Great winter/mid altitude pants
I have the Ascendor Lite pants for summer use and for up to 750m altitude in spring and autumn. I really like them, so I thought I would give these a try.
These are the mid-weight in the Ascendor series (AS is "all seasons"), and they are great when and where it's a bit cooler. I like the scuff patches on the insides of the calves, they should work fine with strap-on crampons and microspikes. The small loops inside the bottom seam on the legs are good for attaching gaiter ties, to help keep snow or mud out if you forgot your gaiters.
They're not waterproof, just DWR coated so they wet out eventually but they dry fairly quickly too. They are not totally windproof either, but you don't want that when you are going up and down steep terrain - a bit of breathability is good. If you're spending long periods standing still, then a pair of thermals is recommended underneath these. The zips on the pockets are good and the non-bulky waistband is much appreciated - my pack's hip belt is not very forgiving of bunched-up trouser waistbands. Very comfortable.
There's a lot of attention to detail in these pants and they are well made from good quality materials. Rab claims these are durable: time will tell, but I am optimistic. I was never a fan of Rab, but the Ascendor series is changing my mind. Recommended.