The 11 Best Hiking Pants for Women of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Patagonia Women's Chambeau Rock Pants

$60 at Backcountry.com View on Patagonia.com View on Publiclands.com

Patagonia’s Chambeau Rock Pants are perfect for any type of outdoor adventure from hiking to rock climbing. The pants are harness-friendly with higher pockets on the thigh and a discrete elastic waistband to avoid interfering with all of the crossing straps. Both hikers and climbers will appreciate the stretchy and lightweight recycled fabrics that make the pants super thin and flexible without compromising quality and durability. 

Throughout three months of testing, we wore the pants on various hikes and loved that the slim, tapered pants allowed us to see our hiking boots and the ankles can easily be rolled up. Plus, they still look as good as new. With size options from 00 to 22, the inclusive sizing is the cherry on top of these versatile hiking pants. We can also confirm that the pants run true to size and come with a nylon utility belt to get that just-right fit.

The Details: 00 to 22 | Recycled polyester, spandex | Harness-compatible pockets

Best Joggers

Athleta Trekkie North Jogger

$49 at REI View on Gap.com

Comfort is key while hiking, so we recommend these Trekkie North Joggers from Athleta for those in search of stretchy and soft bottoms. Made with an abrasion-resistant blend of recycled nylon and spandex, we found these pants equally comfortable for long hikes or lounging around the house. The two-way stretch fabric is super breathable and offers UPF 50+ sun protection so we think these pants are excellent for spring or summer hiking with the airy and protective design. After three months of use, we found that they did shrink slightly after washing during our three-month testing period — this wasn't an issue for us, but if you are on the smaller side of a size, we recommend going up just in case.

While there are a whopping five pockets, (two in the front, two in the back, and one discrete thigh pocket) none of the pouches are big enough to fit a phone, which is the only drawback of the otherwise comfy and soft joggers.

The Details: 0 to 26 | Recycled nylon, spandex | Abrasion resistant | UPF 50+

Best Leggings

Fjällräven Abisko Tights

$120 at REI $150 at Backcountry.com View on Fjallraven.com

Depending on your style preference, a pair of leggings might be your best choice for hiking pants. These Fjällräven tights are specifically designed for use in the great outdoors and offer more than a typical legging with moisture-wicking fabric, envelope-closing pockets for security, and reinforced knees and back to prolong the life of the pants. 

The hiking pants lived up to the promise of four-way stretching material and offered full mobility while trekking. We also appreciate the secure high-waisted fit and true-to-size nature of the bottoms. We did notice that the 7/8 leg lengths were a bit long for those of us with shorter legs so the fabric bunched at the ankles, which could be irritating with tall hiking boots. After three months of testing in cold and warm weather, we also found that these aren't quite warm enough for winter hikes, but also feel too hot for temperatures over 80 degrees. Because of this, we feel that these leggings work best for shoulder season.

The Details: XS to 2XL | Polyester, elastane

Best Durable

Cotopaxi Women's Salto Ripstop Pant

$80 at Amazon View on Cotopaxi.com View on Thealpinistas.com

Spending time outdoors can take a toll on your clothing, so we love that Cotopaxi’s Salto Ripstop Pants are ultra-durable. Made with ripstop cotton, nylon, and elastane, the fabric blend has extra reinforcement to protect the threads from getting torn. After hiking in the pants several times over a three month period, we appreciated the thicker material and we also think the pants could be useful for gardening or camping since they are more protective than the average pair of pants. They also feature an adjustable drawstring waist and cuffed ankles to get a customized fit but we ran into some slight issues with sizing. Since the pants only come in one leg length, they were a bit too short for our tall tester so we wish there were short, regular, and tall sizes to choose from for more inclusivity.

The Details: XS to XL | Cotton, nylon, elastane

Best for Warm Weather

L.L. Bean Women's Straight-Leg Vista Camp Pants

$79 at L.L.Bean

While you can wear a pair of shorts hiking, these lightweight L.L. Bean pants are perfectly breathable and offer much more leg protection for use in warm weather. The bottoms run true to size with a mid-rise, adjustable waistband and a straight-legged pant that can be cinched at the ankle thanks to the drawstring cord. Compared to leggings, we found these pants offer more mobility and room to move around freely while trekking. We wore these pants in the winter and could feel the brisk air seeping through so we think the materials are thin and airy enough for hot summer hikes. Plus, the pants offer UPF 50+ sun protection to keep harmful rays off your legs. These cargo-style pants have a plethora of pockets to use, but after three months of testing, we wish at least one had a zipper to protect a phone or keys from falling out. 

The Details: XS to XL (regular, petite, plus, medium tall) | Nylon, spandex | Abrasion-resistant | UPF 50+

Best for Mountaineering

Helly Hansen Brona Pants

$110 at Amazon View on Hellyhansen.com View on Bigweathergear.com

Avid hikers and mountain climbers will appreciate the technical features built into Helly Hansen’s Brona Softshell Pants. Since more rigorous trekking might involve hiking off the beaten path, over rocks, or around other obstacles, these pants are equipped with boot hooks on the front ankles and the four-way stretch fabric is reinforced in the knees for a superior range of motion. Plus, the inseam is gusseted for even more mobility during a rigorous hike. 

During one of our hikes, the winter weather took a turn so we were extra appreciative of the DWR finish and boot clips that kept our legs and feet perfectly dry. Additionally, we determined that pants run true to size with a drawstring adjustable waist and there are various helpful pockets for storage. While these pants are more technical, we wore them for more casual outings like coffee dates and out to the movies, too. After three months or regular use, these look like new and perform just as well as they did out of the box.

The Details: XS to XL | Polyamide, elastane | Water-resistant

Best Snag-resistant

Outdoor Afro + REI Co-op Trail Pants

$70 at REI

The outdoors is for everybody but unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of pants out there that are designed for every body. The wide range of sizes from the Outdoor Afro + REI Co-op Trail Pants was intriguing during our initial research and, after wearing the pants on a hiking trip to Costa Rica during our three-month testing period, it was clear that the pants walk the walk (or hike the hike, we should say).

Made with a stretchy nylon and spandex material, the bottoms have superior mobility and breathability in hot, humid weather. The material is also abrasion-resistant, water-repellant, and offers UPF 50+ protection. We also appreciated the zippered pockets that can hold large phones and the ankles boast small zippers to adjust the fit of the hem and add ventilation. 

The Details: 0 to 26 (petite, regular, tall) | Nylon, spandex | Abrasion and water resistant | UPF 50+

Best Splurge

Arc'teryx Gamma LT Pants

View on Amazon $90 at REI View on Arcteryx.com

The priciest pair of hiking pants we tested, this pair from Arc’Teryx surpassed our expectations for quality and functionality. Designed for all season use, the pants boast fabric that is ultra-protective thanks to the water- and wind-resistant finish that still allows air to pass through in warmer weather. Throughout three months of testing, we wore these pants while shoveling snow and in an unexpected rainstorm and no water seeped through the material, nor did our legs feel cold.

The slim-fitting pants run true to size and feature adjustable hems at the ankle with drawstring cords but the tighter the ankle, the more string might hang below the cuff and could get caught on brush or twigs. The pants also feature a variety of pockets with and without zippers to store various items. The price point is high, but we think these one-and-done pants are built to last, which helps justify the cost.

The Details: 00 to 16 (short, regular, tall) | Fortius DW 2.0 | Water-resistant

Best Convertible

Outdoor Voices RecTrek Zip-Off Pant

$82 at REI View on Outdoorvoices.com

Whether zip-off pants are cool or not is a longstanding debate, but we think this pair from Outdoor Voices are stylish and functional enough to please the critics. The pants unzip in not one, not two, but three different places to transform into shorts, capris, or ankle-length hiking pants. We found that they run true to size and come with an adjustable utility belt to get the best fit in the waist. 

During three months of testing, the bottoms offered excellent flexibility for climbing over boulders and other obstacles. The material is protective and thick but our legs never got too hot or too cold while hiking in various weather conditions. Several hikes and washes later, the pants still look brand-new. The zippers are smooth and easy to glide, and the only slight issue we ran into was with the nap button closures that were a little tough to undo and snap in. 

The Details: XS to 2XL | Nylon, elastane | Zip-off legs | Packable cargo pocket

Most Versatile

prAna Women's Halle Straight Pant

$95 at Amazon $95 at REI View on Prana.com

Versatility is key when it comes to travel clothing so we love that the Prana Halle Straight Pants can be worn for everything from outdoor to leisurely activities. The pants have an all-purpose straight-legged shape so we were able to wear them for various activities like hiking, biking, golfing, lounging around the house, and walking the dog. The sleek nylon material allows a full range of motion so the pants stretch in all the right places for rigorous activities. 

After washing the pants multiple times in the span of three months, we found that they retain the original shape and softness so we expect these bottoms to last a long time. The pants have plenty of stretch so if you normally size up, we recommend staying true to size for optimal fit.  

The Details: 00 to 16 (short, regular, tall) | Nylon, elastane | UPF 50+ | Water-resistant

Best Value

REI Co-op Women’s Trailmade Pants

$35 at REI

REI understands the assignment for creating long-lasting and functional outdoor gear for women so we recommend the Trailmade Pants for those looking to stretch their dollar further. Constructed with nylon and spandex material, these pants are designed to resist water, tearing, and abrasion on the trails — all important traits to look for in a durable pair of hiking pants. After hiking around a rocky waterfall in Costa Rica, we appreciated that the fabric is super stretchy and breathable, which prevents overheating in humid conditions. We can confirm that the bottoms run true to size and we particularly like the different leg lengths to fit different body types. When we pulled the pants out of a suitcase, the fabric was wrinkly but it smoothed out quickly after being unpacked. After three months of regular use, they don't show any signs of damage.

The Details: 0 to 26 (petite, regular, tall) | Nylon, spandex | UPF 50 | Water-resistant