Best Women’s Hiking Pant of 2024
Finding a pair of women’s hiking pants requires not only time but patience. Taking your shoes off, pulling up the pants to see if they are squat-proof, feeling out the fit and comfort, to find that once again something seems off. Or maybe you order online, read 50 reviews, try to guess your size, and they deliver and are way too tight or too short on the ankle.
We are going to work together as a team throughout this post to try and find the pants that you will love!
Best Women’s Hiking Pant for Athletic Body Types
I have been there and have exhausted myself with hours of research, thought I liked a pair, end on the trail pulling my pants up, and then 30 seconds they slip down again. For my ladies with an athletic body type, larger legs, and a smaller waist. This post is for you. 💚
Why You Should Trust Me:
Growing up I spent days outside on the trails, backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, you name it.
The one thing that seemed to drive me crazy was my pants. My friends with slimmer legs could wear any pants and they fit perfectly. However, I struggled with finding ones that I didn’t have to squeeze into or have a tight belt cinched around my waist.
I split pants from being too tight, I had bruises from my belt rubbing on my backpack with pants that were too big, and I wanted a snack but felt like I would bust a button if I ate. I have failed too many times, and that is why I am here to help you choose the best pant type for you.
Top Women’s Hiking Pant (Personally Tested)
Let’s get to the “meat and potatoes” of the best women’s hiking pants!
(For reference I’m 5’7″, 145 lbs, and have a 27″/ 28″ waist)
⭐ Coalatree Trailhead Pants (Best Overall)
Specs:
– Water Resistant + Stain-Proof
– Stink-Proof (Yes, stink-proof, you can wear them for like a week straight)
– Breathable
– Packable (complete packs into front pocket)
– 100% Durable Ripstop Nylon
– Deep pockets (I wish they made more pants like this)
Why I Like These Pants:
I’ve worn these pants for a week in Iceland before and stayed warm with the chilly winds hammering down. I’ve also worn these in the middle of August on a backpacking trip at camp after a long day. I swear these are the best pants I’ve ever hiked in, casually worn, and climbed in. They keep you warm when you need to be warm, and they are perfect for moderate temp hikes, or casual walks in the sunshine.
I am a sucker for high-rise pants, especially having larger thighs I feel like they typically stay up easier. The elastic waistband is perfect to keep the pants up, there are also ties if you want to make them a little tighter, without having to wear an annoying belt. There are also ties at the bottom, which I love to keep the bugs and dirt out.
Recommended Activities: Anything and everything.
Pants vs. Shorts vs. Leggings
Every human is different, some may be comfortable in different materials, styles, tight materials, or a looser fit.
Throughout my successes and failures in trying to find the “right” thing to wear. My biggest advice is to wear comfy clothes and always pack layers.
If you are new to hiking and debating on wearing pants, shorts, or leggings…here are a few factors to consider.
🥾 Climate: Alltrails is one of my favorite apps for tracking weather and finding new trails. Under the “Conditions” section of a trail, you can find the temperature, high/low, precipitation, and sunrise/sunset. You also can look at the weather along the trail at a certain distance and time of day to help your planning. It even tells you if there is high mosquito activity. 🦟
*Weather can be unpredictable. Mother Nature likes to give us surprises, pack smart*
🥾 Terrain: Review the trail you will be adventuring on. Things to research about the trails are heavy vegetation or water crossings. Hiking with shorts through sticker bushes has been one of my epic fails (I looked like I got attacked by a cat all over my legs).
🥾 “Freedom”: Some hikers love to wear leggings for all types of hiking because of the amount of flexibility within them. Others would argue that pants have just as much flexibility and stretch as leggings. Although pants are typically more lightweight and durable for all trail conditions. Lastly, some choose shorts for hiking throughout most of the year and layer on their top half. Every human is different.
