Five of the best waterproof shooting trousers for the wet season ahead

Nobody who works a shoot needs telling that tweed breeks have their limits. They remain the traditional choice for most driven days, and everyone looks better in them, but the keeper who is out from first feed to last drive, the picker-up standing in a wet ride and the beater pushing through sodden kale all know the moment when tweed stops being a garment and becomes a sponge. The Met Office warns that a record-strength El Niño is increasing the chances of wetter and stormier conditions across the UK this autumn and early winter, so there will be days this season when something more technical earns its place.

Modern waterproof shooting trousers offer great freedom of movement, useful ventilation and considerably more protection when the forecast turns from a shower to a deluge. They are as much at home on a driven day as walking up through wet cover, loading behind a peg or working a dog on the picking-up line, and for anyone whose day starts in the rearing field they are the difference between a dry lunch and a wet one.

Their usefulness runs well beyond the shooting field too, from the yard and the feed round to an exposed touchline watching a son or daughter play rugby, and you are less likely to be mistaken for a Morris dancer at the petrol station. Writing in Sporting Gun, Matt Kidd picked five pairs across a range of budgets; here they are, read for the keeper, the picker-up and the farmer who shoots.

What should you look for in waterproof shooting trousers?

Start with the membrane, because it does the real work: the pairs here range from a waterproof, windproof brushed-tricot outer on the budget Jack Pyke to an 8,000mm membrane on the Hoggs of Fife, a 20,000mm three-layer fabric on the Swazi and Gore-Tex on the Härkila. Then look at how they move and fit. Stretch inserts and articulated or reinforced knees matter when you are bending to a dog, kneeling at a pen or pushing through cover, and lower-leg zips or wide legs let you pull them on over boots at the truck. A soft, quiet outer helps on walked-up days and when there are birds to be moved without a swish, and a high back keeps the rain out when you bend or sit. Prices are RRP at the time of publication and may have changed.

Jack Pyke Hunters trousers – green

Price: £64.95

Stockist: jackpyke.co.uk

For less than £65, the Jack Pyke Hunters trousers offer an impressive amount of protection for beaters, rough shooters and anyone whose shooting wardrobe has to earn its keep on the feed round as well as on shoot day. The soft, brushed-tricot outer is windproof and waterproof, with a mesh lining that helps stop things becoming unpleasantly clammy when working through cover. Both knees and seat are reinforced, while an elasticated waist provides a little forgiveness after an ambitious elevenses. Four pockets give ample storage and 14in lower-leg zips allow the trousers to be pulled on over boots. They lack some of the stretch and refinement found elsewhere in this selection but, at this price, you can forgive them for not being terribly sophisticated. Sizes: S – 2XL.

Hoggs of Fife Kincraig waterproof field trousers – olive green

Price: £99.95

Stockist: hoggs.co.uk

The Kincraig trousers are designed for those who need their shooting clothing to work rather harder than simply carrying them from the Gun bus to the peg, which is most keepers and most pickers-up. Their two-tone technical outer is backed by an 8,000mm waterproof and 8,000g breathable membrane, a useful step up from many entry-level field trousers. A durable water-repellent treatment helps rain bead from the surface, while the high-backed waist and reinforced, articulated knees give extra protection when bending, kneeling or pushing through cover. They are fully lined, so can be worn without another pair beneath them, and come with zipped front, cargo and rear pockets. Adjustable cuffs help create a neater fit over boots or wellingtons. Sizes: S – 2XL.

Beretta Tosark pants – green moss

Price: £165.95

Stockist: beretta.com

The Beretta Tosark pants are a particularly smart option. Designed for hunting where silence matters, the soft microfibre outer avoids much of the swishing associated with conventional waterproofs, which is worth having when you are walking a hedge for a dog or slipping round the back of a drive, and it is treated with a durable water-repellent finish. Beneath it sits Beretta’s waterproof and breathable BWB EVO membrane, while stretch inserts and preformed knees improve movement on walked-up days. A high back gives extra protection when bending or sitting, with zipped cargo pockets and boot hooks adding some genuinely useful field detail. The green moss colour is understated enough for a driven day too, and can be paired with the matching Tosark or Tri-Active EVO jackets. Sizes: S – 4XL.

Swazi Torrent waterproof over trousers – ranger green

Price: £195

Stockist: laksen-sporting.co.uk

New Zealand brand Swazi built the Torrent over trousers for long, wet days on the farm, and they suit the beating line, a pegged drive or a day’s feeding in the rain just as well. They are cut from AEGIS Watershield WORX three-layer honeycomb fabric, which is waterproof to a 20,000mm hydrostatic head, windproof and highly breathable. The legs are wide enough to pull on over boots, and the hem is contoured to sit higher at the front to keep mud off. An elasticated waist with a webbing belt and quick-release buckle holds them in place, while articulated knees help when crouching or climbing. Velcro side openings give access to the pockets underneath. They come in black or ranger green, in sizes XS to 3XL, and weigh 500g in a large.

Härkila Pro Hunter GTX Legacy trousers – willow green

Price: £449.99

Stockist: harkila.com

If you are going to replace a pair of Gore-Tex-lined breeks with technical trousers, you may as well do it properly. Created to mark 40 years of Härkila, the Pro Hunter GTX Legacy builds on the long-serving Endure with a waterproof, windproof and breathable Gore-Tex membrane beneath a tough AirTech outer. Cordura reinforces the waist and ankles, while a raised waistband, anti-slip lining and adjustable knee straps improve the fit on more active days. Spacious front and thigh pockets are joined by a zipped cartridge-holder pocket, handy for the keeper on a vermin round as much as the stalker, with snow locks protecting the ankles when conditions become particularly unpleasant. They are undeniably expensive, but the five-year warranty offers some reassurance. These are trousers for people who spend considerably more time outside than the average fair-weather Shot, which describes every keeper we know. Sizes: EU46 – 64.

Waterproof shooting trousers compared