8 Best Hiking Pants Of 2022 (And 3 Buying Tips You Should Consider)

Last Updated on March 6, 2022 by Res Marty

An amazing and adventurous journey like hiking and trekking could turn into a disastrous one if hiking gear is not up to the mark. Weather-appropriate hiking pants are one essential part of professional hiking gear. It can either make or break your hiking trip. Therefore, I recommend you to give proper hiking pants a very high priority. However, choosing the best and most stylish hiking pants is not an easy task.

What is most important? an integrated belt? A stretchy fabric of the products? Cargo pockets? or breathable hiking pants?

To save you from this hassle, we are here with a detailed guide on the nine best pants for hiking. After reading the article, you will be able to choose the best hiking pants for yourself.

What To Consider To Find Your Best Hiking Pants?

Material

A few points are essential for most people regarding hiking pants. One of the main differences between different options is the material. Typically, hiking pants are made of a nylon blend, and most of the options have at least a small amount of built-in stretch via elastane (spandex). Generally speaking, the higher the percentage of elastane, the stretchier the pants will be. In addition to nylon hiking pants, there are a few Polyester pants on the market. These essentially are tougher and more weather-resistant but they tend to be not as comfortable as other models in my opinion.

Below is a summary of the three most common materials. Very commonly, hiking pants consists of a variation of all three materials:

Nylon is both strong and elastic, and therefore an ideal material for hiking pants. It is easy to wash, dries quickly, and is somewhat resistant to heat and UV rays.

Polyester is an alternative to Nylon, with slight advantages in durability and water resistance. However,  polyester apparel can feel rough and uncomfortable against the skin.

Spandex—also known as elastane—is a synthetic fiber with exceptional elasticity. It can be stretched to over 5x its size without breaking and will return to its original shape even after repetitive stretching. It is lightweight and abrasion-resistant, making it an excellent addition to hiking pants. It is very often combined with Nylon.

Water And Wind Resistance

To start this segment, I should say that100% weather-resistant pants do not exist. A good solution in severe weather is to wear rain pants instead. There is a good reason for that because even if they would exist, it would be really uncomfortable to wear. Those types of hiking pants would not be breathable on a downside and therefore not suitable for hikers who often sweat on a challenging tour. For that reason, you must always compromise a bit between comfort and functionality. However, depending on the model, many hiking pants provide decent results here. For example, we have been able to walk in the rain for 1-2 hours without a problem with all of the models on this list. High-quality hiking pants commonly have a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish.

When it comes to wind resistance, I find that a polyester and cotton blend tends to give the best wind protection. Another great option is softshell, which is a breathable, stretchy, and snag-resistant blend of a number of fabrics and materials including polyester and elastane.

Wearing Comfort, Fit, And Pockets

Hiking pants in a perfect world would be neither too cold nor too hot, with excellent water and wind protection, an extremely comfortable fit, extremely breathable, and many pockets for essential items. Unfortunately, such hiking pants don’t exist (just yet). If you are anything like me, you are mainly focused on how comfortable the hiking pants are to wear for multiple hours. Personally, I therefore like lightweight hiking pants and convertible hiking pants the most. In the list of the best hiking pants below, I have included a review of how the overall wearing comfort is in my option. Also, consider things like how many pockets a hiking pant has, the weight, etc.

For example, hiking pants with pockets aren’t for everyone, but an organization can be a plus for some. Hiking pants will typically offer two to four pockets, which you can realistically use but some models have up to six pockets. However, consider, that more pockets equal (potentially) more weight. Personally, I prefer hiking pants with fewer pockets but excellent wearing comfort.

Video Summary: Best Hiking Pants Of 2022

For those of you, who prefer to have a visual is this video below. I have summarized my favorite hiking pants. However, in the article, you will find more information on each product.

What Are The 8 Best Hiking Pants of 2022?

Best Hiking Pants Overall

  Outdoor Research Ferrosi

• Fabric Materials: 86% nylon, 14% spandex
• Measured Weight: 10 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Breathable, lightweight, versatile, durable
• Cons: Poor wind protection, heavy/bulky
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★★

The Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants are great, lightweight hiking pants. The presence of 14$ spandex gives them a soft hand feeling and makes them highly stretchy and breathable, which come in handy for any kind of movement. These pants are so comfortable, which is the reason why they are in first place on our list of the best hiking pants. I even kept them on for sleeping on one occasion.

Moreover, spandex fabric gives them good dyeability and makes them resistant to sweat. Additionally, they are available at a very reasonable price, considering what you get for it. Although they have some weaknesses in windy conditions, their overall high quality makes them the most breathable and comfortable pair of hiking pants and a well-deserved first place.

Best Hiking Pants For Alpine Usage

   Arc’teryx Gamma LT Pant

• Fabric Materials: 88% nylon, 12% elastane
• Measured Weight: 11.8 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Comfortable, versatile, wind protection, breathable, zippered pockets, lightweight and durable. Best for alpine usage.
• Cons: Expensive, can be too warm for summer
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★★

When it comes to extreme weather resistance like wind resistance and water resistance, no other hiking pants can beat Arc’teryx Gamma LT Pants. So, they are perfectly made for hiking and trekking in places where you face alpine weather conditions. As they are tightly woven, venting and breathability are some weak points here, which means they are not suitable for scorching weather but excellent for alpine usage.

Although venting can be a minor issue here, their elastic cord at the ankle to roll up and secure comes in handy when the temperature rises. You won’t be disappointed if you spend this slightly high price on these durable and comfortable pants. We have been wearing them for days straight, and they still look new. The softshell pants feature articulated knees with is a great plus compared to other pants. There is no doubt, that you are well prepared for your hikes in combination with quality hiking boots

Best Budget Hiking Pants

 Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible

• Fabric Materials: 57% recycled polyester, 43% polyester mesh, 100% nylon Silver Ridge ripstop
• Measured Weight: 10.8 oz.
• Water Resistance: No
• Pros: lightweight, breathable, articulated knees, good for multi-sports
• Cons: No stretchy, Too tight on the quads,

If you are tight on budget and looking for inexpensive entry-level hiking pants, then Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants are your first go-to option on this list. They prioritize looks and a great price over the performance of the pants but are lightweight. They are highly breathable. However, due to 100% nylon and hence offer limited mobility and water resistance. So, they are suitable for walks and easy hikes. In our test hikes, we encountered some weaknesses in rainy conditions. The pants started soaking after about one hour.  However, due to their lightweight, they dry fast and promptly. Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible pants offer two front mesh-lined pockets, two rear mesh-lined pockets, and two cargo pockets on both sides. If you can afford a high budget, we suggest you go for other hiking pants models.

Other Best Hiking Pants

Royal Robbins Alpine Road

• Fabric Materials: 66% nylon, 31% polyester, 3% spandex
• Measured Weight: 13.8 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Stretchable, durable, and comfortable
• Cons: Not lightweight pants, baggy
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★★

When it comes to pants that can be used as formal pants and hiking pants, no other hiking pants can compete with the grace Royal Robbins Alpine Road Pants offer. They are highly durable and weather-resistant due to their thick, wind, and water-resistant materials. As they are wide, they are not suitable for hot weather. As nylon, polyester, and spandex make them a little bit stiff, they are not ideal for rock climbing, but the articulated knees support the mobility. These pants come with mesh-lined front and side pockets which can be used for ventilation. As compared to other hiking pants, they dry up easily and quickly as their thick nature does not let water seep in. Overall they make a great pair of pants to walk in cold weather.

Prana Stretch Zion

• Fabric Materials: 97% polyester, 3% spandex
• Measured Weight: 13.3 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Comfortable, versatile, strong pocket game, leg roll-up snaps
• Cons: Poor breathability in hot weather
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★☆

Prana Stretch Zion Pants are a comfortable pair of hiking pants. You don’t feel constrained in them when sitting for longer hours. Their thick materials make them durable but at the same time can create some slight problems with ventilation and breathability. However, these pants have other ventilation methods like front pockets partially mesh-lined, crotch with three holes on each side of the inner thigh, and snap buttons to hold the cuffs up. They also provide UPD 50m sun protection from UV rays, but when it comes to DWR finish, they don’t offer too much water resistance, which means these pants become a little heavy due to their weight and water if you are stuck in a storm or rain. So, if you are looking for purely water resistance pants, we suggest you look elsewhere.

Arc’teryx Lefroy

• Fabric Materials: 86% nylon, 14% elastane
• Measured Weight: 9.6 oz.
• Water Resistance: No
• Pros: Lightweight, durable, breathability, zippered thigh pocket, comfortable
• Cons: Expensive, no back pockets
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★☆

If you are looking for lightweight hiking pants that prioritize style over comfort, then Arc’teryx Lefroy Pants is your go-to option. When it comes to breathability, they also beat the other best-hiking pants on the list too. But due to their tight and restrictive nature, they could be uncomfortable and thus not suitable for climbing. As far as water resistance is concerned, they don’t offer a DWR finish which means you can get wet if you are caught up in rain or thunder. However, they offer five low-profile pockets, two fronts partially mesh-lined to rear with protective security flaps, and a thigh zippered.

Patagonia Quandary

• Fabric Materials: 95% recycled nylon, 5% spandex
• Measured Weight: 10 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Very lightweight and comfortable, multi-functional, good fit (not baggy)
• Cons: Not convertible pants, no articulated knees, very thin drawstring

Due to the simple style comfortability, Patagonia Quandary Pants satisfy casual and hiking needs. Although they don’t have a built-in belt, their DWR finish and UPF 50 sun protection save you from rain and intense sun rays at high altitudes. These features make them the best fit for day hikes and adventurous backpacking trips. Spandex and recycled nylon also make them stretchy and durable.

Mountain Hardwear Chockstone/2

• Fabric Materials: 88% nylon, 12% elastane
• Measured Weight: 10.4 oz.
• Water Resistance: DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish
• Pros: Durability, lightweight, comfortable, zippered pockets
• Cons: Expensive, shallow pockets
• Overall Wearing Comfort: ★★★★★

Mountain Hardwear Chockstone/2 Pants are super stretchable and elastic due to the presence of 12% elastane which makes them perfect for activities like hiking and trekking. Their front and rear pockets are mesh-lined, which means they can be used for unzipped ventilation. They also offer an elastic cord at the ankle to roll up and secure to serve the purpose of ventilation. Their UPF 50 sun protection saves you from harmful UV rays. Their DWR finish makes them water-resistant, but they also take more time to dry. Overall, they are a good fit for casual, trekking, and hiking purposes.

Summary

We are at the end of my list with the article on the best hiking pants for 2022 and now the choice is yours. For your convenience, I have listed the main advantages of each pant in the graphic below to allow you to compare each of them individually and make an informed decision.

That is it for today’s article, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave your comments below! Bet back to all the best hiking equipment posts with the button below!