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review

Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants

8
£170.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Lovely casual and very effective trousers for gravel, town or just general riding, but very expensive too
Comfortable on the bike
Comfortable off it
Hold off showers
Stretch and hang well under pedalling
Four other colour options and one is purple
How much?!
Weight: 
290g

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The Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants are extremely good – they're stretchy, fit and hang well, feel really nicely made and are very comfortable both on the bike and off. They're considerably more expensive than some really strong competition, though.

Imagine some stretchy walking trousers and you've mostly got the picture here, though there are some subtle cycle-specific features to go with that not-exactly-subtle logo.

The waist is high at the back and, with its well-judged stretch and adjustable (mostly hidden) webbing belt, stays well put as your ride and doesn't leave you exposed to draughts.

2022 Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants - Unisex - waist detail.jpg

I found the legs narrow enough to cause no issues too, though I used these on a bike with a single chainring – if you do find them catching, both hems have toggled elastic adjusters for cinching them in.

2022 Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants - Unisex - ankle cuff detail.jpg

When I first put them on I fully expected these trousers to rise up to mid-calf – exposing waaaay too much sock in proper old-school headmaster style – just as soon as I started pedalling. The fabric is stretchy and very light; I really though it would just creep up. In reality it doesn't. No matter how hard I rode or how warm or damp I got, they happily sat at a perfectly reasonable level.

2022 Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants - Unisex - 2.jpg

I rarely got too warm as they're very breathable and (as I said) feel very light. I was happy in these on days around 15°C, even working really hard on steep climbs, and for the most part – given the casual riding they're aimed at – you'll be comfortable on much warmer days than that.

They also keep off the worst of quite chill winds in high single figures, though as temperatures drop you can feel really sharp gusts through them. Their operating window, as it were, is pleasingly broad. So long as it's not freezing, boiling or pouring down you'll be comfortable.

I managed to avoid any serious downpours, but the DWR coating did very well at keeping various showers off and they never got any less comfortable when damp. They dry reasonably quickly too.

2022 Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants - Unisex - pocket.jpg

I also tried these while walking to see if they were any cooler/too cool for making less effort in, and found they were great in those conditions too. So they're pretty versatile, though (being picky) I did find them annoyingly swooshy to wear indoors. Outside, walking or riding, I never noticed the sound at all.

If you want to make a statement you can get these in white or purple as well as black, brown or this olive green, though as soon as you go through a muddy puddle in white ones you're going to look like you've soiled yourself.

2022 Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants - Unisex - back.jpg

If you really, really want to make a statement, just leave the price ticket on. Because at £170 these are furiously expensive trousers. Even Rapha's chino-like Technical Trousers are 'only' £110 (we tested them in 2020), and Rapha is hardly known as a budget brand, while there are plenty of good quality options around the £90-£100 level.

The Pearl Izumi Men's Rove Trousers, tested by Matt in 2020, are fairly similar to the PNS ones and £99.99, for instance, while the Vulpine Men's City Chinos are much the same at £100. Unfortunately those lack belt loops so can slip down as you ride – Vulpine's Men's Omnia Cycling Jeans don't make the same mistake, and scored highly at the same £100 asking price, though.

> Best casual cycling commuter wear – check out our buyer’s guide

Overall, these are lovely, comfortable and stylish trousers for riding and general outdoorsery, but oh my flipping blinking word that price. I do rather like the purple ones, though...

Verdict

Lovely casual and very effective trousers for gravel, town or just general riding, but very expensive too

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Pas Normal Studios Escapism Pants

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Pas Normal Studios says: "The Escapism Pants are a smart, functional piece for year-round use. These pants take on a casual fit while retaining highly stretchable properties to move with you through your daily life, taking you easily from the streets to the trails."

Certainly you don't want your trousers staying behind as you move through your daily life.

"The Escapism Collection is our model for exploring beyond the white lines on the road and giving meaning to everything that exists outside these boundaries."

So these trousers both give meaning to the universe AND keep your legs warm.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Pas Normal Studios lists:

Natural stretchability from nylon and spandex fibres

Open side pockets and a lapped zip back pocket

Redesigned zippers and zip pullers for pockets

Canvas waist adjustment with locking buckle

Adjustable drawstring on bonded hems

Water-resistant DWR finish

Made in Taiwan

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very neat and tidy.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
3/10

They're very expensive.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

No problems.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

They're very comfortable, stretchy and light.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

They rustle loudly when walking and are incredibly expensive.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Really badly... most rivals sit between £80 and £110. Even waterproof overtrousers made from class-leading Gore-Tex can be had for less than this.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? If they were sensibly priced, absolutely.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? One with lots of money, yes.

Use this box to explain your overall score

These are excellent trousers for casual riding and walking – in performance, quality and comfort there's really nothing to complain about. The price, however, is massively higher than most similar trousers. If these were closer to the competition they'd score higher, but £60-£70 really is a huge premium over some very good rivals.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 183cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: Vitus Zenium SL VR Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: general fitness riding, mtb,

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
1 like

I'd take issue with calling them stylish,  they look like you've just wandered in off of a hiking holiday.

The look with that webbing belt is cheap as chips too.

Me no likey

Avatar
Steve K replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
2 likes

I agree.  And add the slogan on the thigh to your list of gripes.

Given the price compared with other alternatives, the 8 out of 10 seems remarkably generous.  

Avatar
andystow | 1 year ago
0 likes

Are those the men's version on the mannequin? They look unusually high-waisted, even for cycling specific trousers.

Avatar
Steve Williams replied to andystow | 1 year ago
1 like

I think they're just unisex - look on their site in the women's collection and you get the same images of a man wearing them. They don't strike me as oddly high when I'm wearing them, personally, and they feel just right for walking too. The mannequin can make a lot of things look a bit weird...

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