The Vidda Pro pants almost embody what Fjallraven are all about, yet they describe them with typical Scandinavian understatement as 'durable trekking trousers with regular waist and regular fit.' Which is true. But not exactly fulsome.
Even 'durable' is an understatement here. There's a reason bushcraft aficionados love the Vidda Pro and that's because they stand up to rugged work in the woods, hacking through dense undergrowth, and all manner of abuse from sharp and pointy implements. G1000 fabric is put to superb use here - reinforced in the right places (seat and knees) and with the ability to customise your weather protection by adding Greenland Wax where needed for water repellency.
This level of burliness might make some items too unwieldy for hiking, but the Vidda Pro manages to strike a balance that makes them very comfortable when hiking (and actually at 590 grams, they're hardly heavy). I'd call them a 3-season hiker, but I find even the lightest pants too warm for most summer trekking. And given that most waterproof (or water repellent) pants would be unbearably sweaty for any high output walks, the G1000 represents a very utilitarian compromise here.
Which brings me to the utilitarian pockets. I realised the trend for superlight minimalism had gone too far when pockets began to be designed out of existence altogether. The six pockets of the Vidda Pro go a long way to redressing the balance, and represent the only time I've seen an axe pocket (sleeve?) incorporated into an item of clothing. Stopping every 5 minutes to retrieve yet another little item from your rucksack has ruined many a walk for me, so I'm a fan of being able to keep a few things handy!
The Vidda Pro is a pair of pants built to last, to weather everything you can throw at it, and take you many miles in comfort. A stone cold classic.
