Falcon Trousers Green

Customer Reviews

1. Falcon Trousers Review by David Cromack

   by David Cromack Date Added: Thursday 21 August, 2008
   Dealing with wet weather is a fact of life for British and North European birdwatchers, but if you've got the right gear, you can brave the elements with only a minimal impairment of your birdwatching pleasure.
   
   Country Innovation was the first company to examine the birding market and develop products in the best fabrics and colours to meet our specific needs. Earliest jackets were made in Ventile, a specially woven cotton fabric that forms a breathable, rustle-free waterproof barrier when exposed to rain.
   
   While perfect for the worst winter conditions, many birders found Ventile garments too heavy and warm for use in other seasons, so lighter products have now been introduced to the Country Innovation range. I've been testing the Falcon jacket and trousers for the past three months and am not surprised that they are the company's best selling products.
   
   One of the biggest bugbears of birding is having to don over-trousers to fend off heavy rain. Trying to slide these nylon horrors over boots or wellies is incredibly awkward and when you finally get underway, you and your companions have to put up with that irritating szipp-szipp sound as the material rubs together while walking. How many times have we mistaken it for the contact call of a small bird?
   
   The Falcon trousers end this misery at a stroke. Overtrousers become a thing of the past, as the Falcon trousers are both wind and waterproof and light enough to be worn as normal trousers. The soft outer fabric makes barely any noise in movement and the generous amount of material in the legs, coupled with articulated knee sections, means they are comfortable to wear even when engaged in clambering over rocks or other extreme terrain.
   
   The leg material is wide enough to wear over wellingtons, but the fabric is supple enough to be worn inside the wellies if that is your choice.
   
   The trousers come with a strong nylon webbing belt, a single zipped pocket and two side pockets with vertical openings. Normally this design is a recipe for losing your loose change every time you sit down, but the Falcon pockets are zipped to prevent this happening.
   
   The brushed Innovation XL lining works well as a wind blocker, but I found the trousers became a little too warm for total comfort on hotter days. Adding ventilation panels or zipped vents would help but clearly this degree of tailoring sophistication would add greatly to the cost. At £75 the Falcon trousers provide an affordable option that will enhance your birding comfort in most situations.
   
   They are available in olive green or charcoal colours, with waist sizes ranging from 30 up to 44 inches. The leg length is 32 inches...
   
   by David Cromack Date Added: Thursday 21 August, 2008
   
   Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!] (Posted on 18/02/2009)