Patagonia Gi II Zip-Off Pants

First pair of zip-offs I have tried and I was disappointed.

I wanted to get some Mountain Hardwear convertibles but I couldn't find any.

Zips at the thigh are either too low or my femurs are too long: under soaking wet waterproofs they catch on my knees.

Worse though is the fact that the bottom leg sections will not pull over a pair of size 10/44 boots. I found this out halfway up the hill and ended up dancing to a rock on one leg and then struggling to get my boot off underneath the trapping fabric. If I have to take my boots off to convert the legs, I may as well change into a real pair of shorts while I have my boots off.

I had seen others zipping off the leg sections of their pants and hadn't thought about the fact that the side zips are essential. I can get them over the boots (just) if I use the plastic bag trick*, but who wants to be doing that halfway up a mountain and then halfway down?

Good for the beach. If Patagonia make a more technical trouser with zips at the calf, then get those, or get the best: Mountain Hardware.

*carry a plastic shopping bag and place over your boots first, then slide the trouser legs over the top.