Best Hiking Pants

As you plan to hit the trails, you need to be in a complete ensemble to enjoy the hike to its fullest.

A pant might not seem like much to think about, but trust us, it is the most quintessential element that can make your hike easy and comfortable.

A wrong pair of pants would restrict your movement and can cause and cause extreme chafing within a few hours.

To make you prepared, we have found five of the best hiking pants for both men and women that would make you forget about pain and discomfort as you carry on your new hiking trip.

Best for man: UNIONBAY Men’s Survivor Hiking Pants

Our winner for the best hiking pants in the men’s department is Unionbay men’s survivor pants. These pants are the most comfortable, durable, and feature-packed clothing item you can buy.

Let us read all the benefits and drawbacks to understand why we selected this model as our winner.

Featured Specs

• Manufacturer: Unionbay
• Material: Soft cotton twill 
• Closure: Zip fly with button closure
• Water-resistant: No
• Color options: Yes

Benefits

• This pair of pants is made out of soft cotton twill. The universally admired comfort of cotton is unmistakable present in these pants. The cotton truly makes it the best hot weather hiking pants.
• The light yet durable materials make it a classic choice to team these pants with sport-friendly tee shirts for hikes.
• The pant works excellent in the warmer months and can be used way till spring and fall.
• This cargo pant has a relaxed fit that enables the wearers to move freely without any movement hindrance, making them the best pants for hiking in general.
• The 18″ leg opening gives you enough space to stretch your legs while allowing the thickest top-length shoes to fit in properly.
• The pant sits below the waist, giving a proper fit and waist lock while keeping the crotch area roomy and spacious.
• You get two bellowed pockets near the knees to store big little things while you hike. You don’t have to rummage around your bags to find a mosquito repellent or gum; these side pockets come in handy during such situations.
• These cargo pants are available in nine color variants. The brand has a good selection of neutrals while keeping a few pieces from a dark palette for people who like wearing dark clothes during outdoor adventures.
• The pants’ sturdy fabric in rough terrains protects you from natural elements. Apart from the sturdiness, you can easily machine wash these pants for a quick rinse.
• The vintage wash gives these pants a worn and lived-in look that undoubtedly makes the pant even more comfortable. Your new pants would not feel stiff, starchy, and itchy.

Drawbacks

The metal ring loop buckle is not the sturdiest buckle you will ever see. The design is an excellent concept for regular use, but it becomes essential to have a sturdy belt that doesn’t move from one spot during more arduous hikes.

Extra Features

This product comes with a belt that matches the pants, which provides an unmatched waist fitting.

Buying Advice

We highly recommend buying this pair if you love cargo pants. These feel great and comfortable while being durable for years to come. These trousers are genuinely the best men’s hiking pants that you can purchase online.

Runner up for Man: Columbia Men’s Silver Ridge Convertible Hiking Pants

Our next runner-up is Columbia men’s convertible hiking pants. These pants are truly a fabulous option if you love the idea of converting pants as per your needs.

Let us look at features and our buying advice to know more about this product.  

Featured Specs

• Manufacturer: Columbia (Sporting Goods)
• Material:100% Nylon
• Closure: Button closure
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Color options: Yes

Benefits

• This excellent pant is crafted from 100% Nylon Ripstop fabric. The company manages to include durability while keeping the pants lightweight.
• The interior layer features Columbia’s signature wicking fabric that ensures you have a comfortable and breathable fabric exposure to keep your legs dry and moist-free.
• Another great feature is its outer protective exterior. The brand uses unique UPF 50 fabric that helps you in protecting your legs from harmful UVA and UVB sun rays. The tight weave construction with the UV absorbent yarn helps prevent nasty sunburn during the entire day.
• The pant features a partial elastic waist for snug-fitting around the waistline.
• The extra gusset feature adds utmost breathability and reduces stress and tension on significant pressure points during your hiking.
• The classic fit gives enough room to allow the air to pass and cool off your body during extremely warm and hot seasons.
• The pants have enough pockets to hold various things. The pocket range includes one zip-closure security pocket, two side pockets with a hook and loop closure, and mesh pocket bags for added breathability and convenience. 
• These sturdy adventure-ready pants are available in a whopping 35 color variants. The different washes let you choose pants that go with your hiking gear.
• These ultimate outdoor pants provide excellent support and make it effortless to walk irrespective of the weather or climate.

Drawbacks

• The sizing of these pants is a little inconsistent; you need to pay a little attention while buying these pants in your original size.
• The mesh pockets tend to rip apart after several uses, rendering the back and front pockets useless.

Extra Features

• These pants are convertible, meaning you can turn these long pants into shorts by just unzipping the zipper trim over your knees.
• These pants come with a belt to tighten your waist and provide excellent support during strenuous outdoor activities.

Buying Advice

If you are searching for a lightweight pair of pants, we highly recommend them. Apart from the light feature, its ability to convert makes it that much user-friendly and the best convertible hiking pants you can get your hands on.

Alternative: Free Soldier Men’s Outdoor Cargo Hiking Pants

Our alternative option for the best hiking pants is Free Soldier Men’s Hiking Pants. These pants have an excellent blend that makes this outdoor wear extremely stretchy and durable.

Are you gravitating towards this product? Wait, let us go through all the features and drawbacks to help you decide.

Featured Specs

• Manufacturer: F&S Co., Ltd
• Material:86% nylon and 14% spandex
• Closure: Button fly closure
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Color options: Yes

Benefits

• These pants have 86% Nylon and 14% Spandex, giving the wearer a comfortable stretch for outdoor activities.
• The fabric has a magnificent four-way stretch and anti-wrinkle feature to keep your pants creaseless and comfortable.
• The brand uses a DuPont Teflon coating to make these outdoor hiking pants water repellent.
• The pants are incredibly lightweight and dry faster than any other brand making them the best lightweight hiking pants.
• These quick-drying pants have a good number of pockets that do not bulge out. Two sleek pockets work excellent to carry small tactical gear. The two large spacious, low-profile cargo pockets with breathable COOLMAX mesh keep the air flowing. The last are two hip pockets for the safe placement of your cellular device and other electronic items.
• The pants are coated with UPF 50+ to provide ultimate protection from harmful UV rays.
• The brand has a good quality YKK zipper closure for sturdy hardware that doesn’t break or falls off.
• The wear-resistant Nylon fabric makes this pant scratch-resistant, which would never rip apart even after vigorous crawling.
• These pants have 11 color variants to choose from, and You can use the pants for various outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, hunting, and much more. 

Drawbacks

• The company has sizing issues. Many of the consumers find their sizing disproportionate and usually on a smaller size than standard pants.
• They are on a noisy spectrum because of their fabric mix. These pants are bound to make a rustling and plastic sound while you walk.

Extra Features

• The knee portion of these pants is reinforced with four pleats and 3D printing for comfort, flexibility, and durability.
• The pant comes with a nylon belt and a sturdy buckle that lets you adjust your waistline accordingly.

Buying Advice

Few hikers feel comfortable in synthetic nylon fabric, and if you are one of them, this product is indeed your best bet. Another reason is their ability to not bulge out from any corner and a relatively quick drying time.

Best for woman: KOI Lite Performance Stretch Hiking Pants

This KOI Lite has the best hiking pants in the women’s department. The flexibility and ultra-flattering cut make this a cult classic.

Let us learn about the details of this product to give you a comprehensive idea about this pant. Women from all walks of life love the fit and wear it as athleisure or simply as leisure clothing.

Featured Specs

• Manufacturer: KOI
• Material: 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex
• Closure: Adjustable Drawstring
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Color options: Yes

Benefits

• These KOI lite pants are made out of 95% polyester and 5% spandex, giving the pants an excellent stretch that feels comfortable to wear indoors or outdoors.
• This breathable, lightweight fabric has a moisture-wicking dobby fabric that keeps you dry and moisture-free in all seasons.
• The pants have six pockets to increase the utility- three front pockets, two side pockets, and one side pockets.
• You can stop worrying about wrinkles as these pants are entirely wrinkleproof. The fabric requires no ironing, so you can head out looking presentable even during emergency treks and trips.
• These scrubs have a straight leg fitting that gives an extra stylish fit. The pants are figure-hugging simultaneously, comfortable enough to carry out adventures on outdoor trips.
• These pants come in 20+ vibrant and bright color options. You can try the most luminous blue to the casual and natural hue, all in the same pattern.

Drawbacks

These pants usually are delivered a little longer than the average size. You will have to get the long length fixed before wearing the pants.

Extra Features

• These pants have an adjustable drawstring, so you do not have to carry the extra weight of the belt. The drawstring is sewn on the waistband to avoid all the possible scenarios of the drawstring coming loose.
• This pant has a stretch rib trim at the front pockets and multi-needle stitching for long-lasting pants making these the best women’s hiking pants.

Buying Advice

If you want a high-quality, flattering fit of comfortable plants, consider buying this. According to the consumers, the zipper detailing is one of the favorite features, making the zipper durable.

Runner up for woman: Baleaf Women’s Hiking Cargo Pants

This pant is a good option for people who like polyester material because of its stretch. Let us go through the specs to understand this product even better.

Featured Specs

• Manufacturer: Baleaf
• Material:90% Polyester, 10% Spandex
• Closure: Adjustable Drawstring
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Color options: Yes

Benefits

• These pants are made with 90% polyester and 10% spandex.
• Each pocket has a zip closure security pocket that keeps your cellular devices, wallets safe. This safety feature makes it the best hiking pants for women who need to keep their gear and equipment safe.
• The fabric has a four-way stretch that keeps the pants comfortable. The additional moisture-wicking technology keeps the pants dry for the entire day.
• The UPF 50+ fabric gives excellent protection against harmful UV sun rays.
• These comfortable and lightweight pants come in 19 color variants and feature a quick-dry system that instantly dries your entire pant when it comes in contact with heavy rain and water splashes.

Drawbacks

• A few of the consumers have mentioned sizing difficulties. The sizes usually differ from color to color.
• The ankle straps break off quickly when handled haphazardly or on a solid spin cycle in the washing machine.

Extra Features

• The drawstrings at the waist keep the pants tight and secure.
• This athletic pant features an adjustable cord lock that lets you freely move the ankle drawstring to make the pants short or long. You can scrunch the bottom and pull the pants seams up to make it ¾ length.

Buying Advice

If you enjoy the idea of choosing your length according to the circumstance, then we highly recommend purchasing this pant.

Hiking Pants FAQ

What type of pants are best for hiking?

The best type of pants for hiking are specially designed lightweight hiking pants. Wearing jeans or cotton pants is not advisable for a hiking trip. Jeans are tight and are made up of rough material. They restrict movement and are hard to dry.

When choosing a pair of hiking pants, it is best to pick lightweight, loose, and convertible. Hiking pants come with zippers that can remove the lower part of your pants, turning them into hiking shorts. If you are hiking in warm weather, then the convertible hiking pants are ideal.

You can wear them as hiking shorts during the day, whereas you can turn the same shorts into hiking pants at night. Make sure to choose hiking pants that are made of synthetic polyester. You can purchase pants that are made of nylon with a little bit of spandex in it.

Hiking pants made of just nylon are not as stretchable as ones made with nylon and spandex. It is essential to have free movement when hiking.

Instead of carrying a waist pack, you can wear hiking pants and store all these handy items in spacious pockets. Comfort is another excellent attribute of hiking pants. They are lightweight and allow you to climb up or down a trail comfortably.

Since they are looser than jeans, hiking pants don’t rub against your skin. They prevent rashes and chafing. The elastic bands also provide great comfort and allow the hiker to move quickly.

Since hiking pants are made up of breathable fabric, they allow your legs to remain cool. They don’t hold the sweat and dampen your pants, something that might happen with cotton pants.

Hiking pants come in two styles – Convertible Hiking Pants and Standard Hiking Pants. Convertible pants can be turned into hiking shorts, whereas standard hiking pants can only be used as pants. Both have their advantages. If you often trek to places with a cool climate, standard hiking pants are good enough.

At the same time, you can use convertible hiking pants for areas with weather that fluctuates between warm and cool. Hiking pants also protect you from thorns or bugs that might be on the ground. It often happens if you are going on an off-trail hike.

Hiking pants provide optimum comfort and excellent protection from natural elements. Hiking pants are loose and well insulated. It allows hikers to wear base layers and mid-layers underneath their hiking pants. Layers are crucial when hiking in rainy or snowy weather as they keep you warm and dry.

Is it OK to hike in jeans?

It is NOT OK to hike in jeans. Jeans are made of denim which is the worst material for hiking. Denim holds 27 times of its weight in water.

What this means is when it rains, your wet soaking jeans will not dry up quickly. It will also make your pants heavy and weigh you down. Jeans also restrict movement and do not offer flexibility. Another downside to wearing jeans on a hike is that it rubs against your skin, causing chafing and rashes.

They are tighter than hiking pants and are not made up of breathable material like nylon or spandex. Denim does not wick the sweat off your legs. Instead, it traps the moisture in your pants, making them damp and uncomfortable. Even a short hike isn’t recommended while wearing jeans. An excellent loose pair of hiking pants are the best, whether you want to go for a long or a short hike.

They are made of breathable fabric and the most rational option for hiking. They also lack multiple pockets and cannot be converted into hiking shorts. Jeans can make you sweat a lot during a hike. The material may seem comfortable for everyday wear, but when you are hiking, your body temperature rises, which is why you sweat.

Jeans will hold on to all that sweat instead of wicking it off your body. Jeans take hours to dry and can make you feel freezing. Hiking pants are made keeping your health in mind. Jeans can also easily rip if they get caught in something. It is best to wear hiking pants made out of synthetic polyester. Jeans are an absolute no-no!

Are cotton pants good for hiking?

Cotton pants are as bad as jeans. Hiking in cotton pants can become problematic. Just like jeans, cotton pants also absorb water.

If you sweat or happen to come across rain, your water-soaked cotton pants will become extremely heavy. They do not dry quickly and will weigh you down as you climb higher and higher. Cotton pants do not wick the sweat off your body.

They are poor at regulating your body temperature and also fail to provide insulation. There have been incidents where people have lost their lives due to cotton pants.

Right hiking gear is essential when going on a hike. Cotton pants increase the chances of hypothermia and should be avoided at all costs.

What should I wear on a hiking date?

Choosing your hiking outfit depends on the weather. If you are hiking in winter, then layering is essential. Wear a pair of thermals inner – top and bottom. Add a mid-layer for insulation – a pair of hiking pants and a puffy jacket will do the trick.

If it’s too cold, you should put up another thick jacket, gloves, and hat. Top it off with a pair of high ankle hiking boots that provide strong support and a pair of cool sunglasses. In summer you should wear a comfortable sports bra, a nylon t-back and a light pair of trekking shoes.

Make sure to apply lots of sunscreens, and don’t forget your fabulous pair of sunglasses. You must add a lightweight backpack to this attire. And Voila! You are ready for your date! 

Conclusion

We hope our review helped find out the most comfortable hiking wear.

We highly recommend you to dabble with convertible pants as they give you the flexibility to choose long and short lengths at any particular moment.

After post-trek, avoid drying the pants in the dryer as there are chances of shrinkage; hang dry or keep on a gentle mild-warm cycle.

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Jonah Wright

Jonah Wright is the founder of WorldAndI.com and wishes to be your online sherpa for all your travel, hiking, and outdoor adventures. After connecting to nature in his young years, he had an aim to hike all the most challenging treks in the world, which he is achieving one day at a time. When he isn't writing about outdoor content, he schedules his time to meet and be a part of various outdoor communities as much as he can. Jonah lives for the runner's high and feels that nothing can be as pure and lively as that experience.