Zorali Recycled Venture Pants Review

A solid pair of hiking pants is crucial for hiking enthusiasts around the globe. Whether it’s for protection against the elements, the ease of carrying your trail snacks or simply looking stylish on the trails, the Recycled Venture Pants from Zorali claim to do it all.

When I arrived home to see a parcel from Aussie outdoor brand Zorali containing my Recycled Venture Pants, the first thought that came to mind was when I’d be able to slide them on with the heat of the summer well on its way.

Fast forward only a few days and La Nina had sent some heavy rains over the north coast of NSW. So as I sat at my desk on Friday to plan the weekend’s adventure, I knew a waterfall hike was on the cards. I mean, what better way to test the pants than sending a 14 km hike deep into Springbrook National Park?

Are The Venture Pants Really Water Repellent?

We were about a third of the way into the hike when Amy remarked:

As I gazed over my shoulder to see the water dripping from her jacket onto her knee-length tights, I examined myself from head to toe. At that particular moment, my lower extremities were feeling delightfully dry and I plopped along with a cheeky grin on my face knowing that no water had permeated through the 100% recycled nylon or the fancy waterproof zippers, and nor would it, for the remainder of the hike. 

Little did we know that as we descended into the valley, that the hike was about to start sucking, literally. A family walked past with a single child running ahead of the pack.

‘How is it down there?’ I asked as I made room for them to pass. ‘It’s very leechy further down!” they called out as they continued the ascent. Before we knew it we were stopping every few minutes to rid ourselves of these thirsty bloodsuckers. Lucky for me, I had donned the Venture pants and tightened the cord around my ankles to not allow any leeches to latch onto my skin.

Though I did find a leech on my neck and one on my thigh in the shower after the hike (leeches be thirsty), overall the Venture pants did a stellar job of keeping my skin leech-free during the hike.

Design & Aesthetics

Although it is clear that the pants were designed and produced to perform on the trail, it seems that Zorali had their minds set on creating products that could be worn in a variety of settings. With the relaxed fit and the tightening cords at the ankles, you can create a tapered almost slim-fit look. I can definitely see myself using these pants for travelling or casual trips to and from the fridge when it’s cold out.

The next question you need to ask yourself is ‘How much scroggin is too much scroggin?’ Lucky for you, you won’t find out when wearing the Venture pants. As Zorali say themselves, the with a total of eight pockets, you’ll have enough space to carry scroggin for the whole crew on top of any tasty treats you have stashed away for yourself.

Comfort & Fit

On the whole, I can say that I’ve felt very comfortable every time I’ve worn the Venture pants. For this particular hike I started without my shirt tucked in, but found out a little later on that they sit even comfier a little higher up on my waist with my shirt tucked in. So I activated the Dad mode tuck for the rest of the hike.

There is nothing worse than stepping into a pair of pants and not feeling the freedom of being able to bend and kick my legs however they please. Zorali have hit the nail on the head by allowing full range of motion in both the hip and knee areas. If hiking a trail with roughly 800m elevation lost/gained in the Venture pants doesn’t vouch for this, I don’t know what will.

Cost

At $149.99, I think these pants are well priced. When you take into account the performance of the pants, the fact that they use recycled materials to produce it and plant 10 trees for every product sold, you can’t help but feel good about your purchase with Zorali.

PS. Sign up to their subscription list and get a $10 discount on your first order!

Jono was provided with the Zorali Recycled Venture Pants to review and got to keep them afterwards. The views are entirely his own.