Home Australian Geographic Adventure Gear Test Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers: Tested

Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers: Tested

By Mark Watson • 7 June 2022
The Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers have become a favourite of our senior gear tester thanks to their high-level build quality, comfort and versatility. Image credit: Lauren Sass
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Fjallraven’s rugged trousers are claimed to be up for any outdoor activity. We spent months testing them in a wide variety of conditions to see if that promise rings true.

Design

The Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers are the latest iteration of the Vidda Pro pants by Swedish outdoor manufacturer, Fjallraven. 

Fjallraven has been a staple of the Scandinavian outdoor scene since the 1960s, producing hard wearing, environmentally friendly products, from backpacks and sleeping bags to tents and jackets. The Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers continue the company’s design tradition of comfortable and practical outdoor apparel made of only the highest quality and most environmentally sustainable material.

The Vidda Pro trousers include plenty of storage and also plenty of ventilation, with a proliferation of pockets and zips.

The Vidda Pro is a slim-fitting, durable, vented, water-resistant pair of trekking trousers with reinforced knees, a stretch-gusset, multiple pockets, and made from 65 per cent recycled-polyester and 35 per cent organic-cotton G-1000 Eco material. The fabric’s wind- and waterproofness can be further advanced with the application of Fjallraven’s Greenland Wax (a proprietary blend of beeswax and paraffin).

In the field

The Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers are some of the most practical, comfortable, and durable trekking trousers on the market – and they look great. The extra belt tabs (in the right places) meant for a tailored waistline – and the form-fitting cut – allow the trousers to be worn to the coffee shop without feeling like a trespasser. Not only does the wearer benefit from a fitted style, but the pant comes in both a regular and long leg-length (an extra 50mm). 

The trousers are primarily made of Fjallraven’s super hard-wearing G-1000 Eco material, a recycled polyester and organic cotton blend, all with reinforced stitching where it counts. The new G-1000 Eco replaces Fjallraven’s popular G-1000, with an eco-friendlier fabric that uses more sustainable materials in place of raw materials. The crotch gusset however, benefits from a stretch fabric (63% polyamide, 26% polyester, 11% elastane) to aid elasticity for more adventurous activities than your everyday stroll.

The Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers have become my favourite pair of everyday pants for a multitude of activities, whether busting down the cafe in the rain to trekking the High Country or photographing adventure sports.

Mark Watson

Fjallraven’s philosophy on environmental sustainability has seen the company retain a practice of waxing material for increased weather-proofness and the Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers follow the same principal. A simple application of Fjallraven’s Greenland Wax, ironed in, increases water resistance to allow water to bead and run off the material. Such treatment does reduce air-permeability of a fabric, so it is recommended primarily for areas of high element-exposure. The Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers do, however, have increased warm-weather friendliness over the original Vidda Pro. Lateral hip-to-knee ventilation zippers deliver a simple solution to venting; just open the side of the pant to the elements and let the air in. The stretch material in the crotch gussets also aids in breathability.

  • The Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers have been put through months of testing in all sorts of conditions.
  • The reinforced knees and the adjustable hem are two highlight features of these trousers.

The trousers feature six pockets, including map pocket, hand warmers, cargo pockets and a knife/multitool pocket with popper tab. The left hip also features an axe loop (I find this more useful for tethering ‘stuff’) and the pre-shaped reinforced knees are compatible with Fjallraven kneepads (which is more useful than you might think). The ankle hem is large enough to fit over a large boot but can be cinched with a popper-adjustable-hem whilst hidden boot lace-hooks stop the hems from rising. There’s not much to dislike about the Fjallraven Vidda Pro Trousers and they have become my favourite pair of everyday trousers for a multitude of outdoor activities.

The final word on the Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers

If I had a shelf at home for ‘best in class’ apparel from tests and reviews over the past few years, my Vidda Pros would sit right up the top; they have become my go-to pants for everything from busting down to the café in the rain to trekking the high country or photographing action and adventure sports. They are bombproof enough for nearly any activity, comfortable to wear, and stylish enough to not feel like an interloper in the ‘Big Smoke’. Put simply, The Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trousers are some of the best all-round outdoor pants that money can buy.

RRP: $309.95 See Fjallraven Australia for more info.

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