Best Hiking Pants for Men in 2021

BUYING GUIDE: What to Look for When Buying Men’s Hiking Pants 

1. Types of Hiking Pants 

• Standard Hiking Pants

Standard hiking pants are simply traditional pants made with specialized fabrics and features. They’re known for being lightweight yet durable, comfortable yet technical. 

Compared to shorts, pants are great for protecting your legs from blood-sucking bugs (such as Lyme disease-carrying ticks and pesky mosquitoes). They also defend against scrapes and bruises, plus wind and rain. 

• Convertible Hiking Pants

Convertible pants have been the butt of many jokes, but there’s good reason why they persist on the trail. For one, they’re a more versatile option for hikers who can’t decide between shorts and pants. Second, they’re adaptive to a wide variety of conditions without adding extra ounces to your pack. They are, however, heavier on average than standard hiking pants due to their zipper connections.

2. Sizing and Fit

There are many variations when it comes to size and fit. Below, we discuss the four most common genres of fit.

• Standard Fit

Standard-cut pants (also known as regular fit) sit just below the waist and have a loose tapper from top to bottom. While this type of fit is common among hiking pants in general, it’s specifically common with convertible pants.

• Relaxed Fit

Relaxed Fit pants are similar in structure to Standard Fit, but slightly wider throughout the leg. Wind pants and rain pants are commonly designed with this type of fit, allowing wearers to layer them over a pair of shorts or lightweight hiking pants.

• Athletic Fit

Designed with big legs in mind, the Athletic Fit is roomier in the thighs than other fit types. Athletic Fit can be slim or standard-cut, which refers to whether the pant tapers or not. 

• Slim Fit

For lean legs, Slim Fit offers a comfortable alternative to its shapeless cousins. Slim Fit is tighter than Standard and Relaxed and usually tapers at the ankle. Hiking pants that double as everyday pants are often designed to fit slim to provide a more flattering look.

3. Comfort and Mobility

Comfort is king when it comes to hiking pants. Many high-quality pairs feature a combination of nylon or polyester, spandex, and ripstop. Nylon and polyester are typically lightweight and breathable, while spandex is a stretch fabric that offers wearers an unrestricted range of motion. Finally, ripstop grids increase durability by adding a layer of abrasion-resistance.

Other features like a gusseted crotch improve comfort and flexibility. A gusseted crotch is simply a triangular piece of fabric interposed between the crotch seams to provide a greater range of movement and decrease rubbing friction. 

4. Breathability

Breathable fabrics are standard when it comes to hiking pants. Summer hiking pants are more breathable than winter hiking pants. This is largely because the latter require greater water-resistance, which is inversely correlated with breathability.

5. Weather Protection

If you often find yourself trekking through wet and windy climates, prioritize weather protection when shopping for hiking pants. Many models that boast water-resistance feature a DWR finish, which is a thin, specially-formulated coating applied to the outer surface of a garment to prevent water penetration. 

You may also notice that some pairs of pants contain GORE-TEX. Unlike DWR, GORE-TEX is not a finish but an actual material used in the composition of the garment. GORE-TEX is waterproof but naturally reduces breathability to some degree. 

6. Durability

When it comes to durability, the heavier the fabric weight, the more durable the material. Of course, who wants to wear thick denim on the trail? That’s where ripstop comes in. Ripstop weaves sit atop the more fragile base fabric to defend against tears and abrasions.

7. Style and Versatility

Style is a matter of personal taste. Arc’teryx makes extremely stylish hiking pants that can easily double as urban chinos.

8. Other Features

• Pockets

The ideal number of pockets largely depends on your style of hiking. If you’re doing a short day hike and don’t want to carry a backpack, having extra pockets is a great way to take along the things you need (e.g., rain shell, water bladder, map). 

If you’ve got a backpack—especially one with hip belt pockets—you won’t need as many pockets. Fewer pockets means lighter pants and faster dry time when wet. As a rule of thumb, zipper pockets offer more protection from the elements and prevent accidental losses. 

• Integrated Waist Cinch or Belt

For greater customizability, a waist cinch or belt is a must-have feature. This way, your pants will retain their utility whether you lose or gain weight—an especially pertinent fact for thru-hikers who drop serious pounds on the trail.

• Rollable cuffs

Ankle cuffs that feature either zips, snaps, or a cinchable drawstring are incredibly useful. If you need to quickly dump heat on a scorching day, simply undo them. Conversely, if you’re cold or trudging through tick-infested grasslands, cinch ‘em tight!