Veilance Align MX Pants

The Align MX Pant were originally released as part of the FW18 collection, which premiered two new pieces (the Align MX and Isogon MX Jacket) with a new (for Veilance) MX designation. Following mainline Arc’Teryx products, “MX” indicates that the pieces are built for movement in mixed weather conditions. MX pieces typically include stretch, highly breathable fabrics, and a focus on durability. The Align MX and Isogon MX represented Veilance reworking and “winterizing” two of their Spring/Summer pieces: the Align Pant and mainstay Isogon Jacket.

Style and Intended Use Case

The Align MX are a Veilance take on a heavy chino. They feature two slash hand pockets and two large zippered pockets on the rear thigh, in lieu of back pockets. The thigh pockets are quite large and feature two small internal organization pockets on each side. These pockets are ideal for storing small items like a slim wallet, cards, cash, and papers. Storing anything larger will create some discomfort, especially while sitting (you’ll pretty much be sitting on your stuff).

The Align MX are intended to be used in cold weather, as the thick soft shell fabric retains heat and resists wind and water. They’re great for urban biking and moving around outside, while the technical details are subtle enough to make them serviceable in some office settings.

Material and Stretch

The Align MX are made from Arc’Teryx’s patented Burly Double Weave fabric, a 70-denier blend of 50% nylon, 43% polyester, and 7% elastane. The pants feel quite stretchy and the material is extremely weather- and abrasion-resistant. A DWR finish adds some extra protection against precipitation.

A natural comparison for the Burly Double Weave is the popular Schoeller Dryskin, which is also a stretch-woven nylon/poly soft shell. Burly has a similar handfeel to Dryskin, but is less prone to stretching and bagging out, both between washes and over the long term. Burly also has less sheen than Dryskin, giving it a more subtle and less technical appearance.

Warmth

The Align MX are some of the warmest pants that Veilance has to offer. Although on their site Veilance state that the intended climate for the pants is “wind,” they work very well in rain, snow, and extremely cold temperatures, especially if layered with long underwear. The breathability of the fabric prevents them from feeling clammy, and does a good enough job trapping heat for comfort in winter conditions.

Articulation

This is where it gets quite interesting. Like the Align Pant (the SS nylon/cotton predecessor to the Align MX) the Align MX have a standard crotch seam and outer seam below the cargo pocket, which is atypical for Veilance pants. The crotch is gusseted for comfort and durability, and another seam runs from the back of the waist to just below the knee, which helps maintain the shape of the leg and allows for extra range of motion while moving and sitting. This seam layout is exclusive to the Align MX, which is notable since Veilance sometimes applies old patterns to new materials when creating a new pant (e.g. the Indisce and Convex LT).

Comfort

The Align MX are very comfortable. The relatively loose fit, stretch, and articulation makes them feel great to move around or sit in. The fabric is far from coarse, and taped seams provide additional smoothness against the body. Range of motion is excellent, to the point where it seems to me that these pants could be utilized effectively for more up-tempo winter activities like hiking, snowshoeing, and perhaps even backcountry skiing.

Users who spend most of their time sitting down — at a desk or while traveling — shouldn’t have any issues with the Align MX as well. The pants don’t feel at all restrictive while sitting, and the cargo pockets are perfect for storing small items one might carry around the office or on a plane.

Fit

The Align MX are the “biggest” AV pant, while still fitting slim relative to other brands’ offerings. The slight structure of the cargo pocket and articulation give the pant a slightly curved appearance, which creates the effect of having larger quads and longer legs. The pants are also slightly tapered, which increases below the knee, but still have a large leg opening.

The thigh is roomy. Probably the most notable aspect of the fit is the rise, which is very low. The waist is a little larger than other AV pants to ensure they fit on the hips, which to me seems unnecessary given the stretchiness of the material. The seat also has virtually no shape, creating the appearance of something like a straight line from the rear and down the leg. The calves are roomy, and the pants have a large leg opening, indicating that they’re designed to be worn with chunkier sneakers and boots. Depending on your body type, the pants could look like slim and sleek chinos or pretty wide techy cargo pants with a unique shape (for me it’s the latter).

Durability and Concerns

I have very little concern about how the fabric of the Align MX will hold up, so “Burly” is an appropriate name for the material. The main concern I have is the seam tape peeling, which is a fairly common issue with AV pants after years of use. AV tends to repair peeling tape free of charge through their warranty program.

It’s worth noting that the tape’s adhesion combined with the minimal seam allowance creates some concern for blowouts. That said, the roomy fit and stretch of the Align MX serves to lower the stress on the seams and vastly decrease the likelihood of a seam blowout from normal urban use. The Burly fabric appears to hold the seam tape well, which is another good sign, since there’s some variance in how different AV fabrics mix with their seam tape.

Alterations

It’s always a bit of a risk altering AV pants, due their articulation and taped seam construction. Many of the “standard” alterations (waist in/out, crotch in/out, seat in/out, flattening hips) are impossible without a tailor equipped to deal with reapplying the tape, not to mention that altering the pants voids the warranty around the altered area. Hemming the pants should be doable by any tailor and, if need be, the waist can be taken in with minimal risk by adding darts to the waistband. I’ve had darts added to several of my Veilance pants, including my Align MX, since I have a 28” waist and AV no longer makes that size (RIP). A downside of adding darts without cutting the fabric is that the extra material protrudes slightly against my waist, but it’s barely sensible while wearing it.

If you’re willing to lose the seam tape, the presence of a standard crotch seam on the Align MX allows for the pants to be tapered quite easily. I’ve had a pair of mine tapered from the crotch down, to create a more standard slim chino silhouette. The fit is pretty similar to the old Align Pant, but much more comfortable due to the stretchy MX fabric.

Conclusion

The Align MX are a nice, versatile option for a Fall/Winter pant. Like all AV pieces, they are feature-packed in a minimalist package, and offer plenty of weather protection without comprising aesthetics. The Align MX are subtle enough to go unnoticed as a “techwear” pant in an office setting, while visually striking enough to attract some attention due to their unique shape, pocketing, and seam layout. As far as AV pants go, they are a steal at $375 retail.