Soft Shell Pants Fit

Being new to this, I am in need of some softshell pants. What do you look for in fit? How loose? Long?

Any help to a neophyte would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Jeff,

Are you going to be hiking or climbing?

For hiking/scrambling/alpine I generally wear soft shell pants from OR or a pair of Mammut hybrids. Not too baggy or you'll be snagging on things but you want enough mobility to climb freely. Find a pair that fits you well (don't get anything where the crotch hangs too low). Most pants will be stretchy enough to accommodate a wide range of movement. They'll rest on top of your boots to keep your ankles covered while moving but shouldn't be long enough to get stepped on or trip you up.

If you're mostly climbing rock then maybe go with a more durable pant. I like the gramicci climbing pants. They don't have the benefits of a softshell (stretch, windproofing, water resistance, etc...) but you can drag yourself through rocks without worrying about shredding them and feel confident using your knees to climb.

Articulated knees, four way stretch, gusseted crotch - slim cut is also good for certain activities and absolutely required for others. I've got the REI Mistral pants which have articulated knees and a gusseted crotch, and while the longitudinal stretch is great, lateral stretch could be a little better. They're also very slim fitting through the legs, so they work for crag to bar and wouldn't get caught on things hiking or spring skiing/ice climbing. I've done many kneebars in them without the slightest fraying, even though the fabric is rather light.