15/16 Volcom Ventral Pant

I own the 15/16 version of the Volcom Ventral in black which is 10k insulation and 5k breathability. My main reason for choosing this pant was the fit and perceived durability. I like a higher waist, roomy fit, lots of pockets, and no insulation. Stitching and construction needs to be on point.

For reference I wear 34/30 jeans and have a medium-large build. I tried on pants from Volcom, 686, Billabong, Quicksilver, 32, Holden, and a few others. The biggest issue was low rise waists. The Ventral pant offered the most roomy crotch without looking like a food court thug. The material of other brands often felt cheap, like tent fabric. Volcom’s offerings had much more structure and you could tell blow outs would not be as much of an issue.

Like always, I was right between a medium and large. The medium would have been fine if I never planned on layering, but I often wear fleece pants which can be bulky so I sized up to large. The length is a little long for me and I do have to wear a belt. There is plenty of room with no restrictions, yet I don’t feel like they are overly baggy.

Feature wise you have two side pockets that zip (I think they are fleece lined), a large Velcro down pocket on the right leg, and one Velcro down pocket on the right cheek. There are long inner leg vents that are zipped with mesh. The leg openings can be unzipped to offer more flare, and snap buttons to keep them shut. It also supports Volcom Zip-Tech jacket to pants interface. My only complaint is not having cargo pockets on both legs. It can be tough trying to jam a pair of gloves into the one pocket, but it is do-able. I never use the lower zips on the leg openings since they are wide enough in the closed position.

After 2 seasons the Volcom Ventral’s are holding up well. I have one small rip that was caused by a burr on a metal bench (hey Mammoth, will you replace my pants?). The buttons on the leg openings are starting to lose their hold. The waterproofing is what you expect at 10k and does a decent job as long as you are not sitting in snow for extended periods of time. Breathability is not a huge issue since the vents are sufficient. Even though they are just a shell, they hold heat well (which I think is due to the lower breathability rating). Any temp above 35 degrees F, I simply wear gym shorts. Below that I wear fleece shorts, and fleece pants when it’s in the teens.

I would buy these pants again for the fit alone, but I may check out Volcom’s other options with GORE-TEX. The 2018 Ventral bumped up to 15k/15k and the price is still $160 which makes them an ideal budget pant. Like James has mentioned, Volcom offers great quality but you do pay a little more for garments that do not have a ton of features. Even though I would like another cargo pocket, I think the Ventrals are still a 5 star rating when you consider price, durability, and performance.