Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Palisade Pants

Great, EXCEPT things fall out of pockets (if not zipped up) when sitting down or crouching. First trousers I've ever had with this feature in my life, ooo, 60 years of wearing trousers with pockets :-) The trousers are great - and the extra pockets help compensate for not having belt loops/exposed belts, which most of us like using for attaching utilities.

Great, EXCEPT things fall out of pockets (if not zipped up) when sitting down or crouching. First trousers I've ever had with this feature in my life, ooo, 60 years of wearing trousers with pockets :-) The trousers are great - and the extra pockets help compensate for not having belt loops/exposed belts, which most of us like using for attaching utilities.

Am I the only one that just cannot stand how fitted all these hiking pants are? I ordered up from my usual size 4 and still not enough room when bending knees. I don't want to feel my pants binding when I am bent down or taking a big step. Sending these back.

I totally agree to BusyB, I have 3 pants and 1 short, and I just wanted to by a new in a different color, when I realized the missing zippers AND the missing back pocket. The alternatives from customer service are not the same. I would like to have the old pant back, + 1 more back pocket. Different colors would also be nice. Unfortunately there are no more at the outlet stores. Latest next year I would like to read: Redesigned for 2013, now with 7 zippers!

The 2012 redesign is a step back in function for climbers and hikers by eliminating the front slash zip pockets and the zip wallet pocket. These features once set these pants apart from the crowd; not so now. Oh well...

I'm so disappointed with these trousers. I bought two pairs thinking I'd grow to live with them. But after the amazing Rampart anything else is junk. Anyway I've had them for over two months and I do not recommend them. They are ridiculously fitted; current trends have no place in activity clothes when they impede everything you want from them. The stupid little pockets drive me mad as does the weird belting situation. I like to carry added equipment on my belt and now I cannot do that. I may as well just take my handbag to finish off the outfit.

Come back original Palisade Pants. I have 8 pairs of the original style pants and 8 pairs of shorts. I bought one pair of the 2012 style and demoted them immediately to knocking about the house because they are so baggy and bulky round the open pocket area. The old style palisade fitted perfectly, they were very streamlined and lightweight. The diagonal zip pockets fitted perfectly to your body line and added subtle detailing. 'Cool' for urban and cool for hiking. I wear them everyday. Good job the material is so hardwearing as the ones I have are going to have to last as I will not be buying the new design again.

Arcteryx, say it ain't so... For years now I've loved the Palisade pants. I wear them on practically all my rock climbing and alpine ventures, and highly recommend them to all my climbing buddies. I was ready to buy my third pair when I noticed something wasn't right with the new 2012 version... A little bit of research led me to the unbelievable: the back pocket is gone, zippers are gone from the front pockets, more stitches everywhere.... How can this be ??? Why this 2012 version is claimed to be "improved" is beyond me, "Redesigned to a lesser version of itself" is more like it. Arcteryx, please have a serious discussion with your pants designers, and bring back the old palisades. Your company's reputation was built on superior products and design, and people like me willingly pay more to purchase your products for exactly that reason. Why you would sacrifice quality to be just like any other gear company out there is disappointing... Are you going to be the next North Face ? Bring back the old design. No compromise. I'll hold off on buying my next pair until next year, and will tell all my friends to wait as well until you resolve this unsustainable situation. My old palisades are so awesome that I'm sure they'll last me through another season...

the palisade pants used to be great. the 2012 redesign, however, is a tremendous step backward. first, as other reviewers have commented, the zippered hand pockets have been eliminated in favor of conventional hand pockets. adding insult to injury, the product description from arc'terys boasts that the new pants "now offer hand pockets." seriously, arc'teryx? the old ones offered hand pockets too. better ones. second, and also noted by other reviewers, the rear zippered pocket has been completely eliminated. why, arc'teryx? another disappointment with the new design is the proliferation of seams. the old design had fewer seams, most of which were stiched and then bonded so as to make them physically and visably unobtrusive. the new design forgoes most of the bonding so there's not just more but also bulkier seams. all of this points to cost-cutting--eliminated zippers and pockets, extra seams so as to use smaller textile panels to assemble the pants, and inferior seams at that. previously, if someone wanted a low-cost version of the palisade pants made from the same material but without the costly zippers and excellent construction, then rampart pants were a fine option for much less money. but now, the rampart pants are actually a better option, much cheaper but with equally good construction and better pockets. arc'teryx has essentially downgraded the palisade pants from a premium product to a cost-saving compromise, but kept the premium retail price. in response to a previous commentor lammenting the loss of the zippered hand pockets, an arc'teryx representative suggested a couple of alternative pants. but both of these were heavier and less suited to warm weather, travel, trekking, or any situation where one might wish to save weight/space. please, arc'teryx, just bring back the previous model--or even the model before that with the odd parallel zippered pockets--and charge us more if you must.

I still remember how Impressed I was when I fist saw these pants (the old version) 5 laminated zippered pockets, textured lightweight fabric, integrated belt. They were the perfect pants. Pants so awesome that they could never be bested. I was so impressed I bought six pairs which I wear most days to work and they have been serving me well ever since. To my shock and horror when I looked at the arc'teryx website today the pants I loved had been sacrilegiously defiled. How could this happen????? And NO the gamma LT and SL are not even nearly a match for the old palisade pants. the sizing scheme S,M,L fits poorly and it will be grossly uncomfortable to wear soft shell pants in the summer. Whats next? is the 2013 design going to remove the built in belt and add revolutionary new belt loops? Where is the back pocket? Where on earth am I supposed to put my wallet?