt a tickle of cold across my lower torso that made me want to get out of the water before I was finished with my swimming goal. With colder water ahead and no funds for a thicker wetsuit, I put my faith in merino (and Outdoor Research).
Luckily, the Alpine Onset Bottoms are thin enough that I was able to fit them under my wetsuit. Even better, they worked. I got the extra warmth I needed to feel comfortable in the water, and didn’t feel any cold through my legs and torso (I wore a sleeveless merino top, too). I also have some knee-length merino pants, so when I wear them under my wetsuit I use both my Alpine Onset Bottoms and my Alpine Onset Crew as my first layers post-swim. The cold in “cold water swimming” doesn’t hit me until l leave the water and unzip my wetsuit. The minute I am naked, wet, and freezing on the shore, I go into full-on acrobatic frenzy, trying to get out of the neoprene and into warm layers. I almost never try to dry off because I can’t really get dry anyway. Wool is the ideal fabric for wet, cold skin. It hugs my skin and pulls the moisture away. Then I just pile on layers of insulation. Then I hydrate like crazy.
I’m not gentle in this frenzy, and I also end up washing the bottoms more than I usually would (thanks to wool not holding onto smells) because the entire wet mess of layers and towels ends up on my bathroom floor, along with a layer of sand. I think the poly in the fabric is helping the bottoms hold up to frequent washings.
Versatile Warmth
I’ve also been wearing the Alpine Onset Bottoms under a pair of cotton pants or under my favorite track pants when I go fishing at night (I know I should wear rain paints, but I am currently too plumb for them). While the air temperatures might read in the low 40 degrees F to high 30’s, the actual temperature is always much colder when I’m standing on the pier. There’s always a bit of wind, and it always feels like the wind is impregnated with the cold (freezing) sea water (because it is). That’s what they call “wet cold.”
Thanks to my Alpine Onset Bottoms, hours go by and I don’t get cold. My fishing partner always wants to leave before I do because he doesn’t have fancy warm bottoms! I’m grateful the merino does the job because I’m terrible at fishing but never want to leave. Staying warm is really the only thing I have going at this point!
I am very happy that Outdoor Research carries a more inclusive range of sizes for this item (XS-XXXL) than I usually see for active wear. There are millions of us out here who are not a size 10 or even 12; we want quality gear, too! The Alpine Onset Bottoms come in four colors: Black, Naval Blue Camo, Snow Camo, and Charcoal Heather.
Bottom Line
I’ve been wearing my Alpine Onset Bottoms for a few weeks, and really loving the fit, the warmth, and the fun style. Paired with the Alpine Onset Crew, I’m completely covered for all cold-weather activities (and lounging….I’m allowed to lounge in them, too.)
$89 at Moosejaw also available at Amazon.
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