CASCADA LAKEWOOD ADVENTURE PANTS REVIEW

CASUAL AND TECHNICAL PANTS FOR EVERY ADVENTURE

Words by Robert Johnston  |  Photos by Finlay Anderson

Getting the right balance of function and form in how you dress for day-to-day life can be tricky as a mountain biker or general outdoor enthusiast. You never know when you might end up scaling a mountain or wandering through a forest. But if you’re like me, you probably don’t want to dress in a way that makes you look like you’re going hiking or for a bike ride every day.

Cascada’s Lakewood Adventure Pants are designed to hit that function and form sweet spot, where they’re ready to support you on everything from a big bike mission to a couple of beers in the local pub. Since I received these in Spring, I’ve been wearing them most days, and have greatly appreciated their comfort and low-key technical prowess.

ABOUT THE CASCADA LAKEWOOD ADVENTURE PANTS

Cascada designed their Lakewood Adventure Pants to suit hiking, biking and general active living. To suit this, they’re made in Italy with a four-way stretch Ripstop fabric that consists of 92% Polyester and 8% Elastane. This fabric is designed to be rugged and durable, yet lightweight and breathable, and that’s exactly how it has performed. They’re further adventure-proofed with a DWR coating to fend off light rain and puddle splashes.

The overall cut is a regular and slightly athletic fit. The knees are slightly roomy and reinforced, making them compatible with a thin trail knee pad if desired; and offering space for a legging for the cooler days. The legs are slightly cropped to give chainring clearance, with an elasticated cuff at the rear to keep them in place.

There are two hand pockets on the hips and two rear pockets, sadly all without zippers. The waist features a button and zip closure; and they come with a drawstring belt through the standard belt loops to keep them in place.

The Cascada Lakewood Adventure Pants are offered in a choice of black or olive green colors in sizes XS-XXL, with a retail price of $158 / £121 / €140.

THE DIRT

As I alluded to in the introduction, I’ve been loving the Cascada Lakewood Adventure Pants. They strike a great style balance for my preferences, and offer a lightweight and comfortable solution for everything from a hike or impromptu bike ride to working in the local cafe or traveling by van or plane.

The cut is a great blend of athletic and casual, with my size large (34”) pair being very much true to size for a regular cut. The stretch of the material means that although they may look a little tight in some of the images, in use they felt like they had zero restriction. The drawstring belt did its job and kept them put for multi-mile hikes, pedals and even a rare gym workout. At no point did I wish for anything different on my legs.

I’d be a little hesitant to wear the Lakewood pants for regular aggressive mountain bike rides. That’s not to say that they wouldn’t stand up to light trail center usage, but they don’t feel quite tough enough to take the abuse of a muddy saddle for ride after ride or stand up to you hitting the deck time after time. They’re also a little too nice to be subjected to that kind of abuse, in my eyes. They’re not designed to rival your typical aggressive mountain bike pants though, so I wouldn’t say that it’s a negative or a flaw. These Cascada pants are a damn sight more comfortable and practical for less demanding usage than most mountain bike pants.

There’s two things I’d love to change to make the Lakewood adventure pants perfect for my needs. The first would be to add zips to the side pockets to ensure the valuables stay safe. They’re deep and secure enough for day-to-day, but once you get a bit adventurous then your possessions may be at risk.

The second would be some length options. As a long-legged man, I’d love to add a couple of inches to the lower leg of these, with the versatility of being able to roll them up on a bike ride. It would be awesome to see Cascada offer two leg length options to let people get their fit truly dialed in. For now, I just try to ensure I’ve got some cool socks to show off.

Over the six months of wearing these at any given opportunity, they’ve shrugged off any real signs of wear and tear, with only a few popped stitches to show for a serious amount of abuse. I’m confident that they’ll be able to join me on many more adventures to come, as long as I don’t wear them during too many aggressive bike rides. They’re not cheap, but feel like the kind of item you’d wear and enjoy until long after you’ve forgotten about how much you paid for them.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Although there are a couple of minor details that could make them even better, the Cascada Lakewood Adventure Pants are an item that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and have barely taken off in the half-a-year I’ve had them. They live up to their name, and provide an excellent item to wear while exploring the world by foot, bike or even on a plane.

Price: $158 / £121 / €140
Website: Cascada.cc