Daiwa Gore-Tex Trousers

How well is it built?

Construction is what earns the 9.5. Halkon Hunt make these trousers in the UK, and they're built to Gore-Tex standards, which means the fabric and the way it's put together have to meet the benchmark Gore sets for every garment that carries its name.

A small Union Jack tag marks the UK manufacture.

Two weights of 3-layer fabric go into each pair. The seating area, forelegs and thighs are double-layered for durability when you're sat on a bucket or kneeling at the net, while lighter 3-layer fabric everywhere else keeps the weight and bulk down.

It's a really clever way to build fishing overtrousers, because it puts the toughness exactly where anglers need it.

Next to the Fortis Marine Trouser, which is very well made in its own right, the doubled wear areas are the main thing you're paying extra for. For me, that's what lifts the Daiwa's build half a point higher.

Weather Protection

Is Gore-Tex worth the hype for fishing? I think it is. A 3-layer Gore-Tex laminate is waterproof, windproof and breathable, and it's the membrane most outdoor brands measure their own fabrics against, so you know exactly what you're getting before you pull them on.

The doubled fabric matters for weather as well as wear. The seat and forelegs are the panels pressed against wet ground, a damp seatbox or a soaked unhooking mat, and that pressure is what forces water through weaker fabrics.

A second layer gives you a bigger margin in exactly those spots, which is pretty much where you want it on a long, wet day.

The lighter fabric on the rest of the leg is there for breathability, so sweat from a long walk to your swim should escape rather than condensing inside, and the lower front ankle hem covers the top of your boots. Overall, the 9.5 is well deserved.

Comfort & Fit Rating

So, how do they fit? The waist is elasticated, with a snap-lock buckle and an adjustment strap, so you can cinch them firmly over a fleece or loosen them off over thick winter layers.

They come in two leg lengths, 28-29in and 31-32in, which is a real help if standard overtrousers always drag in the mud or flap above your ankles.

The hems are shaped with real thought.

The rear hem curves upwards, the front ankle hem sits lower over your footwear, and hook-and-loop tabs pull the leg bottoms in tight around boots or wellies, so there's less chance of the hems snagging on brambles or soaking up water from long grass.

To be fair, the doubled panels should make them feel a little stiffer than a stretch pair like the Fox Explorer 20K Trousers, which have 10% elastane in the fabric, so they won't feel quite as free when you're scrambling up a steep bank.

Even so, I think the fit and adjustment justify a 9.0.

Is it good value for money?

Value is where they lose ground. They're one of the dearest pairs of fishing overtrousers you can buy, at more than twice the cost of the Fortis Marine Trouser, and that's why value scores 7.5.

The Fortis has a 20,000mm hydrostatic head and very high breathability of its own, so for most anglers it's the more sensible buy, and it matches the Daiwa on overall score.

What you get for the extra is UK manufacture, genuine Gore-Tex and doubled fabric where overtrousers wear out first.

If you fish hard every winter, they should outlast a cheaper pair by some distance, which claws back some of the cost over the years and saves you replacing a split seat halfway through the season.

Overall, I'd recommend the Daiwa Gore-Tex Trousers to dedicated winter anglers, from river and match anglers who sit for hours to carp anglers who kneel on mats, who want overtrousers built to last and are happy to pay for them.