Yamatomichi offers three types of bottoms for the three seasons of spring, summer, and autumn: the standard 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts, the origin of the series; the Light 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts, that are super light and offers exceptional breathability; and the DW 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts, which are somewhat in the middle between the two.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the situation, season, and application, but all of the designs are similar.

On this page, you can compare the unique features of these three different products at a glance. We hope you will find it useful in choosing the most suitable piece of clothing for your next hike.

Our first 5-Pocket Pants offers extra comfort, are relatively fast-drying and are the strongest and most durable among the series.

The high-density Taslan nylon fabric made from “air-textured yarn” has a matte and soft cotton-like texture. The fabric is both durable and lightweight compared to other shiny nylon fabrics.

The fabric’s firmness and unique wrinkled texture prevent the fabric from sticking to the skin, making it comfortable in a wide range of conditions from spring to fall.

Material: Taslan Nylon 120g/㎡
70d x 160d

5-Pocket Pants Men Women
5-Pocket Shorts Men Women
*For more information visit the specific product page.

The lightest and the most flexible of the three. So light that you might forget you are wearing pants.

The material, Pertex Equilibrium, is thin and lightweight, but moderately strong due to its ripstop structure. It also stretches in two directions so it won’t interfere with dynamic leg movement.

The nylon/polyester blend yarn creates a textured feel, and the uneven texture on the lining of the yarn allows for a smooth and comfortable touch on the skin.

Pertex Equilibrium 62g/m²
78％ Nylon, 22% Polyester
20d x 20d, Double cloth

Light 5-Pocket Pants Men Women
Light 5-Pocket Shorts Men Women
*For more information visit the specific product page.

Uses Yamatomichi’s proprietary Pertex Equilibrium fabric in order to overcome the shortcomings of the previous two products. The fabric is heavier than the Light 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts but lighter than the original 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts. It carries a good balance of durability, weight, fast-drying capabilities, breathability, and wind resistance.

The textured fabric makes it easy for the fabric to comfortably separate from the skin even when sweating, and also stretches in one singular direction.

The surface of the fabric tends to develop a unique wavy texture after multiple uses.

*The thickness and material are different from the Pertex Equilibrium used in the Light 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts.

Pertex Equilibrium 88g/㎡ – 100% Nylon
70d x 60d, Double Weave

DW 5-Pocket Pants Men Women
DW 5-Pocket Shorts Men Women
*For more information visit the specific product page.

Hiking

Used for tough applications such as hiking on rocky ridges or bushwhacking, or for walking on ridges where strong winds are expected. In wet conditions from heavy rain or sweat, the fabric may stick to your skin, but it is not uncomfortable due to the firm texture the fabric carries.

Trail Running

These pants can be worn at high altitudes or on rocky terrain where cold weather protection and durability are required. However, the fabric is relatively heavy, so it is not as comfortable as the Light 5-Pocket Pants or DW 5-Pocket Pants. In warm conditions, you may feel hot.

Travel

The high heat retention and windproof properties make the pants suitable for situations with unpredictable climates. It endures rough use and is great for various situations as casual clothing when traveling.

Hiking

The material is not strong enough for tough applications, but it allows you to walk comfortably on a hot day while feeling the breeze. If the fabric gets wet by rain or body sweat, it may stick to your skin, but it will dry quickly. Great for spare pair of pants in your backpack.

Trail Running

The lightest of the 5-Pocket lineup, with excellent flexibility. When sweating profusely you may feel discomfort from the fabric sticking to the skin. Due to the thinness of the fabric, it is not suitable for tough routes, and you may feel cold when resting in colder weather.

Travel

It is ultralight, compact when folded, and dries quickly when washed, making it a good choice for a variety of applications from warm places, in-flight wear, and spare clothes.

Hiking

It has the best balance of functionality of the 5-Pocket lineup, with flexibility, comfort even when sweating, and a certain degree of material strength to provide reliability in a variety of situations. Always keeps you dry and comfortable.

Trail Running

Able to withstand some rough use, while carrying flexibility and comfort during wet conditions, making this pair perfect for trail running. In warmer conditions, the pants keep you dry and comfortable. In colder conditions, the pants are able to retain moderate heat and keep the wind out.

Travel

It is lightweight, silky smooth, and dries quickly after washing, so it can be worn for a variety of activities as casual clothing when traveling.

Akira Natsume, Yamatomichi Founder

In my mind, the Taslan nylon 5-Pocket Pants are like a pair of chinos or a new pair of jeans. You can wear it anywhere because of the durability. It’s the heaviest of the pants lineup, but I think it is relatively light compared to normal everyday pants. People tend to think that lighter fabrics are less warm but these pants offer some wind resistance so even in colder weather they keep you comfortable.

The Light 5-Pocket is great for hot weather. As the weather gets hotter in the spring, I’m always itching to wear the Light 5-Pocket. They are so light that I sometimes feel naked and wonder if I really wore my shorts before leaving in the morning; yes, they are that light. The Light 5-Pocket Pants are my go-to shorts for hiking when its warm.

The DW 5-Pocket has functionality that crosses both of these categories, and I feel that it has the best balance of comfort, strength, and flexibility that are required in the mountains. When I’m climbing steep uphill on a hot day, the fabric does not stick to my knees and feels great.

Takahiro Watanabe, Yamatomichi Laboratory Researcher
I often use the 5-Pocket series for hiking, running, and everyday wear.
The original 5-Pocket is tough and windproof, and I use it a lot when I go to mountains with rocky terrain, or when biking in chilly weather, especially during autumn and winter.

In the summer, the Light 5-Pocket is the star of the show, but I use it all year round for loungewear and spare clothes after a mountain trip.
If I’m racing and long pants are a must-have, I stash the Light Pants in my pack.

I’ve been using Light Shorts for running, but I’ll be using durable and sweat-wicking DW Shorts more in the future. With the introduction of the DW, the 5-Pocket lineup now consists of 6 products including the pants, all of which are stylish enough to be worn around town, while being functional for serious running. I feel that the greatest common appeal is that it can be worn outdoors and in my everyday life seamlessly.

Junki Nakamura, Sales Manager

I have been using the 5-Pocket in the spring and fall, and the Light 5-Pocket in the summer. The 5-Pocket has a toughness that allows me to push through bushes without hesitation, and I feel safe with my skin being well protected.

If I need to move fast, the Light 5-Pocket is definitely the one I wear. Both of them dry quickly, especially in summer when I go jump in the river to cool down. If it’s sunny and the wind is blowing, the pants get almost dry within about 20 minutes. My first impression of the DW 5-Pocket, which fits right in the middle of the 5-Pocket lineup, is that it would be perfect for long-distance trails.

In fact, when I walked 80km of Shinetsu Trail in the DW 5-Pocket Pants/Shorts for 4 days and 3 nights, I felt that the lumpy texture of the “double weave” did not bring any discomfort to my skin. Even though I wore it everyday, and I sweated out a lot, the fabric stayed smooth and comfortable. I also felt a sense of security that I didn’t have to worry about tearing it when I hit trees or rocks on a narrow trail. If you were to walk 1000km of trail, not only would the trail and weather change, but also the season. In such cases, the DW 5-Pocket seems to be the right choice, as it is flexible enough to fit any situation, rather than carrying sharp features in one area.

Since the fabric for the 5-Pocket Pants does not stretch, we adopted a unique pattern and a three-dimensional sewing technique called “Ise” to allow for ease of movement. As a result, the silhouette is draped around the knee and roomy from the hips all the way down to the thighs.

The Light 5-Pocket Pants have a slimmer silhouette than the 5-Pocket Pants, taking advantage of its elasticity, lightness, and flexibility of the fabric.

The DW 5-Pocket Pants have the same inseam gusset as the Light 5-Pocket Pants, and the silhouette is neat and clean. However, the Light has more draping from the thigh to the knee area to secure the space around the thigh, resulting in a size similar to the 5-Pocket Pants.

Slight size differences may occur due to fabric shrinkage and sewing variations.
*Waist is measured when the rubber is not stretched.
**The hip is the width measured at the largest part of the waist when placed flat.

Our shorts are designed with a large hem area to prevent overheating and for maximum comfort on the move. The 5-Pocket Shorts and the DW 5-Pocket Shorts use the same pattern, but the Light 5-Pocket Shorts are one size shorter in length for lightness and comfort when running.

Slight size differences may occur due to fabric shrinkage and sewing variations.
*Waist is measured when the rubber is not stretched.
**The hip is the width measured at the largest part of the waist when placed flat.

The above chart compares the tear strength and tensile strength of three types of fabrics used in the 5-Pocket series.

The thickest 5-Pocket fabric is the strongest, followed by DW 5-Pocket, and finally the paper-thin Light 5-Pocket. Thin material lacks strength, but in other words, it is lightweight.

The chart above shows the moisture content in the fabric after 15 minutes of spin-dry. It compares the 5-Pocket series with the synthetic base layers, as well as a regular polyester shirt or a standard cotton shirt.
We measure the fast-dry properties by the weight of the remaining moisture within the fabric.

The lower the moisture content, the faster it dries. The graph shows that all 5-Pocket products have less than 1% water content after 15 minutes of spin-dry, which in other words, almost completely dry.

The above chart compares the breathability and windproof properties of the 5-Pocket series, synthetic lightweight wind shell, and Yamatomichi UL Shirt.

The Light 5-Pocket showed excellent breathability though less breathable than the UL Shirt.
The 5-Pocket lacks breathability, but equally windproof as a wind shell jacket. In other words, they are warm.
The DW 5-Pocket has a good balance of moderate breathability and windproof properties.

Each product has its own advantages and disadvantages. We hope that you were able to better understand the features of each product. We hope that Yamatomichi gear brings you happiness on the trail.