Versatile Kit Part 1. Keela Outdoors’ Machu Trousers
Summer 2022 saw very predictable weather. With very few exceptions it was wet and often windy. Grim conditions, day on day made kit choices easy. This summer has seen a wide range of conditions from a six week heat wave to more “normal” Cuillin conditions of drizzle, rain and wind. Kit choices have been harder since the only constant has been that the weather has been very changeable, not just by the day but by the hour.
We’ve just about had all four seasons in one day. Sunshine and showers, heavy rain and blue skies, high winds and calm and even some sleet. The Machu trousers by Keela Outdoors have become indispensable. Keela describe them as “the ideal trekking trousers with added insect shield repellent.”
These have become my go to summer trousers for numerous reasons. They are light and comfortable even in very hot, dry conditions. Unlike many outdoor trousers they are close fitting so don’t get in the way when climbing or scrambling but they are also stretchy so your freedom of movement isn’t impaired.
The Machu are so lightweight and comfortable that it’s hardly noticeable that you are wearing them. This is a real bonus in hot weather since I always prefer to wear trousers rather than shorts to both protect my skin from the sun and from the abrasive rock in the Cuillin.
Originally, I just assumed I’d use the Machu trousers for great weather conditions but they have proved equally good in bad weather. They are ideal for showery and/or changeable conditions since they do not absorb a lot of water like some trousers and, perhaps more importantly, they are really fast to dry out. Thus, unless the rain is really heavy, I’ll happily just wear a waterproof jacket but dispense with overtrousers knowing that the Machus will dry pretty rapidly. It saves a lot of faffing around with overtrousers on, overtrousers off as conditions change.
They have a straight forward design with 2 zipped pockets on the hips and a zipped back pocket which is ideal. Nice and simple and uncluttered. Does the job and lets me get on with mine. The cut and material makes them very comfortable to wear for long days in pretty much all weathers yet the material seems strong and tough. The Cuillin gabbro is one of the most abrasive rocks yet the trousers haven’t showed any sign of wear after a couple of months of daily use; no rips, snags or tears.
An added bonus is that the trousers are part of the “Insect Shield” range. Insect Shield technology converts clothing and gear into long-lasting, effective and convenient insect protection. An active ingredient called permethrin, is tightly bonded to the fabric and is expected to last the lifetime of the product (it should last for 70 washes, apparently). Permethrin is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring repellent found in some types of chrysanthemum plants.
According to Keela, “Permethrin is effective against a number of pesky and potentially dangerous insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies chiggers and midges including those that can carry dangerous diseases such as malaria, dengue fever or Lyme.” Of these, the one most worrying and prevalent in the Cuillin would be ticks and the risk of Lyme disease.
I know it’s nothing scientific but earlier in the year ticks seemed prevalent and every day ended with a careful tick check but since wearing the Machu trousers I haven’t picked up a single tick even when others in the group have done so. Maybe just luck but seems a bit unlikely given the number of days I’ve been out and potentially exposed to ticks.
The Insect Shield is a bit of a bonus to a well designed and constructed pair of trousers that have proved as versatile as the weather in this so called “summer” here on the Island of Skye. Just to get away from the normal dark blue or black trousers, I opted for the “denim” colour but theya re also available in sand and navy.
The Machu trousers seem to tick all the boxes; comfortable, tough, fast drying and insect repellent. They are also great value for money.
http://keelaoutdoors.com/product/machu-trousers/
