LONG!
Look great on paper, would be an awesome bargain if they fit me right. As is, better than anything else I personally own, but only give it a so-so.
I bought for cold weather use on my street bike and chose these pants for the thermal liner, front+rear vent combo, and the integrated hard knee guards since I don`t like to wear knee and shin armor under my street riding gear. It is also nice that it comes in bright gray (almost silver), which is pretty visible and happens to match my jacket.
They have been plenty warm for me down into the mid 20s, which is as cold as I care to ride in. Kept my dry as can be in light rain, but if it`s a deluge, I won`t be out riding, so can`t say. Since the liner stops a couple inches below the waist, the pants fit the same whether the liner is in or out- brilliant! I find the velcro-type bands at the leg closures to be a little finicky (not enough of it and not particularly strong), don`t expect it to last very long, but reasonable for the price point. Also find the way the waterproof membrane does not open behind the fly to be a hassle, but again, not a big deal.
The length is what really sucks. Size chart says the length for my required waist size is the same as my jeans length, so I should be golden. But I ain`t! I measured them and they are in fact the length advertised , but for some reason the cuffs are so long that I was constantly walking on the back side. I also measured my jeans for comparison and see that they all seem to be about an inch shorter than nominal length, but the ARC pants fit like they were four inches too long. Must be a low crotch, although it does not feel low when wearing them. Besides stepping on the hem with my heels all the time, I had to remove the knee guards because the top of them hits me below the knee even when seated (and yes they are in the high position).
I more or less solved the cuff issue by wrapping a small dog leash around each ankle every time I put the pants on, but it`s a PITA. For the knee guards, the only fix I can see is to wear dirt gear armor underneath.
I marked "would recommend" here, but that really depends on who asks me- would probably be great for string bean folks, no so great for stubby-limbed guys like me. And by the way, I am not at all fat, so the length:waist ratio is not skewed in my case due to having to upsize in order to accommodate my belly.
-m-2008--