Sprayway Compass Pro Pants | Tested and reviewed

We’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Sprayway. As well as being one of the great British outdoor brands (with proper mountain heritage to back it up), they also tend to turn out good quality, good value gear. And after arguably losing their way a little in the early 2000s, they seem to have upped their game again in recent years, with notable successes including the excellent reissue of the Torridon waterproof shell, as well as the newer Grendel and Torridon Insulated jackets.

The brand still caters for budget-conscious hillwalkers though, and the Compass Pro walking pants are a case in point. These are well-priced walking trousers with an accommodating fit, available in a wide range of sizes to suit Ewoks and Wookies alike. Made from a lightweight stretch softshell fabric, they’re ideal for spring-summer hillwalking, giving a sunburn-beating UPF rating of 50+. They’re cool and breathable too – great if you run hot but still want the added sun protection of trousers over shorts.

Of course, like most technical walking trousers, they also have a water-repellent finish that will fend off light drizzle. The fabric is impressively quick drying as well, which also makes them a good option for backpacking and trekking, especially since they weigh just 300g in a men’s size L whilst being extremely packable.

Features are relatively simple but effective, focused on practicality and comfort. We particularly like the roomy thigh pocket, soft lined waistband and Velcro ankle tabs. Construction and finishing are of a similarly high standard. Critical seams are double stitched, while knee darts and a gusseted crotch improve overall articulation.

So, although designed as walking trousers, you can also climb and scramble in them quite happily. The only caveat to this is that the lightweight fabric is inevitably not as tough as burlier rivals, and nor as they as warm if you’re out in colder weather. But the fit is roomy enough to make for easy layering, so you could easily get a pair of baselayer tights on underneath to extend their use into the cooler months.

Fit

The fit is true to size, but they are noticeably roomier in the seat and thigh than many other walking trousers. Sprayway describes the fit as ‘regular’, which is fair. The semi-elasticated waistband also offers plenty of give, though you also get belt loops for a more secure fit.

The trousers taper nicely at the lower leg, so they don’t feel baggy or flappy, even on windy hillsides or exposed ridgelines. They also have a Velcro ankle tab to ensure a neat fit over boots or trail shoes.

The men’s trousers are available in a 30-40" waist and three leg lengths, while the women’s version – known as the Sprayway Escape trousers – come in sizes UK 8-18, again, in short, regular or long leg lengths. This should accommodate a reasonably broad range of walkers, though we’d like to see plus sizes in future, especially for women.

Fabrics

The Sprayway Compass Pro pants are made from a lightweight stretch softshell fabric known as TecWEAVE. It’s a 135gsm weight fabric made from a blend of polyamide (nylon) and elastane fibres. The fabric has two-way stretch, meaning it flexes from side to side, but not top to bottom, unlike more sophisticated and expensive softshell fabrics. It contains a high proportion of nylon (96%) and only 4% elastane. This is a plus for overall durability, but it does mean the trousers don’t feel quite as flexible as some rivals. Despite that, they are very comfortable, with a pleasant and soft feel against the skin.

The densely woven nylon is fairly wind resistant and also has a high UPF rating of 50+, which means these trousers give excellent protection for the legs on hot, sunny days. As that suggests, these are primarily intended as warm weather hillwalking trousers for late spring and summer. The lightweight fabric also ensures they feel cool and breathable – great if you run hot but still want the added sun protection of trousers over shorts.

Having said that, the outer face of the fabric has been treated with a PFC-free water repellent finish, which means they’ll fend off light drizzle and the odd shower too. In heavier rain, you’ll still need to reach for your waterproof overtrousers. But the fabric is impressively quick drying, so if these trousers do get a soaking, they don’t take long to dry out. This actually makes them a good option for summer backpacking and trekking trips, especially since they tip the scales at just 300g in a men’s size L and are extremely packable too.

Features and construction

Features are relatively simple but tick the big boxes for all-round use in the hills. You get two angled, zippered hand pockets, which are half-lined with polyester mesh. The brand suggests these ‘help aid ventilation when pushing hard on hot days.’ I’m not sure how many hillwalkers ever unzip hand pockets for cooling (I certainly never do). It also means that it’s easy to snag the pocket linings if you store keys or similar in them. Fortunately, there’s also a zippered right-hand thigh pocket with a full fabric lining and a bellowed construction to give a bit more storage. It’ll swallow snacks and smartphones but isn’t quite deep enough for a map.

Up top, there’s a polyester microfibre lined waistband for comfort, with belt loops, a button closure and zip fly. At the ankles, there’s a simple Velcro tab to cinch in the lower legs.

Construction and finishing are of a high standard. Most critical seams are double stitched, while knee darts and a gusseted crotch improve overall articulation. This means that although these are really designed as walking trousers, you can also climb and scramble in them quite happily.

The only caveat to this is that the lightweight fabric is inevitably not as tough as burlier rivals, and nor as they as warm if you’re out in colder weather. On the other hand, the fit is accommodating enough to make for easy layering, so you could easily get a pair of baselayer tights on underneath to extend their use into the cooler months.

Sustainability

These trousers are made from virgin synthetic fibres – nylon and elastane – with polyester lining fabrics. None of these contain recycled content, which is a shame. The trousers are treated with a fluorocarbon-free water repellent finish though, which is free from the harmful ‘forever chemicals’ that have been shown to bio-accumulate in the environment, and which the outdoor industry is now almost completely phasing out.

As a brand, Sprayway has also been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) since 2012. It’s currently classed as ‘good’ by that organisation, under the criteria of their annual Brand Performance Check, scoring 63/100 overall.

As part of the Outdoor & Sports Company (OSC) group, it collaborates closely with both Fair Wear and the factories involved in the production process. It has signed up to the 8-point FWF Code of Labour Practices, which are based on UN and ILO principles.

Traceability isn’t quite so good. OSC states that it is “not their policy to publish detailed information of our suppliers or supply chain. However, we are happy to share more general information about our supply chain such as number of suppliers, country of origin and the product(s) physical journey on request”. The product garment reveals that these particular trousers are made in Cambodia.

Price and competition

Here’s where I think the Sprayway Compass Pro trousers really stand out. At £75 RRP, they are excellent value, especially if you shop around (they’re widely available for around £60). This puts them in the same price bracket as popular rivals like the Craghoppers Kiwi, but in my opinion the Sprayway Compass Pro pants have a nicer fit and better articulation, which makes them better suited to more dynamic adventures in the hills and mountains.

All in all, if you’re after a lightweight pair of hillwalking trousers for warm weather use, these are an excellent choice. Other alternatives to consider include the Alpkit Chilkoot (£80), Salomon Wayfarer Ease (£85) and the Inov8 Venturelite (£95), but all three are a little pricier. The Alpkits are a bit thicker and heavier than the Sprayways. The Salomons have a similarly accommodating cut but more minimalist and streamlined features, while the Inov8s have a trimmer and more tapered fit, both of which are perhaps better suited to ‘fast and light’ adventures, including trail running.

There’s also the Salewa Puez Durastretch Cargo pants (£120) and the Kathmandu Ult-Hike trousers (£95) to consider. These two options might be a better choice for travelling and trekking trips abroad, but again, both are more expensive than the Sprayways, and arguably less well suited to UK-style hillwalking.

Verdict

Lightweight, breathable and comfortable softshell trousers, which makes them ideal for warm weather walking or summer backpacking and trekking. Great value too.

Need some additional weather protection? See our list of the best waterproof trousers.

About the author

Matt Jones is a freelance journalist based in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, he’s a vastly experienced gear tester and self-confessed outdoor kit geek.

Matt’s been one of our main gear testers for the last couple of years and is the first person we call with any complicated kit queries that need in-depth and forensic analysis.

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