I got a set of these on a closeout sale. I was expecting them to be water repellent at least. Their video shows them for hiking and the “guide in mind”.
Wondering the function of these compared to my pair of Columbia pants that are at least water resistant.
https://www.nrs.com/product/10146.02/nrs-guide-pants-closeout
Nice looking trousers! Product details does say “dries quickly”. I have found NRS outstanding for returns and listening to customer feed-back.
Please let us know how they perform should you keep them.
Two thoughts…1) take your kayak hiking
2) spray the pants with nikwax
I read them not as dry wear, but quick drying clothes (so will get wet, but will dry reasonably quickly).
You will want something from their splash pants or dry pants categories for waterproof.
I have a similar pair of pants from a different brand and I like them for canoeing. On paddles where you have to get out of the boat to pull over obstacles you can zip the legs off or even just let them get wet. Even though I kneel they have stood up to well over ten years of paddling. Mine aren’t the least bit waterproof either but with the relatively light fabric they don’t suck out much of your body heat when wet.
You may not have understood that there is lots of paddling where getting wet is expected and the most useful pants are those that dry quickly. Obviously more directed towards paddling in warm weather where the clothing is intended to to prevent chafing and blocking sun.
As said above, for really dry you need splashwesr, which works when you are in the boat, or drywear, intended to work if your torso is in the water for a roll or full suits if you take a swim.
The Guide model is just a stretchy “soft shell” type nylon that allows some moisture to bead but mostly absorbs it between the fibers and then dries quickly with air movement, sun or body heat. They are not intended to be waterproof or even water resistant. For that function you need to pay for waterproof/breathable laminate fabrics like GoreTEx and the various other versions of it. I have had a pair of the NRS Endurance paddling pants for many years and those are indeed waterproof. They are made of a breathable laminate called Hyprotex, have neoprene waistband and ankles and cost around $100.
The Endurance pants were a worthy investment and, besides for paddling, I have used them for hiking and volunteer trail work on rainy days and even skiing in slushy conditions.