Walking Trousers

Páramo Maui Trousers | Review

On test: Páramo’s light, breathable and fast drying trousers for warm weather adventures

Why We Chose The Páramo Maui Trousers: Great breathability, useful features, quality build

Páramo’s Maui walking trousers (shorts are available as well) might look fairly simple and non-technical, but they actually bring a surprising amount to the table thanks to subtle features and a useful blend of natural and synthetic materials.

Who Are The Páramo Maui Trousers For?

These, we’d say, are best suited to any summer hiking and will also serve well on milder spring and autumn days as well. With their relatively light overall weight, they wouldn’t be too much of an inconvenience on any treks where they might stay in your backpack on some days. There are also a number of aspects about them that make them very suited to adventure travel.

Materials

Páramo’s Parameta A Cotton+ fabric is used here, a blend of organic cotton and synthetics that boasts a number of useful qualities. First and foremost, it’s fast wicking, so if you sweat into it, it’ll spread the moisture out thinly enough to allow it to evaporate quickly. It’s also woven densely enough (with a ripstop construction) to withstand, say, rough rock or sharp branches, and to block out UV rays and biting insects.

“There are a number of aspects about these that make them very suited to adventure travel”

The fit isn’t baggy, it’s kind of straight cut, but it’s still loose enough to accommodate a baselayer underneath if you needed to. Most waterproof overtrousers should fit over them well – all but skinny fit ones anyway. As for articulation, there’s plenty of that at the knee and at the crotch so there’s no restriction of your movement.

The Maui are best suited to summer hiking. Photo: Mike Brindley

Paramo’s Parameta A Cotton+ is extremely fast wicking. Photo: Mike Brindley

There’s an OS map sized cargo one on the thigh. Photo: Mike Brindley

Features

On the pockets front, there’s an OS map-sized cargo one on the thigh with a Velcro fastening and a hidden zipped pocket inside it which will fit a passport. There’s a zipped pocket on the backside that’s the right size for a wallet or phone and then two open handwarmer pockets. The waist has a slight elastication, it’s buttoned up and has a zipped fly. Belt loops are there if you need them.

A Maui jacket is also available if you want the whole top to bottom outfit.

Tester’s Verdict

Outdoors Magic Editor Will Renwick

“I used these over the course of a week in the Lake District, most notably wearing them through a soaking wet day in Buttermere and on a scramble up Blencathra via Sharp Edge. My verdict? I liked them.

Heading for Sharp Edge in the Páramo Maui Trousers. Photo: Jordan Tiernan

“The water resistance, admittedly, was pretty low and they soaked through after the first spell of heavy rainfall, however, their quick dry rate really redeemed them on this front. Around an hour after being saturated these were just about bone dry while my companions who were wearing softshell trousers were still feeling soggy.

“I should also point out that Páramo don’t actually label these as trousers for wet weather and they have other much more suitable options on that front – like the Cascada II for instance.

“They certainly felt very comfortable to wear in the mild conditions we had and never felt clammy, even during a couple of steep ascents with a heavy bag.

The Maui trousers can very light drizzle at bay. Photo: Jordan Tiernan

“Durability was very good too. I can see these lasting well.

“As for the fit, I’m a 32 waist and the Medium was fine for me. Such a perfect fit, in fact, that I didn’t need to wear a belt. After a double ration of Batchelor’s Pasta n’Sauce they might be a little on the tight side.”