Weighing only 12 oz, the hyper-light Quasar pants, made of the waterproof 2.5-layer Dry.Q Elite material, “hit the mark for alpine shell pants,” said our tester, who took them ice climbing and backcountry skiing in the Northeast. The Kevlar cuffs stood up to cramponing with no nicks or tears, and he appreciated the adjustable ankle girth and full side zips, which offered snag-free removal even with crampons or ski boots. The handy front zip also meant you could pull your belay loop through with a harness on under the pants—a bonus on full-conditions days. “Well-crafted but not over-designed, they’ve got everything I’m looking for in a shell pant, and no unneccessary bells and whistles,” said our tester.

$200, mountainhardwear.com (men's | women's)

See more of our top gear picks in our 2018 Climbing Gear Guide: Editors' Choice Awards.