How to Choose Hiking Pants

With the perfect balance of strength and comfort, these women's Mountain Hardwear tights help you tackle the technical. Wear them during a day at the crag or on the trail with fresh air and friends.
Imported.
View all Mountain Hardwear Women's Hiking LeggingsBest Use | Hiking Climbing |
---|---|
Fabric | 88% nylon/12% elastane |
Sun-Protective Fabric | Yes |
UPF Rating | 50 |
Moisture Wicking | Yes |
Quick Drying | Yes |
Pants Rise | High |
Tights Length | Ankle Length |
Inseam (in.) | 26 inches |
Number of Pockets | 1 |
Gender | Women's |
XS | S | M | L | XL | 1X | 2X | 3X | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Numerical Size | 0-2 | 4-6 | 8-10 | 12-14 | 16 | 16 - 18 | 20 - 22 | 24 - 26 |
Chest | 32-33 | 34-35 | 36-37 | 38.5-40 | 41.5 | 43 - 45 | 47 - 49 | 51 - 53 |
Sleeve Length | 30-31 | 31-32 | 32-33 | 33-34 | 34 | 32 | 32.75 | 33.5 |
Waist | 25-26 | 27-28 | 29-30 | 31-33 | 34.5 | 36 - 38 | 40 - 42 | 44 - 46 |
Hip | 35-36 | 37-38 | 39-40 | 40-41.5 | 43-44.5 | 45 - 47 | 49 - 51 | 53 - 55 |
Measurements are stated in inches unless otherwise indicated.
SHORT: 30 inch inseam.
REGULAR: 32 inch inseam.
LONG: 34 inch inseam.
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These pants have exceeded my expectations! I was a bit apprehensive about the sizing (S/M/L) but I ordered a Medium and they fit perfectly. For context, I'm 5'2" and 125-130lbs. The fabric has some good stretch to it, especially along the inseam. It's wind resistant and breathable, and I can attest that it dries quickly, as we got caught hiking in a steady drizzle that soaked me. These pants were dry in less than an hour! There is one zippered pocket on the right thigh. It's not big enough for a phone, but could be handy for chapstick or a car key. I'm super impressed with these pants and will definitely be considering a second pair!
I'm 5'2", ~160 lbs. These fit perfectly! I'm usually petite in pants but these aren't too long (see picture!) I'm a fan of the high rise, covering my belly button. They have a very discreet grip on the inside of the front and back which is so nice for moving around, I finally wont have to hitch up my pants every 2 seconds. There is no camel toe! I originally though these were seamless in the front but no, the design is just that good. First wear was in 'fake spring' and the mud and dirt wiped right off these pants. Bending, kneeling and sitting were all comfortable, no digging in my side or tum. I was looking for one more pocket, ideally a butt one.
These leggings are actually too good to be true. They have the perfect hiking material matched with some stretch in the center to make these hiking leggings fit so well. You won’t be disappointed. They are snug to feel like leggings but have a stretch strip to ensure the flexibility needed when hiking. The material protects you from the small brush and pickers better than normal leggings.
The leggings are a nice black color. The fabric is soft for water resistant fabric. After you head down the trail you forget they make any noise. The fit for my body type was adequate for hiking, but running or jumping resulted in the pants slipping down a little bit. I am 5’11” and the legging fit about 2” above the ankle. The waist line was about 1-2” loose and I had a gap present. The leggings also feature a zipper pocket on the right side on the backside of the legging that fits my iPhone. It is easily accessible and did not seem inconvenient to access readily. Overall hiking in them has been great, but unfortunately did not encounter rain to test out the water resistant fabric just yet.
Pros - They seem to be made out of a highly durable, almost soft shell like material. I really love the material. - The material allows for debris and dog hair to be easily dusted off. - They don't seem to collect debris or dog hair. - They look flattering and could function as either a casual slack/tight vs hiking tight vs running tight. - The rugged material seems to be resistant to wearing out quickly (could be great for some granite climbing/scrambling). Cons - I'm not sure if I am just in between sizes for this particular tight, but the waist seemed to just fit or be on the verge of being loose for a tight, where-as the legs seemed just right or almost restrictive (I wonder if I went down to a medium, if the waist would fit properly but the legs would be too tight.) - Due to the above mentioned sizing issue, even for casual use, I felt like I was pulling them back up into place constantly (the restrictive legs were tugging them downward off of my waist all the time). - Based on the riding down, I wouldn’t recommend running in them, without trying a smaller size. Hiking is doable but a bit annoying compared to other better fitting pants and tights. Neutral - There is a left thigh pocket that zippers shut that can accommodate something as large as my Pixel 5 cell phone.
Summary: These leggings are clearly made of high-quality materials, but I find that the fit and design choices make them somewhat uncomfortable for all-day use. Full Review: The quality of these leggings is wonderful. The fabric they're made of is durable without being stiff or non-stretching. They withstood wading through waist-high brush without snagging or punctures. A grippy material lines the inside of the waistband, which makes helps them stay in place. I tested these pants in the winter and did not find them terribly insulating -- but they would shine spring through fall. I have some qualms with the design of the leggings. I found them uncomfortable to wear for a full day, and the reasons why come down to fit, seams, and pockets. For fit, these pants run small; I am typically on the L/XL border but ordered XLs to be safe. They fit me, but are pretty snug. I wish there were better size inclusivity, as I know there are plenty of folks my size and larger who would love these leggings. The seams on the inside bothered me a little, as they dug into my skin after a few hours. They are not completely sewn flat against the garment, which made them rub against my skin and gave me a little chafing. Finally, the pocket in this pant is lacking. It's quite small -- just barely fit my Pixel 4a, which is a smaller smartphone than most. It's also in a weird spot on the pants (right outer hamstring), which meant I couldn't open the zipper without fully stopping. Would have loved these leggings with two standard hip pockets. Overall, these pants are durable and mostly comfortable for a little while -- perhaps more for folks who would be able to size up appropriately. I'll still reach for these on short hikes, especially in brushy areas.
These tights are very lightweight and I found them to be great for hiking in the spring, summer and fall. I received them during the winter so if it is a cooler day they may not be the best for warmth reasons. They held up taking my dog for a hike with branches hitting them and they wipe off easily. I would say that the sizing is on the smaller side so I would suggest sizing up for comfort reasons.
These tights are a great hybrid between a great hiking pant and tights that I have been searching for! If you too are tired of tights getting ruined while hiking but can't find a hiking pant that fits your body these are for you! They use stretchy panels that feel more like a traditional tight integrated with a front and back that feel more like a hiking pant. The result is a really good pant that fits like a tight but with many of the benefits (light weight, quick dry, durable/un-snaggable, harder for bugs to bite through) of a traditional hiking pant. Best Use: I will use these for summer/shoulder season hiking. They're not super warm, but were ok in mid 40's temps. I imagine the fabric will be amazing in warmer temps. They're not quite stretchy enough for me to recommend for yoga, and the seams between the panels would likely be a chafe risk for running. They are definitely cropped, so I wore a higher sock for coverage in the cold. Fit: I typically run between a 10 and 12 in women's pants. I took a large in these and I'm happy with it, but probably could have made a medium work. They feel extremely tight when you first pull them on, but i recommend wearing them around a bit before making a decision. When I first put them on, I thought they were too small, but after a bit, I've noticed them gapping more around the waist. The stretch is right in the sweet spot for being secure and the wide waist band with thoughtful side panels and high rise is great (no riding up or sliding down - I've barely had to adjust them, even on long hikes). They're not compressive, but the technical fabric is smoothing and pretty flattering - these look more polished than a regular tight and I don't see any sign of cellulite or rolling/bumps through them despite having a bit of a mom pouch. Things to watch out for: I took one star off because I think there is some chafe risk in these if you have sensitive skin. The panels are what makes the fit so good, but I had some irritation around the seam of the inner leg panel after my first long hike and the technical fabric is a bit coarse and contributed to some additional chafe on my upper thighs. I didn't have issues after the first long hike, but I will definitely pack a backup for these until I'm sure the issue is gone. They have a great zippered thigh pocket for your phone, but I do wish they also had back pockets for running around town - the zipper is kind of hard to wrangle when your hands are full.
These trail tights missed the mark for me. They felt tighter than any other leggings or dance tights I've ever worn, and I believe it's because the fabric is not very stretchy. There are two types of fabric- the majority is not very forgiving and feels very stiff. There is a small portion that was designed near the joints to provide more flexibility. While these pants achieve this to an extent (they felt fine while I was running 6+ miles in them), when I stretched or did agility exercises, they felt rather stiff. I can see how the advantage would be that these will hold up over time and against snags from rocks, twigs, or any sharp object because the material feels secure. However, they were not comfortable, and I especially found them to be irritating when I'd stretch or move more dynamically and the inner seam would press into my legs. The seam is thick and rubs against the skin, so felt very uncomfortable in certain situations. On the plus side, I washed them (cool water) and dried on low and they didn't shrink. Overall, I would prefer a regular, stretchy material tight over these since they were not very comfortable.
The material is great, the fit not so much. They are not for curvy women - large thighs and rear, small waist (think Pixar mom). They are very tight on the legs and leave the 'basketball hoop' in the back even before the squat test. They only have the one zip pocket on the side, which you can't fit anything in if you have thicker thighs. They are very lightly stretchy, so if you fit the measurements already it seems like they'd be great, but they are not stretchy enough to fit any other shape.