A good pair of hiking pants is an essential piece of gear to have. The best hiking pants for women or men will be usable in just about any month of the year. You might have to layer something under them in the winter to stay warm, and it might be good if they came with a few ventilation options for the summer heat, but the best hiking pants really will do it all. But if you want that versatile pair of hiking pants, you need to know what to look for when you’re doing your reviewing.
Hiking Pants for Women
What you want to see from hiking pants for women.- Convertible – One of the most usable features on a pair of hiking pants is the ability to convert the pants from pants in to shorts. Convertible pants, if you’ve never come across them, have a zipper around either leg, at about the knee, that allows you to zip off the bottom section of pants and throw them in your bag when things get hot, leaving you wearing a pair of shorts instead.
- Fabric – There are a few different fabric choices when it comes to hiking pants, but nylon is definitely the best. It dries quickly, which is as good for when you’re sweating and crossing rivers as it is when it’s raining and you’re cold. Nylon also weighs very little, and doesn’t rip easily, which is always nice to have on a hike.
Best Hiking Pants for Women
Some of the better choices when it comes to hiking pants for women.- ExOfficio Nomad Roll-Up Pants - First up, a very good pair of women's hiking pants from a company that makes great outdoor clothing, ExOfficio. These aren't convertible, but they do roll up, so that you have the option of a full length pant or a capri length pant, without having to worry about having to put the bottom section of your convertible pants anywhere. They're made with nylon, so they will dry quickly, and have a UPF 30+ rating for the sun.
- The North Face Horizon Tempest Pants - Another excellent hiking pant from The North Face that also rolls up, just the Nomad pants above, rather than having the bottom section come off. In terms of design these are fairly similar to the Nomad pants above, but have a simple rope belt integrated, rather than the belt loops on the Nomads. These also have a very high UPF rating of 50+, so you don't have to ever worry about the sun.
- Mountain Hardwear Ramesa Convertible Pants - One more pair of hiking pants for women, these ones being fully convertible. They're made from something called Canyon Twill, which is likely a kind of nylon. They also have a water repellent finish, so you don't have to worry too much about them getting wet. That, plus a UPF rating of 50+ means that you're covered for just about anything that nature throws at you.
