With a price tag straight out of an Armani store, the 7Mesh Flightpath Pant is not for the thrifty. But, from experience its garments are built to last and there’s also a generous warranty and a crash replacement/repair facility built into the price. Is that enough to be rated among the best mountain bike pants? 

Integrated belt and hook buckle ensures total security

True to their name, the Flightpath pants are impressively lightweight, with a barely there, airy feel and breathable eco-friendly fabric that does a good job of temperature control, even on hot days. That nylon fabric has a 14% elastane content, but they’re one of the least stretchy pants on test here. The face of the fabric is raised – it looks a bit like a micro ripstop – which is claimed to resist abrasion better. We’ve been wearing these samples for quite some time now, and taken a few tumbles, with zero signs of damage. 

Open and zip pockets on both sides give generous storage options

Similar to the Rapha Trail Pants, there are two open waist pockets – great for resting your hands while tyre-kicking in the car park – supplemented by two zipped hip pockets for valuables. The right one also has an integrated phone sleeve. Our only criticism is that the zip pulls detach and get lost – we’d like to see a better design here. 

At the waist there’s a zip fly, pop stud, and an integrated hook and ladder waist adjuster/belt. There is no way the barn doors are bursting open on these pants. They’re a relatively fitted design, with a tight ankle cuff (that makes getting them on and off harder than some) and shorter inseam, but with the stretch fabric and light weight we found them extremely comfortable.