Got a pair of Strafe Cham last month when they had a big sale and figured I'd post an update. I'm 5'11" 165 lbs, 31" waist, 31.5" inseam, live in the Wasatch, 100% touring on 4 buckle boots (ZGTP), run super hot in general. Previous pants were the beloved and now discontinued Patagonia Descensionist.
Fit: got a size M which Strafe says fits 31-33" waist and 32-33" inseam. The pants are way baggy in the waist, to the point where I think you'd be happy with a 35ish" waist in a size M. The integrated belt doesn't do much at the end of its adjustment range, even after I shortened it by more than 2". Now it sits a bit weird due to some bunching fabric but at least the pants stay on my waist. I can't deal with suspenders but could see getting some external belt loops added to fix the issue. I could have gone with a size S, the waist worked much better but things got tight in the thighs which is a huge deal breaker for me. Even with the M I feel some light pull on the fabric around the thighs on long strides and I can relieve that by opening the vents a touch.
Lengthwise the pants are a bit long but I have stumpy legs. Fit over the ZGTP is tight when skinning (buckles opened but latched, loose power strap), there are definitely some spots around the buckles where the fabric gets pulled tight and could rip easily when fighting brush.
Compared to the Descensionists the fit is identical in the waist (the Gucci pants have a better waist belt after modification) but more manageable lengthwise for people with short legs (I step on my Gucci pants all the time). The Strafe are significantly tighter all around, not Euro race fit but definitely not baggy.
Features: bit meh. The pockets are fairly small and set more on the front of the thighs which I dislike. I want my beacon on the side, almost back of my thigh so I never feel it on tall steps. I usually have a fair amount of shit in the 3 pockets of the Descensionists: beacon, a Dermatone tin + stick, skin wax + mini scraper, Voile strap, occasionally buff and super thin gloves. There's no way that all fits in the 2 Strafe pockets, especially with the beacon occupying one on its own. As soon as a pocket has stuff in it I also feel it on my thigh through the fabric (the buckle of the Voile strap doesn't feel great after hours of rubbing).
I've covered the belt already, it's not great. The buckle is super low profile but a PITA to operate with gloves (I can't, unlike the one on the Patagonias which is equally low profile). The leg vents are great, really long, no mesh on the inside which is both a plus and a minus: maximum ventilation, high probability of shoveling snow in there when skinning in fresh snow.
I can't imagine every using the pressure buttons on the back of the cuff to tighten it. Useful when using crampons maybe? There's just enough room to go over an unbuckled beef boot and not much extra fabric when the boot is buckled.
The reinforcement on the inside of the cuff looks tough, time will tell how it performs. The fabric of the pants is quite fragile though and I had small holes in the cuff area where the buckle pull it taught after 1 tour. Disappointed on that front.
Comfort/warmth/waterproofness: the inside fabric is not as plush as in the Descensionists and I can feel a bunch of rough features inside (taped seams, edge of zippers, etc...). I rarely wear long underwear and the first 2 tours I got hot spots on my thighs and outside of my knees from fabric rubbing there. It's better now that I've modified the belt and the pants ride higher on my hips without bunching but I was a bit annoyed about how "unfinished" the inside felt. I've done mega days in my Descensionists without noticing I was actually wearing pants. I already miss that.
On the plus side, they're very light, very breathable, and warm enough to roam about in the low teens. I wore super light long undies in negative temps and never got cold, bet the pants will be awesome in the spring. They're probably a touch cooler than the Patagonias. I haven't had them in the wet yet (we don't do wet in UT) but I have spent a few hours wallowing in a deep booter. Legs go cold when pressed into the snow while trail breaking, legs got warm when following the booter, pants stayed dry after 2+ hours in the trench.
Overall the fabric feels softer, thinner, a bit more stretchy, cooler and quieter than the Patagonias.
Conclusion: they're OK, on par with an old pair of Dynafit softshells I used for 3+ seasons (before they became the Mercury pants). They're a distant second to the Descensionist and will be a good option for warmer days and shorter tours. Value-wise I'd never pay retail for those ($470), the current sales price below $300 makes them worth trying though.
