Columbia Sportswear Venture II Convertible Pants Review

Features:

The Venture™ II Convertible Pants by Columbia Sportswear are a rugged canvas pant that converts to 10" inseam shorts. Durable wicking fabric and many pockets ensure comfort and plenty of places for storage. Active fit.

Specifications:

Material: 100% nylon canvas Ridge Trek™ Lite
Technology: Omni-Wick® & Omni-Shade®
Pockets: Side, Cargo, and Rear

In The Field:

I have had my Columbia Sportswear Venture II pants for about a year now. I have always been a fan of convertible pants, but have found many styles and materials that are too thin to be durable enough for my adventures. I was excited to find the Venture II's at an outlet store last year. They have met all my expectations and then some. Sizing is on par with pants by other manufacturers (small fits my thin 31" waist).

My primary use for these convertible pants is 3-season camping, hiking, and backpacking. I find them comfortable and convenient on a weekend camping trip. They are easy to convert between pants and shorts and there are plenty of pockets for storing items. I often put the pant legs in the cargo pockets after converting to shorts. That way I am ready when the temperature drops at night. I have found the durability to be excellent. No holes, cuts, or noticeably abraded areas. On some of my lighter weight convertible pants, I have small holes melted from campfire embers, but not on the Venture II pants. They have also held up perfectly to repeated washes (every weekend during the summer months).

More recently, I started using my Venture II pants in colder conditions, mostly because I don't like the bulk of hard-shell ski pants. With long underwear, I have been comfortable hiking and climbing in temperatures below 10°F. When things get too hot during activity, these pants are easy to vent by partially unzipping the legs or completely removing them.

See Lookout Mountain, Table Mountain, and Mt. Hood adventures where the Columbia Venture II pants were used.

Final Thoughts:

My Columbia Venture II's have become my go-to pants. The are great for most conditions warm or cold (with layering). I definitely recommend them and hope Columbia brings them back in the near future.