Construction & Features

What makes the Outdoor Research Astro Pants exceptional is their hybrid mapped construction. The back side is comprised of lightweight ripstop Ferrosi fabric for durability, and ultralightweight Astroman sun protection fabric on the front face for breathability and comfort. The blend is effective and puts each fabric where it’s needed most. The only downside that there a few extra seams.

At 15% Spandex, these pants are seriously stretchy and have a gusseted crotch. You will never, ever feel movement impaired by these pants, not even practicing yoga.

Two drop-in, trouser cut hand pockets adorn the sides, and a zippered rear pocket is situated on the back right. The side pockets are of average depth, and made of the Astroman fabric. However, because this fabric is stretchy and slippery, it does not create a very secure hold on contents. Phones and larger items are somewhat prone to falling out when the pockets are inverted. As such, we do not recommend using them to store essentials if there is any chance they will become inverted. This is our least favorite aspect of the pants, and could be fixed by zippers. We love zippered hand pockets on this style of pants.

The Waistband is very wide and comfortable, if not a bit loose. It is secured by a continuous internal drawstring. Pull out a bite and tie a slippery half hitch to secure it properly. If you have to cinch it tight, it will become wavey looking when not worn, which is another minor downside.