Founded in 2020, LIVSN has designed a nearly perfect pair of men’s pants for the outdoors. We put a pre-production pair of the EcoTrek Trail Pants to the test over the last 6 months.
If I had to design a do-all outdoor pant, I’d have a hard time coming up with something better than the LIVSN EcoTrek Trail Pant. And while the brand’s first product knocked it out of the park with a rugged canvas pant that our editors absolutely loved, the new model brings more stretch, lighter weight, and an athletic design. Hopefully, the new pant will be more suitable for climbing or fast-paced activities in warmer climates.
In short: The LIVSN EcoTrek Trail Pant is an excellent choice for men who want lightweight, stretchy, durable pants. The brand thought of many details that make them stand out in a crowded outdoor apparel market. And the recycled ocean plastic material helps you feel great about your purchase.
LIVSN EcoTrek Trail Pants Review
Launching today on Kickstarter, LIVSN is building on its original platform by offering a fully synthetic option more suitable for long-term use outdoors and travel. The new pants are lightweight, quick-drying, moisture-wicking, water-resistant, and very stretchy. Check out how they stack up against the best travel pants on the market.
Over the last few months, I’ve worn them hiking, camping, and just generally living outdoors. Admittedly, I wore them more during the warm weather of summer and early autumn, when the light pants really shined for great breathability.
These pants are darn-near perfect. The front hip pockets are large enough to carry keys, a phone, and your wallet with ease. A great knife pocket sits slightly lower down the right leg. The reinforced pocket will stand up to repeated use with a knife pocket clip.
The back pockets zip shut, a nice security feature for stashing important items if you’re going to spend a long day outdoors, or maybe for climbing or running.
Much like the canvas version of these pants, the cuffs roll up. You can secure them rolled up like capris on a button on the leg. It’s a great feature for climbing or when you want less material on your lower legs.
Finally, the fit of the pants is athletic but not tight. A gusseted crotch means you have plenty of mobility. And articulated knees add to the freedom of movement.
LIVSN EcoTrek Trail Pants: Sustainable Details
With all its products, LIVSN strives to balance versatility, comfort, and durability with the intention that customers can own fewer pieces of clothing. This ties directly to LIVSN’s chief view of sustainability: a product that lasts a long time and serves a variety of purposes is the most sustainable. That being said, there’s more than meets the eye in the EcoTrek pants regarding sustainability and technical features.
The EcoTrek pants start life as fishing gear. The material used to make the pants, Oceanflex fabric, is 70% recycled fishing buoys recovered from the ocean. And the rest is 25% nylon and 5% spandex for stretch. The YKK zipper taping is also created from recycled ocean plastic.
LIVSN uses flat-felled inseams, subtle reinforcements, and materials to delay the common first failure points on pants. Those include the crotch, inseam, front pockets, the top of the rear pockets, and the bottom of the rear pockets (where wallets typically bust through).
Even the packaging is more sustainable than usual, using a zero-plastic model that utilizes roll-packing, raffia twine, and recycled cardstock.
The EcoTrek pants ($119 MSRP) are available in Olive, Caramel, and Charcoal colors, and in a range of sizes up to a 40-inch waist and a 34-inch inseam. It’s an impressive new product from a nascent brand. And given that LIVSN has only been around for a little more than a year, we can’t wait to see what it comes up with next.
