Well, that's what all the catalogues and gear shops seem to call them - I call them trousers... and they've gone all hi-tech while I wasn't looking...

In the general spirit of keeping my pack as light as possible, and leaving room for all those things I will inevitably collect along the way, I've been looking at how to keep the pile of clothes to a minimum while still managing to look cool and chic in all situations.

Convertible, zip-off, technical - the list goes on

Clearly what I need first is a pair of technical, convertible pants. That will do the trick - the dirt will slide off them, I can zip bits on and off as it gets hot and cold and they're bound to have about twenty different pockets to keep stuff in.

A quick scan of the Snow & Rock online store shows some candidates. I think I will go try on the following:

• The North Face Paramount Convertible pants - pretty much good for everything
• Mountain Hardwear Canyon pants - they look more chic although they don't convert
• Patagonia Zip-off pants - also very all-purpose

Next, t-shirts and vests...