Merino 5-Pocket Pants

Introduction

Super Comfy Merino Pants

Hiking or at home, this pair will make your winter comfortable.

For our Merino Pants, we selected a super soft and flexible Italian merino wool for optimal comfort and warmth. Ripstop nylon thread has been interwoven at the back of the fabric for enhanced durability. Our trusted 5-Pocket system offers maximum usability.

5-Pocket Merino Pants are tough and flexible woolen pants for wherever you go during the cold months.

Color

Charcoal
Light Gray
Navy
Moss

Specs

Made in Akita, Japan

Material:
97% Merino Wool 3% Cordura Nylon 236g/㎡
Weight:
404g（Size S)、412g（Size ST)
427g（Size M)、434g（Size MT)
451g（Size L)、459g（Size LT)
466g（Size XL)、476g（Size XLT)
Size:
Men | S / S-Tall / M / M-Tall / L / L-Tall / XL / XL-Tall

Product Story

Always My Favorite

Akira Natsume, Yamatomichi Founder

I usually wear our 5-Pocket Pants even during winter, but I have to admit that they are not warm enough when it’s really cold and I sometimes wear an additional pair of insulation tights to keep warm. I wanted to make a pair of pants that could keep me warm even in the middle of winter without the need for tights. If they look good at home too, that would be even better.

In the first year of development, we made several prototypes using various types of wool fabrics. The pants were really comfortable during long hikes thanks to their natural moisture absorption properties, but I occasionally got itchy because of the wool. Another concern was that the surface of the textile got fuzzy and rough after just one season of use.

In the second year, we tested several blended materials made of wool and synthetic fiber. They were comfortable, relatively inexpensive, strong, and durable. Unfortunately, as the percentage of wool declined, the warmth and comfort of the wool unavoidably diminished.

I kept insisting on a pair of pants made of 100% wool with our unique 5-pocket system but was struggling to find the right material that would fulfill all our requirements.

Finally I found the ideal merino fabric at a traditional textile maker in Italy. It is yarned and produced at the maker’s own factory using merino sheep’s wool carefully brought up on their own farm in New Zealand. It was super comfortable and had an excellent texture.

In the third year of development, I tested several prototypes made from their fabrics and wore them from autumn to spring. The merino textile was really comfortable, not super warm, but just right.

After one season of use, I did find minor pilling on the pants if I took a close look, but it appeared just fine with no noticeable fuzz on the surface, and the texture faded in a good way over time.

It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s so good about our 5-Pocket Merino Pants. They are not as technologically advanced as the Winter Hike Pants or super stylish either.

For me, our 5-Pocket Merino pants are for daily use. They are not as light and smooth as synthetic fleece, but flexible and soft. When the fabric gently touches my skin, I just feel happy wearing them.

For more technical demanding, high altitude winter hikes, the Winter Hike Pants are still my first choice. But when I travel and visit both towns and low mountains, the 5-Pocket Merino Pants are definitely my favorite. This pair of pants made from 100% natural wool keeps me comfortable day and night, wherever I go.

5-Pocket System

Our 5-Pocket System neatly stores your map, snacks, wallet and other items you need during hiking, without interfering with your leg movement. Our smartphone pocket between the right side- and back pocket fits your phone perfectly while keeping it securely in place and out of the way when sitting.

1st Pocket 
Large enough for comfortable keeping your hands in your pockets while hiking. The lower part of the pocket liner is made of polyester mesh for drainage should the pants get wet.

2nd Pocket
The 2nd pocket is perfect for your smartphone. (The photo shows an iPhone 8 with a rugged bumper). The perfectly-allocated pocket just behind the hipbone secures a smooth leg lift, preventing your phone from bouncing around and keeps your phone safe and intact when sitting.

3rd Pocket
The 3rd pocket is positioned high for wallets, etc. The long zipper tab allows for easy opening/closure of the pocket.

Key Loop
You can attach keys or a small carabiner to the long key loop. It’s also handy when you hang the pants to dry.
4th Pocket
Large enough for comfortable keeping your hands in your pockets while hiking. The lower part of the pocket liner is made of polyester mesh for drainage should the pants get wet.

5th Pocket
The 5th Pocket is made to fit the size for the normal hiking map. It is also convenient for putting trash during hiking or keeping snacks close at hand. The pocket can also hold a large screen smartphone.
Gussted Crotch
The crotch is widely gusseted to allow for dynamic leg movement.

Naturally odor resistant

Some synthetic fibers are deodorized, but the pure merino’s deodorization performance is far superior. Some say it’s almost odor-free even after a week of heavy hiking, but we’ll let you (and your friends) be the judge of that…

Wool’s deodorant mechanism is still a mystery. One theory has it that wool absorbs a large amount of odor-causing elements, and consequently, the odor is minimized to the level that cannot be detected by the sense of smell. We will conduct our own experiments and tests in the future.

Great moisture control

Wool is great to help you keep warm and cool as it naturally controls the moisture level within the clothes, always keeping you comfortable throughout the year.

This peculiar moisture control function is the benefit of the dead-air space between the crimped wool fibers, allowing for the excellent breathability and moisture permeability. Furthermore, the cortex’s water absorption performance variably changes according to the humidity level of the outer air, that is, the higher the humidity outside, the more moisture it absorbs.
The dead-air space created by the crimped wool can retain heat and work just like down or synthetic insulation.

Even warm when wet

Wool is capable of holding a significant amount of water within the fibers, and its water retention performance is much greater than other types of fibers. Wool can absorb more moisture in between the fibers even after the saturation point is reached. Consequently, the surface of the wool feels dry and comfortable even if the clothes are wet.

Another feature is the low thermal conductivity: its excellent insulation properties prevent the body heat from being lowered by evaporation. The crimped fibers are bouncy and retain loft without crushing even when wet.

In addition, wool is capable of generating a lot of heat: When the fiber absorbs moisture, the thermal phenomenon called “absorption heat” is generated. Wool’s adsorption heat performance is twenty times of polyester, and 2.5 times of cotton.

Material

Italian Made, 100% NZ Merino Fabric

The fabric is 100% merino wool manufactured by a well-established Italian maker, which runs the thorough production process including the sheep farming, yarn making, and fabric making in New Zealand.

The back of the fabric is reinforced by the rip-stop Cordura nylon, achieving both the softness of the merino wool and the toughness required for hiking pants.

A few pilling may occur after a long period of wear, but it can be easily taken care of. The aging of the texture is also a part of the pleasure of the pants.

Material:
Facing: 97% Merino Wool, 3% Cordura Nylon
Weight: 236g/㎡
2/45.6 x 1/38.8
Pocket Liner Mesh: 100％ Polyester

Spec:
Tear strength tested by JIS L 1096 D (Pendulum method)
Vertical: 4.4kg, Horizontal: 3.9kg

Tensile strength tested by JIS L 1096 A (Strip method)
Vertical: 56.7kg, Horizontal: 41.2kg

Breathability tested by JIS 1096 A (Frazier method)
12.2cc/(㎠・s)

Why 100% Merino?

While merino wool is a natural material with various advantages such as temperature/moisture control, thermal insulation, and natural odor-resistance, it also has some disadvantages that should not be underestimated, such as its tendency to distort, shrink, and low durability.

To overcome this weakness, many outdoor merino fabrics are blended with a few to dozens percent of synthetic fibers, but we consistently develop merino wool fabrics that are “100% merino wool”.

We keep using pure merino because we feel that merino wool has advantages that more than compensate for its disadvantages. Our own tests have shown that merino wool’s great functionalities, such as its ability to control temperature/moisture, are reduced as the percentage of synthetic fibers increases.

The above chart shows the comparison of moisture content ratio of three types of fabrics in a humid and hot environment (up, 30˚C with 90% humidity) and a more comfortable environment (down, 20˚C with 65% humidity).

In a humid and hot environment, the fiber with superior moisture absorption keeps you dry and comfortable. On the other hand, in dry conditions, it is more comfortable when the fiber provides a certain level of moisture without excessively absorbing available humidity. The difference of the moisture content ratio in the above chart indicates the moisture control performance: the greater the value is, the better the fabric’s moisture control performance is, therefore the larger percentage means better comfort.

The 100% merino fabric, as shown above, has a 6.8% moisture ratio difference. This means that our merino material can effectively control the moisture compared to the other fabrics, keeping you dry when it’s hot and humid while supplying a moderate amount of moisture when the humidity is low.
This is the reason why the merino wool is known as “a natural air conditioner”.

Merino Wool

Wool is a natural material with various unique features such as temperature/moisture control, thermal insulation, and anti-odor performance; all of them developed by sheep to survive the harsh environment over time.

Merino wool comes from merino sheep and compared to other kinds of wool, merino’s fiber is finer, softer, and less scratchy, and hence even suitable for making underwear.

All wools, including merino wool, are cool in summer and warm in winter. It is warm even when it’s wet, and practically odor-free even after many hours of wear.

Wool’s structure

The wool’s fiber is composed of the amino acid-based protein, just like human hair and skin. The surface is called the “scale”, which is similar to a fish scale, and the inner part is the “cortex”.
The cortex is composed of ortho-cortex and para-cortex, each with different moisture absorption performance. Because each of them differs in property, the combination of ortho and para cortexes makes the fiber “crimped”.
This crimped structure produces the wool’s unique features such as moisture/temperature control property and thermal insulation performance, avoiding the coldness caused by the sweat.

Disadvantages of wool

As explained above, wool or merino wool has various features and functions, but it is not flawless.

Heavy when wet

Since the wool is capable of containing a significant amount of water in its fiber, it can be heavy when it’s wet and takes longer to dry compared with most synthetic materials.
Fast-drying synthetic materials, however, can be cold when wet because it deprives body heat excessively quickly as it dries due to evaporation. Wool dries slower than synthetic materials but quicker than cotton with a similar thickness.

Attracts moth

Any soft fiber derived from animals, such as general wools, cashmere, and silk particularly attracts moths.

Tears easily

Wools have short fibers, which can fall out due to friction, possibly causing small holes in the fabric. Compared with synthetic materials or cotton, wool tear more easily.

Sizes

Size M (Black)
Model Height Weight: 175cm-66kg

推奨サイズ/Recommended Size

Men

Size	S	ST	M	MT	L	LT	XL	XLT
身長/Height cm	160~167	168~172	165~172	173~178	170~178	179~184	176~184	185~190
体重/Weight kg	52~61	52~61	59~69	59~69	67~78	67~78	76~85	76~85
ウエスト/Waist cm	70~80	70~80	74~84	74~84	82~92	82~92	90~94	90~94

製品サイズ/Product Size

Slight size differences may occur due to fabric shrinkage and sewing variations.

*Waist is measured when the rubber is not stretched.
**Hip is measured by doubling the value of the width of the waistband’s largest part.

Men
単位：cm

Size	S	ST	M	MT	L	LT	XL	XLT
パンツ丈/Pants Length	94.5	97.5	98	101	101.5	104.5	104	107
股下/Inseam	70.5	73.5	73.5	76.5	77	80	79	82
ウエスト/Waist	62	62	67	67	72	72	77	77
ヒップ/Hip	53	53	55.5	55.5	58	58	60.5	60.5
裾巾/Hemline	17.5	17.5	18	18	18.5	18.5	19	19

Please Note

Care Instructions

Merino wool has excellent deodorizing properties, but it does have some disadvantages, such as being prone to moth holes and shrinkage. Therefore, It should be washed and stored properly, though not frequently.

For more instructions on washing, drying and storage at home, please read on the “Read More” section below.

【How to Wash】
It is machine-washable on the regular course. Please refrain from using the tumble dryer, as the texture of the fabric may be hardened. To reduce wrinkles after drying, smooth out wrinkles as much as possible before drying.

Wool fibers are slightly acidic, so avoid washing with alkaline detergent as it may damage the texture. Use a neutral detergent.
To avoid damage caused by contact with other laundry, or deformation caused by tangling, please wash it separately or use a laundry net.
Wrinkles tend to develop during spin-dry. Shortening the dewatering time in your washing machine will help reduce wrinkles.
Washing with lukewarm water (about 30℃) will help remove dirt.
Smooth out the wrinkles, adjust the shape, and line dry in the shade.
Do not tumble-dry, as the texture of the fabric may be hardened.
Do not use fabric softener as it may coat the fibers and hinder the natural properties of wool.
Do not bleach as it may cause color fading.

【How to Remove Wrinkles】
Compared to knit fabrics, woven fabrics tend to wrinkle more easily, so please shorten the dewatering time and smooth out the wrinkles as much as possible before drying. If wrinkles still remain, please iron them out.

Use a steam iron.
Steam must be low temperature (80℃-120℃).
When ironing, apply a thin cloth while blowing the steam.
After ironing, dry completely so that no moisture remains.

【How to Avoid Moth Holes】
Merino wool, an animal-derived fiber, has the disadvantage of being easily eaten by insects because of the protein contained in the fiber. However, the risk of moth holes can be reduced by proper care.

Dry well before storing. If there is any moisture left, it may cause moth holes.
Steam from an iron can effectively kill insects by heat. Use a low temperature setting when ironing, and after steam, dry it completely before storing it.
Keep well-ventilated. Avoid humid place.
Vacuum storage bags are also effective in preventing moth holes. In this case, an insect repellent specially designed for vacuum bags is recommended. Air left in the bag will allow insects to survive.
Please follow the instructions of the mothballs.

Payment

We only accept payment by credit card. We currently do not accept payment via bank transfer from overseas accounts.
We accept the following Credit Cards: Visa, Master, American Express, and JCB.
To download your receipt, please click the link included in the Dispatch Notice, which we will send by email as soon as the items are dispatched.

Delivery

We will ship by DHL for overseas customers (excluding China and Russia). For customers in China and Russia, we will ship by EMS only. Shipping costs vary depending on your country and region.

Size Exchange

Overseas customers who need to change the size of their order, should note that the time needed for shipping will vary greatly depending on your country of residence.
We only accept exchanges when the item is unused (except for fitting).
If you wish to exchange the size of the item, please contact us within seven days of receiving your order.
Exchanges can only be made for the same color in a different size.
If the size you wish is out of stock, we will suggest a different color.
If the product is out of stock, we may simply have to ship the item back to you.
All shipping costs to be carried by the customer.
We will only send the exchanged item to you, upon receipt of return shipping cost via PayPal.
Please be aware that some countries charge customs duties depending on the price of the item.
We are unable to answer any questions on local customs. Please contact your local customs bureau.

Repair

We accept repairs for all of our Yamatomichi products. For inquiries on repair services including patching the holes, repairing with extra components, or fixing the items damaged over time, please feel free to contact us from the “Repair” section of the SUPPORT page.