ProView – Bergans of Norway Moa Pant
“Rock climbing is a powerful tool for an individual to explore their true potential, both physically and emotionally. The places that rock climbing can take you, on the grand scale of things, are places that very few people have ever stood – this is why I climb.”
The Bergans of Norway Moa Pant is a softshell, full-length pant that makes its name as a lightweight and breathable windproof pant for all occasions. The 4-way stretch pant has a zippered thigh pocket that is appropriately situated to keep your phone, chapstick or map easily accessible. Add some UPF 35 rating and you know you’re covered no matter what the weather does.
Fit
I am 6’2” with a 33” inseam and a 34” waist and the Large fits wonderfully out of the box. Due to the 13% spandex material construction, expect the size to loosen up a bit in between washes. Take advantage of the belt loops for those day-before-washing wears. Out of the dryer, however, expect the size to fit like new.
Performance
I was not sure how I would wear a softshell pant when I pulled them from the box. I first thought of snowy days; maybe some warmer glacier travel days or alpine ice routes, but I was wrong. Think cool and crisp desert morning hikes up to Castleton and late nights around the campfire at Indian Creek. Due to their lightweight construction (1/2 a pound in weight) the Moa Pants excel fantastically outside their home in Norway.
The light weight and built-in stretchiness aids in the pant’s ability to be worn comfortably under a harness as you thrash your way up a this-can’t-be-5.8 off-width. Think you wore a hole through the side? Check again, the material is tougher than it seems. After continuous days of wearing and multiple sandstone chimneys, offwidths and scumming these pants still look brand new. New enough to wear with a (clean) button down shirt while out on the town.
The horizontal zippered thigh pocket is also larger than you would assume. Its size is big enough for a modern sized cell phone with room for it move around. Due to the pocket’s location, the contents of said pocket are always at hand; whether you’re bushwhacking through scrub oak or in a hanging belay.
The hems of the pant legs come with holes for you to thread some elastic in the cuffs of the pants if you needed to hike them up and cinch them down. Once I rolled them up to below the knee, the European cut took over and they did not need any elastic to help keep them rolled up where they belong.
Pros
- The breathability of these pants allows you to put them on before sunrise and be happy with them when the desert sun gets cooking around one in the afternoon.
- The horizontal zippered thigh pocket keep your essentials locked down but always accessible.
- European cut allows these pants transition from the cliffs to the bars wonderfully.
Cons
- No back left pocket.
- The cuffs do not come with elastic in them – although I never needed it, it would be nice if it came with it so the wearer could remove it if deemed unnecessary.
The Final Word
The Moa Pants have quickly made their way to the top of the pile, whether they are clean or not, because of their breathability and stretchiness. You can be confident pulling these pants on before sunrise and know that you will not regret it no matter what the weather does.
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About the Gear Tester
Patrick Betts
Patrick Betts is the Technical Director at Front Range Climbing Company and is based in Moab, Utah. He has been in the Outdoor Industry since 2009 and guides year-round in Colorado, Utah, and beyond. When he is not guiding, you will find him traveling to climbing destinations around the world. Patrick is an experienced adventure photographer who enjoys taking photos of people pushing their own limits and capturing the landscapes of the areas that rock climbing takes you. Follow along @adventurethrulens
The Moa Pants have continued to be my favorite pants. They have held up extremely well despite the fact that they have been worn/used in tight squeeze chimneys over the last few weeks.