Hiking pants are an important piece of hiking gear but one that we often take for granted. They have to be highly breathable and quick-drying, easy to vent when you get too hot, but warm when the temperature drops. Fit, freedom of movement, and pockets are also key factors. What about hiking pants that are bug resistant or provide a high degree of sun protection? All of these are important variables when choosing the best hiking pants.
| Make / Model | Leg Style | Gender | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Hiking Pants | Convertible | M | F | $60 |
| prAna Stretch Zion Pants | Roll-up | M | $85 |
| REI Sahara Guide Hiking Pants | Convertible | M | F | $89 |
| Outdoor Research Ferrosi Convertible Pants | Convertible | M | F | $90 |
| Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pants | Convertible | M | $99 |
| Fjallraven Abisko Lite Trekking Trousers | Full Length | M | $170 |
| Mountain Hardware AP Pants | Roll-up | M | F | $90 |
| Arc'teryx Palisade Pants | Full-length | M | F | $159 |
| RailRiders Eco-Mesh Pants | Full Length | M | $89 |
| Fjallraven Vidda Pro Pants | Full Length | M | F | $150 |
However, no one pant will suit everyone’s body type. Some hikers prefer a slimmer fit that reduces extra fabric while others feel more comfortable and airy with a looser fit. Particular features to look for include articulated knees and a gusseted crotch, lots of pockets, and venting options such as roll-up legs or convertible pants. With these variables in mind, here are the top 10 hiking pants we recommend for 2021.
1. Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Hiking Pants
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REI | Backcountry | Amazon
2. prAna Stretch Zion Pants
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REI | Backcountry | Amazon
3. REI Sahara Guide Convertible Hiking Pants
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REI
4. Outdoor Research Ferrosi Convertible Pants
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Backcountry | Amazon
5. Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pants
6. Fjallraven Abisko Lite Trekking Trousers
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Backcountry | Amazon
7. Mountain Hardwear AP Pants
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Backcountry | Amazon
8. Arc’teryx Palisade Pants
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REI | Backcountry | Amazon
9. RailRiders Eco-Mesh Pants
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RailRiders
10. Fjallraven Vidda Pro Pants
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Backcountry | Amazon
Hiking Pants Selection Criteria
Consider these variables when buying hiking pants.
Weight & breathability
For summer hiking, you want a breathable, lightweight fabric that will help you stay cool. You may want a three-season pant, or one you can layer for winter, but if you plan on hiking at the height of summer, buy for that. Overheating will make you miserable, or worse. Most hiking pants are fully synthetic, which helps them dry out quickly when you sweat. Some also incorporate mesh panels and/or pockets to help airflow.
Long pants, convertible pants, or roll-ups
Your choice will depend on both your comfort preferences and the type of hiking you’ll be doing. If it’s going to be hot, and you are backpacking with just one pair of pants, convertible pants will give you the most options for day and night. But if you know you will not want shorts, because of sun exposure, bugs, or terrain that will beat up your legs, convertible pants are unnecessary and will add bulk. In other words, consider your terrain and habits when you choose. If you do choose convertible pants, test the zippers and look for ankle zips, too, which let you take the lower legs on and off without removing your shoes. An alternative to fully convertible pants, roll-up legs–typically held up with a snap or button–can provide extra ventilation on a hot day.
Pockets and Extra Features
Extra features can make a good pair of pants into a great pair of pants. Secure, well-designed pockets give you easy access to essentials like your phone or map without rummaging through your pack. Well-placed waistbands won’t chafe under your pack’s hip belt. Reinforced pant cuffs can help prevent fraying.
Stretch
You’ll also want to look for stretch, especially if you’ll be hiking in scrambly terrain. If you have to get your legs up and over obstacles, you’re going to want to give in the fabric. Most of the pants listed here blend nylon with spandex or elastane to provide that stretch, but the ratios differ. Typically, the higher the spandex or elastane content, the more flexible the fabric. A cotton blend can also offer good mobility, as with the Mountain Hardwear AP Pants and the Fjallraven Vidda Pros on our list.
Durability
Aside from the durability of the fabric itself–which you learn through gear reviews along with trial and error–features that increase durability include reinforced seams as well as reinforced knee and rear panels. Heavier fabrics, or those with a tighter weave, may be more durable, but that also needs to be balanced against breathability in the summer months.
Sun protection
All clothing will provide some protection from direct sun, but some fabrics provide more than others. Many manufacturers have started listing UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) ratings on their clothes. This tells you how much of the sun’s ultraviolet rays penetrate the material. For example, if a garment’s UPF rating is 50, that means 1/50, or 2 percent, of the sun’s UV rays, reach your skin through the cloth. UPF 20 means that 1/20, or 4 percent, of the sun’s rays, get through. The higher the rating, the better the protection. Fabric type, weave, dyes and added chemical treatments can all affect UPF.
Insect protection
Fabric treated with insect repellents such as Permethrin can help keep the biting critters away. This can be especially helpful in high tick season. Few of the pants on our list this year are treated with repellent, but it is not a hard process to do on your own. (Permethrin is known to be dangerous to cats, so if you treat clothing at home, be careful with the chemical. Once you have finished treatment, however, the clothes are safe.) See here and here for info on treating clothes yourself.
Water protection
Durable water repellent (DWR) coating is common in hiking pants, as you’ll notice in our top ten list. It won’t make the pants waterproof, but it will help them shed water, and delay, if not prevent a soaking. That said, the coating wears off with wear, tear, and washing, so you’ll eventually need to refresh or re-apply it, which you can do safely at home with the right products.
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I love my Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated trousers. This article has the vidda pro listed, for 10 dollars extra, it is well worth the ventilation between the legs, it’s breathable and stretchy.
I just waxed a pair of the regular Vidda Pros for the first time this week with a blow drier. They’re a bit cool to use for winter, but I hope to use them more in spring. I love the wax concept but it does involve a lot more “work” and variability than DWR-treated pants.
I love the side zip ventilation in my RailRiders Eco-Mesh pants. I can adjust to the temperature quite easily, not worry about bugs, and not blind other hikers with my pearly whites (my legs), a situation that happens when I use zip off convertible pants.
The Eco-Mesh fabric is pretty easily torn when clumsy grandpas trip over roots on the AT and splatfall in the middle of the trail. On the other hand, the bloodstains readily wash off.
I rip up those Eco-Mesh pants pretty easily too. You might want to try these as Fjallraven High Coast Convertibles.
https://www.backcountry.com/fjallraven-high-coast-hike-pant-mens
I got a pair and they are super lightweight. I’m seriously thinking of sending them to Insect Shield for “the treatment.”
I’m glad you gave Rail Riders some attention, I agree with the mesh material being very light weight,. I also agree they are great desert SW pants, they were great at the Grand Canyon week before last. I’m eyeing their Bone Flats pants for that sort of all day in the desert sun usage, when the Insect Shield isn’t what I’m looking for, but the Insect Shield is great back east.
I have a pair of Royal Robbins that I’ve been wearing for at least 6 years that seem to be indestructable. I love them.
If heat and humidity were the only concern, what would be your top choice? What hiking pants would you choose for 90+ degrees, 80+ humidity, but underbrush too thick and thorny for shorts?
Railriders ecomesh. It’s actually what I wear for bushwhacking most of the time. They’re pre-treated with InsectShield. They’re kind of thin, so thorns do get through though. I just walk around them, mostly.
I’ve had a pair of Gramicci Rocket Dry Original G-Pants for probably six years now (maybe five?). They are nearly indestructible (I finally got a small hole in them this year), super light and cool, and they really do dry ridiculously fast. I did some fishing up in the Zealand area last Monday during that torrential downpour and they dried very quickly. The only (and I mean only) complaint I have is that they don’t have a zipper (so they have to be pulled down when nature calls). I think this is because they were designed as climbing pants originally simply to protect against abrasion and to be pulled off quickly. Either way, I love them. Got them like 75% off or something, but they’d be worth full price in my book. I wear them nearly every weekend (even in the winter — I just add long undies and rain pants).