Hiking pants are a lot better than jeans, or any other pants when it comes to hiking or backpacking. Hiking pants are very lightweight and easy to walk with. They are not bulky nor add lots of weight to the hiker which makes them ideal for the outdoors. They also protect the user from the harmful rays of the sun. I am recommending a few hiking pants that are fantastic. I hope that you will find a few of them to your liking.
Best Hiking Pants – Quick Chart
| Hiking Pants | UPF | Material | Convertible | Waterproof |
| 1. Eddie Bauer Men’s Guide Pro Pants | 50+ | 94% nylon/6% spandex | No | Repels Water |
| 2. White Sierra Trail 32-Inch Inseam Convertible Pant | 30 | 100% Nylon | Yes | Water Resistant Finish |
| 3. Columbia Men’s Silver Ridge Convertible Pant | 50 | 100% Nylon | Yes | No |
| 4. ExOfficio Men’s Sol Cool Camino Convertible Pants | 50 | 100% Nylon | Yes | No |
| 5. 5.11 Tactical #74273 Men’s TacLite Pro Pant | 65% polyester/35% cotton ripstop fabric | No | Yes | |
| 6. Royal Robbins Men’s Zip N’ Go Pants | provides upf protection | 100% Nylon | Yes | Water Resistant |
| 7. Outdoor Research Men’s Ferrosi Pants | 86% ripstop | No | Water Resistant | |
| 8. CQR Men’s Tactical Pants Lightweight EDC Assault Cargo TLP104 | 65% polyester 35% cotton Rip-stop fabric materials | No | Water Resistant | |
| 9. The North Face Men’s Paramount Trail Convertible Pants | 50 | 100% Nylon | Yes | Water-repellent |
| 10. Helikon-Tex Outback Line, OTP Outdoor Tactical Pants Nylon Spandex | 93% Nylon/7% Spandex/DuPont Teflon Coating | No | Water Resistant | |
| 11. Tru-Spec Men’s 24-7 Tactical Pant | 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton | No | Water Resistant | |
| 12. BC Clothing Mens Convertible Lightweight Comfort Stretch Cargo Pants or Shorts | 73% cotton, 24% nylon, 3% spandex | Yes | No | |
| 13. Nonwe Men’s Outdoor Quick Dry Water-resistant Breathable Cargo Pants | 88% Nylon and 12% Spandex | No | Water-resistant | |
| 14. MIERSPORTS Men’s Convertible Pants | 88% Nylon/ 12% Spandex | Yes | Water-resistant | |
| 15. Mountain Hardwear Men’s Castil Convertible | Lightweight nylon ripstop | Yes | Water Resistant |
How To Choose A Pair Of Hiking Pants
Types Of Hiking Pants
Convertible Hiking Pants
The most common hiking pants people get are convertible hiking pants. These pants will have a zipper in the middle or near the knee. The pants can turn into shorts or people can unzip a little bit of the pants to provide more ventilation to the skin. These pants are very light and good to walk with.
Tactical Pants
Tactical pants are also often used for hiking especially during Fall and Spring. Tactical pants are a little bit heavier though and they are often not convertible but they work well for hiking. These pants are very easy to clean, quick drying and can often repel water. They have way too many pockets though.
Cargo Pants
I often see a lot of people wear cargo pants but these pants are not really ideal since they are very heavy. They absorb water rather than repel them. Cargo pants are still good, it is not going to be a problem but there are better pants and fabrics that are available.
Jeans
Only beginners wear jeans and jeans is not a bad pair of pants for day hikes. These are not good for backpacking though and I recommend getting hiking pants in the future if you wear jeans. Jeans are great and stylish but not practical for hiking because these are not very easy to clean and these absorb water very well.
Materials To Choose From
Polyester
This material is just amazing and can be used in a lot of items. If you look at the cost of items made out of polyester, it is easy to notice that they are very affordable. Polyester pants tend to repel water and are very quick drying as well. This will create items that are very lightweight because this material is very light. I love polyester because this material is very durable, sturdy and resilient while being very light.
Spandex Fabric
When it comes to durability, spandex fabric provides a lot of it. The simple fact is that items made from spandex fabric are very durable. This is very easy to clean and works well. This is often combined with nylon or polyester for hiking pants. The flexibility that spandex fabric provides is amazing which is why a lot of people love this material.
Nylon
It is true that a lot of people love to use hiking pants that are made out of nylon. There are a lot of items made out of nylon because this material does not cost a lot of money. I love that items that are made from this are very light in weight. This material provides resiliency and durability to the items that are made from this. This is good at repelling water and quick drying also.
Things To Think About
Weight
The weight of the hiking pants is important. Most of the time, you want something comfortable but lightweight. The weight matters because the more weight you carry, the more fatigue your body becomes. The less weight you carry, the more energy you will have. You can use this energy to walk, enjoy the scenery and so on.
Comfort
All pieces of clothing that you wear while in the outdoors need to be very comfortable. The more comfortable you are, the more fun you will have. The less comfortable you are, the less fun you will have. It will be too hard to enjoy hiking when your pants are not that comfortable. It is the reason people wear hiking pants instead of jeans. Jeans are too heavy and when they get wet, they get heavier. So comfort is very important when it comes to hiking.
Convertible
Convertible pants are pretty awesome especially if you are sweating a lot. You can turn your pants into shorts to get more air and let sweat breathe out of your clothes. The more sweat that evaporates, the less you will stink. Having pants that can be converted to shorts so that you can become more comfortable is a great feature.
Material
The material that the pants are made of is one of the things you need to consider. The material can dictate how water resistant and fast drying the pants can be. Most hiking pants are fast drying so that when you cross a river or when the weather turns rainy for a few minutes, you do not need to carry the water around for hours. Remember, weight can cause you to become more fatigue and have less fun.
Sun Protection
Most hiking pants also have UPF of at least 50+. You don’t want to get sun burn or experience any hazardous side effects because of the ultra violet rays of the sun. It is important that you protect your body from too much heat and ultra violet rays. Pants that have high UPF rating are really great for outdoors and hiking purposes.
Best Hiking Pants
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1. Eddie Bauer Men’s Guide Pro Pants
UPF: 50+
Material: 94% nylon/6% spandex
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Repels Water
Feature Summary: Good for saving space, items with intuitive designs come from this company, one of the best and high quality item out there
Short Review: This hiking pants is unbelievable and I love it a lot. This is one of the greatest that I know of this is why I know you will be pleased if you get this item. If you look at the item description, this has lots of capabilities and this is very affordable too. I like this company and judging by this remarkable item, they will have plenty of men and women buying their items for countless years to come. This is exceptionally good and inexpensive. Among the best things I really like about this is that this is very light. The price tag is pretty inexpensive too.
2. White Sierra Trail 32-Inch Inseam Convertible Pant
UPF: 30
Material: 100% Nylon
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: Water Resistant Finish
Feature Summary: Great item for outdoor activities and very durable, capable and worthwhile company, amazing item for outdoor activities
Short Review: This pants for hiking is wonderful and I know you will love it. The design is really good which is why this is extremely sturdy. Affordability is one thing that we factor in when we are shopping online. This has an excellent price tag. This is great for the outdoors and performs very well plus this provides lots of usefulness. I like that this is really sturdy. In this category, there are a lot of items that are incredibly fragile. A considerable amount of men and women feel disappointed about purchasing them mainly because they clearly did not listen to my recommendations. I think this is just impressive. This can protect the legs from the weather and nature. This has lots of positive customer feedback which should be adequate for a great deal of men and women to give this a try.
3. Columbia Men’s Silver Ridge Convertible Pant
UPF: 50
Material: 100% Nylon
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: No
Feature Summary: Looks great and very fashionable, company makes amazing items, very high quality and durable
Short Review: You can acquire a great deal of pants for the outdoor however, this continues to be among the finest that can be found right now. This is one of the finest items I have ever tried and it is one good reason I am recommending this to you. After a long, hard search for the perfect item, I ended up trying this. It is very good. Amazing item for hiking that is also very affordable. I was a skeptic mainly because of the low price nevertheless this one performed extremely well. One true declaration I can say is that high quality items like this one will always have a good amount of returning customers. I really like that this is very resilient for the reason that I know a couple of people who purchased a really fragile item and that item became worthless in very little time.
4. ExOfficio Men’s Sol Cool Camino Convertible Pants
UPF: 50
Material: 100% Nylon
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: No
Feature Summary: Lots of amazing items come from this company, popular and amazing company, ingenious design from an amazing company
Short Review: If you obtain this backpacking pants, you will end up amazed at how amazing this is. Very portable because of the lightweight design which makes this ideal for the outdoors. If you want something that is very good while having a low price then this is a fantastic choice. If you like to shop, then you will like this item for the reason that it is really budget friendly. This item is incredibly high quality and I can tell that this will last which makes the purchase price worth the investment. Hiking is a lot more fun if you have a good item like this because this makes hiking easier.
5. 5.11 Tactical #74273 Men’s TacLite Pro Pant
UPF:
Material: 65% polyester/35% cotton ripstop fabric
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Yes
Feature Summary: High quality items from high quality company, amazing and very high quality, great company and very popular
Short Review: This pants for hiking is fantastic and it has a great deal of positive customer recommendations. This is very lightweight which allows us to walk easier whenever we are hiking. I am now a believer and on the bandwagon. This item is incredible. It rocks. This came earlier than expected and it is precisely what I hoped it would be. You can see that this item has a whole lot of positive consumer feedback which is amazing simply because they provide a lot of information. This has incredible high quality materials and the price is incredibly affordable.
| Check Out My Other Reviews – hiking waist pack – hiking compass – hiking hydration bladder – hydration bladder bite valves – pocket blanket |
6. Royal Robbins Men’s Zip N’ Go Pants
UPF: provides upf protection
Material: 100% Nylon
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Fashionable and very stylish, amazing item that saves space, aesthetically beautiful
Short Review: You simply won’t make a mistake when you purchase this hiking pants. I can’t believe I couldn’t find this in the stores. It is a fantastic thing I can find this online. One thing I know is that this is one of the finest that I have ever tested and I am satisfied that I have it. The company did an awesome job for the reason that this item is among the finest I know of. I really like this item. It is incredibly low-priced and the price tag is just right. This is terrific and this is also pretty affordable. One important factor to remember is that this is made of high quality materials which makes it very durable.
7. Outdoor Research Men’s Ferrosi Pants
UPF:
Material: 86% ripstop
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Durable construction that will last for many years to come, modern style, modern fashion, built to be amazing and high quality
Short Review: I like this pants for hiking. A very useful item for hiking and this works well also. One of the best things is that this item has a lot of positive customer feedback which imply that a great deal of people are pretty content with their purchase of this. It is true that this high quality item surpassed my expectations and has help me enormously. I read some wonderful reviews that this item can protect the legs from the weather and nature that its no wonder that I ordered it. It certainly works. This is extraordinary and I know this simply because of the positive consumer feedback. The company who made this item usually makes exceptionally good items, such as this one.
8. CQR Men’s Tactical Pants Lightweight EDC Assault Cargo TLP104
UPF:
Material: 65% polyester 35% cotton Rip-stop fabric materials
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Space saver, popular company, amazing item that saves space
Short Review: A great deal of men and women are usually amazed at how excellent this hiking pants is. I love that this is extremely sturdy due to the fact a considerable amount of similar items are just really fragile due to the fact the design is not really good. This is a pretty wonderful item. It is also pretty inexpensive. It is easier and a lot more fun to have this for hiking because this works well. This possesses the capacity to protect the legs from the weather and nature. Companies such as the one that made this incredible item are always going to be popular. This is not only remarkable but also the type of quality that you would expect from this superb company.
9. The North Face Men’s Paramount Trail Convertible Pants
UPF: 50
Material: 100% Nylon
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: Water-repellent
Feature Summary: Made by an amazing company, love how this item look, lots of amazing items come from this company
Short Review: There’s no doubt that this backpacking pants is actually incredibly wonderful. I hesitated purchasing this item mainly because it might be too good to be true. Good thing I just went for it. This is very good. I’ve been making use of this for a long time now and it has been wonderful. I know that this item is superb considering that the designer put a whole lot of thought into its development. I first learned of this item while searching the Internet. I can’t recommend this highly enough. One of the best that I’ve tested which explains why I recommend you check out how impressive this is.
10. Helikon-Tex Outback Line, OTP Outdoor Tactical Pants Nylon Spandex
UPF:
Material: 93% Nylon/7% Spandex/DuPont Teflon Coating
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Durable item for the outdoors, amazing item because of design and high quality materials, high quality items from high quality company
Short Review: You simply will not make a mistake when you purchase this pants for hiking. I like that this has exceeded my expectations and this can protect the legs from the weather and nature. The lightweight design is amazing because we can hike easier with this. After buying a large amount of excellent items such as this, I have come to expect a whole lot of amazing items from this company. Lightweight items like this one are very easy to wear and walk with.
| Check Out My Other Reviews – hiking rain jackets – pocket blanket – backpacking hammocks with bug net – sleeping bags for adults – compact umbrella |
11. Tru-Spec Men’s 24-7 Tactical Pant
UPF:
Material: 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Built to be amazing and high quality, strong and durable construction, company continues to surprise me with amazing items
Short Review: This hiking pants is extremely inexpensive and it works well also. Good size. Good item. This is exactly what I expected. If you would like an item that is very durable and is made from high quality materials, then this is a fantastic choice. This is one of the greatest that I know of which explains why I know you will be glad if you get this item. This has a very affordable price tag and it is also high quality. We can save lots of money by obtaining a really affordable item. This item has such a fabulous design that I know that you will be very happy with it like a lot of other people.
12. BC Clothing Mens Convertible Lightweight Comfort Stretch Cargo Pants or Shorts
UPF:
Material: 73% cotton, 24% nylon, 3% spandex
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: No
Feature Summary: Durable hiking pants that will last for many years to come, designed to be compact to not take much room, durable item for the outdoors
Short Review: I like this pants for hiking and many men and women love it as well. I really like this item. The design is sleek and works well. If you browse through the the positive consumer reviews, you can certainly see why a good amount of men and women love this item. This is a very versatile item to have for the outdoors and very affordable as well. One of the finest that I’ve tested its no wonder that I am extremely satisfied I can buy this online. This wonderful company created another remarkable item and it is easy to see that this is one of the finest due to the positive customer reviews. This item is exactly as advertised so I have no complaints at all.
13. Nonwe Men’s Outdoor Quick Dry Water-resistant Breathable Cargo Pants
UPF:
Material: 88% Nylon and 12% Spandex
Convertible: No
Waterproof: Water-resistant
Feature Summary: Made out of high quality materials which made this very durable, great item and very good for the outdoors, well-made item that is very durable
Short Review: We are always trying to find some quite excellent hiking pants similar to this. One of the greatest I’ve ever tested this is why I am joyful I can recommend this to my website visitors. This is way better than I originally expected. I have purchased different items before but this is among the best. You can definitely look into the consumer feedback if you are still uncertain whether to acquire this item or not. The volume of positive customer feedback that this item has is amazing that it is really easy to find the info that you need from them. The design is really distinctive and versatile. This has a harmony of usefulness and loveliness at the same time.
14. MIERSPORTS Men’s Convertible Pants
UPF:
Material: 88% Nylon/ 12% Spandex
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: Water-resistant
Feature Summary: Company continues to amaze me with amazing items, designed to save space, saving space for more items
Short Review: There are lots of pants for outdoor in the Internet but this is pretty excellent. I read some awesome feedback that this item can protect the legs from the weather and nature which is the reason why I purchased it. It certainly works. I am really happy with this item. This is made out of lightweight material which is why this is very good. This is truly one of a kind item that is also pretty budget friendly. I will tell you that this is among the finest because of the low price. There’s always some doubt when I buy any item online nevertheless the affordable price of this makes them fade away.
15. Mountain Hardwear Men’s Castil Convertible
UPF:
Material: Lightweight nylon ripstop
Convertible: Yes
Waterproof: Water Resistant
Feature Summary: Very stylish, outdoor friendly and amazing item, well-made item that is very durable
Short Review: I am excited to recommend this hiking pants due to the fact this is magnificent. I trust the company that created this item mainly because the design is pretty good. This works wonderfully. The fact that it can protect the legs from the weather and nature is the best part. This is exceptionally convenient to have. This is a high quality item that is both unbelievable and excellent. The material is made to fight off certain types of weather. This feels very comfortable to wear.