The Best Hiking Pants for Men of 2023

If you find yourself wearing the same pair of pants while hiking in the morning and running errands downtown in the evening, they’re probably winners. It’s rare to find clothes that hit the equilibrium of comfortable yet technical, lightweight but durable, and weather resistant yet breathable, but the Ferrosi Pants ($99) nail it.

These barely register on you, but instill confidence through inclement weather and rough terrain. They clock in at a scant 10.7 ounces and cram down to the size of a softball, but have held up over many miles, and some significant off-trail bushwhacking.

When we say the Ferrosis are comfy, we mean we often choose these over sweatpants while curling up for a movie kind of comfy. Their movement-mirroring elasticity is truly a wonder, and they feel like extensions of your legs as you vault over downed trees or navigate boulder-strewn river beds. The articulated knees, brushed waistband, and drawcord cuff adjustments boost the pant’s versatility and comfort.

We wore these pants on a recent backpacking trip through the Grand Canyon, and were greatly impressed by their ability to shed light precipitation while maintaining a high level of breathability as we slogged our way out of the great ditch. Often you’ll find that pants will excel at one or the other — but rarely both.

These are admittedly hard to criticize. If you’re looking for bomb-proof invincibility, you’d be better off with something on the tougher (but heavier) end of the spectrum. But at such a light weight, the 90-denier stretch-woven nylon fabric holds its own on taxing adventures.

We found the back pockets to be a little on the small side, and we couldn’t close the zipper around something like an iPhone (only one is zippered). However, the front pockets and single-zippered hip pocket are plenty spacious and thoughtfully placed.

As some of the best-fitting pants we’ve had the pleasure of testing, the Outdoor Research Ferrosis secured a spot at the top of this list for their premium comfort, solid durability, and overall stellar design. If you’re looking for an ultralight, reliable option for extended backpacking excursions, don’t pass these by.

Columbia’s Silver Ridge Cargo Pant ($60) is a straightforward cargo pant, made of lightweight nylon ripstop fabric that is not only water-resistant but also has added UPF 50+ to block those harmful rays.

Straight lines along the inseam are graced with gusseted construction in the crotch to strengthen and add breadth to the seams. The five pockets, including a secure cargo pocket, are deep and you can store a lot of supplies in there with minimal bounce.

They also include an integrated belt, and the extra pockets have ample room to store your phone and a few snacks. You do, however, have to make some concessions at this price. The lightweight material doesn’t have any mechanical stretch or elastic fibers. And it lacks a DWR treatment, so you sacrifice durability, mobility, and weather protection.

While the Silver Ridge skimps on the bells and whistles that make many of the pants on this list better choices for more adventurous trips, the Silver Ridge is less than half the price and often goes on sale.

If you are looking for a convertible option, give Columbia’s Silver Ridge Convertible Pants a look ($70).

Last year we ranked the Abisko Midsummer Trouser as our best hiking pant overall. It ticked all the boxes: well-placed zippered pockets, ventilation, durability where you need it, and flexibility where you want it. The pants exemplify Scandinavian design with attention to detail through and through.

This past year, Fjallraven released a zip-off version ($175) of the Abisko Midsummer. As on the pant version, the butt and legs are reinforced with a Fjallraven’s G-1000 fabric. These pants are lightweight and durable, and as the name implies, are designed for hot summer days.

To preserve breathability, the pant isn’t treated with a DWR. Though Fjallraven sells a Greenland Wax you can apply it for added weather durability. On the backside of the legs, the pants are paired with a breathable, four-way mechanical stretch fabric, pairing mobility with the G-1000’s durability.

Two mesh hand pockets zip up your essentials, and a pair of well-positioned leg pockets ride up front on top of the thighs. Inside the front right pocket is a stretchy mesh sleeve just big enough for a phone.

The pockets are oversized and can swallow a lot of supplies. Overloaded, we found the contents will bounce on the legs, so pack wisely.
Like all of Fjall’s trekking pants, they lack rear pockets. We prefer it this way. Loaded rear pockets can rub on a pack and be uncomfortable when sitting around camp. They are also one of the first parts of a pant to wear out.

The zip-off zippers add 2 ounces to the convertible pants over the straight trousers, but give you the added ventilation of shorts for those hot summer days. If you don’t want to show that much leg, simply pull the cuffs over your calves and cinch them with the draw cord.

The Midsummers come in European sizes, and we found they run large, so you’ll want to consult the size guide when buying. If you buy them at one of Fjallraven’s brick-and-mortar stores, the brand will hem them for free, giving you a fully tailored fit.

While these pants are more durable than Jack Wolfskins, the larger fit and pocket bulk work against the pant, so we put them lower on the list.

They’re not the cheapest hiking pants available, but the quality and aesthetics make the Abisko Midsummers a worthwhile investment.

The cozy Paramount Pro Pants ($109) are another model we find ourselves lounging around in almost as much as hiking in. The soft FlashDry-XD material and drawcord at the hem give these an almost jogger-like feel, while still boasting reliable durability and functionality for the mountains.

We gravitate to these pants for climbing trips that require long approach hikes. Their flexibility and light weight make them solid crossover pants for sending hard at the crag, while being comfortably durable enough for the trek in.

The anti-odor treatment allows you to go for days (or weeks if you live alone) without washing them, and a DWR treatment repels light rain from the quick-drying fabric. We love that all of the pockets are zippered and low-profile, giving you confidence that nothing will fall out while climbing or hiking.

We appreciate the ability to cinch these pants up with the integrated belt, but the belt loosens quite easily. It’s a bit difficult to dial in the fit and tightness. The front key loop can be useful but is somewhat gimmicky, and we wish there was the option of removing it to cut weight.
 
The North Face Paramount Pro Pants are stylish, technical pants that feel equally at home on a lofty cliffside, or a rocky trail. The comfortable, flexible fabric allows for a streamlined fit that isn’t restricting and moves with you over technical terrain. You won’t want to take these things off.

Black Diamond’s roots are in technical climbing gear. They’ve taken what they’ve learned on the mountain to make some of the finest outdoor apparel available. The Alpine Light ($125) speaks to their years of experience, and the overall merits are in its restrained design.

Instead of a belt, the pants fasten with a G-hook that sits off-center and catches on ladder webbing sewn into the waist. Both Arc’teryx and Seadon use a similar G-hook belt closure, but Black Diamond’s solution is the most secure implementation of the three.

The drawcord around the ankles locks into a slot, pinching the elastic cord. Unlike other pants with drawcords, you can’t pull it with one hand, but the concept is light and the most minimal setup we tested, significantly reducing bulk around the ankles.

For stretch and durability, the material is a combination of nylon and elastane, whose qualities start to shine once you veer off the map. Beyond the trail, you need pants that move with you, deflecting rock and scrub. That’s what terrain Black Diamond feels most comfortable in, and that’s where the Alpine Light delivers.

They have a four-way stretch woven fabric that is water resistant, lightweight, and incredibly durable for the weight, looking nearly new after months of testing.

The pants have five pockets (two hand and two rear drop-in pockets, with a fifth pocket on the lower right leg). The front pockets aren’t very deep, and the thigh pocket sits low against the knee. This is by design to stay clear of a climbing harness.

If you like to carry lots of items in your pant pockets — particularly a phone in that thigh pocket — this could be a dealbreaker. If the thigh pocket was better positioned, we would have awarded the Alpine Light our choice for the best hiking pant overall.

The Alpine Light is available in general sizes (S, M, L, and XL), with inseams scaling from 31.5 to 33.5 inches. The waist sizing trends small, so if you’re between sizes, we recommend sizing up.

We’ve been wearing an original version of this pant for nearly 20 years, taking it rock climbing, mountaineering, bushwhacking, spring crud skiing, and cross-country running. The pocket zipper has pulled off, and the DWR has worn away, but the pant material is still — by nearly every measure — as good as new. They’re virtually bombproof.

The Gamma ($190) — previously known as the Gamma LT — has only improved in the years since its inception. Arc’teryx has put a cord inside the pant hem, updated the belt, and sewn in a thigh map pocket. It’s seen a recent upgrade in materials, but still brings four-way stretch with snag-proof protection. Only now they have a more comfortable skin-facing side.

Unfortunately, the price is nearly twice that of the other pants on the list. Breathability is low, and the fabric is fairly noisy. But these are acceptable sacrifices for more vertical endeavors, particularly hiking and climbing in wet conditions.

With a deeply-rooted cult following in the climbing world, the legendary Stretch Zion Pants II ($95) also just happen to excel on trail. One of the authors of this guide has had a pair of Stretch Zions since his sophomore year of college, and couldn’t begin to count the hundreds of miles or pitches he’s clocked in them. Aside from a small hole in the knee, they serve him well to this day.

With such a loyal following, the recently updated Zion II had big shoes to fill — and has been met with mixed reviews. Some praise the new breathable ReZion fabric, while others bemoan its thin shiny appearance and propensity for piling. The plastic button shaved some weight from the original metal one, but many have noted that it has broken on them after minimal use. We haven’t had ours for long enough to confirm or deny this, but we do miss the metal.

The new fabric is more flexible, lighter, and has a nice, soft feel to it. Perhaps most importantly, though, it is made with bluesign-approved, recycled nylon. We don’t notice an appreciable decrease in durability but haven’t been able to test them quite long enough to tell.

The left thigh zipper pocket is a handy touch, with double entry points that allow you to access contents while hiking or sitting with ease. Ventilated inseam gussets boost breathability and comfort while hiking or climbing, and a snap roll-up feature at the hem increases versatility.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, prAna’s Stretch Zions are back with an updated, more sustainable design. While we are still gauging the durability and functionality of the newest iteration, if previous Zions are any indication of these pants’ value, they deserve a spot on any hiking pants roundup.

At 7.5 ounces, Mammut’s Hiking Pants ($119) are the lightest hiking pants on the list. A lot of that weight can be chalked up to less material. While the waist feels true to size (even slightly large), the Alpine Lightweight Hikers taper through the legs.

Even though there’s some spandex woven into the material, they don’t offer as much mobility as other pants on the list. They tend to restrict the legs when, for instance, high-stepping over boulder fields.

The lightweight yarn breathes very well and is suitable for hot-weather hikes. With pockets constructed entirely of mesh, they work effectively as vents. Unfortunately, the ankles don’t have a drawcord to keep them pinned over the calves, so you’ll have to roll them up instead.

Treated with a robust DWR, water and spray roll off the fabric. And if they do get soaked, they dry out very quickly.

The hand pockets are shallow and tend to dump their contents when seated in the car. Fortunately, all three pockets are zipped.

While the pants have belt loops, they don’t come with a belt and run wider in the waist. This becomes more critical as you lose weight on long hikes or are wearing a pack.