Like comfortable hiking boots and your best hiking backpack, well-fitted pants can be the difference between a good hike and a great hike. The best hiking pants are durable, lightweight, and comfortable in almost any weather. After all, your legs are your transport along the trail and a pair of quality hiking pants will protect them from both the elements and unwanted leg chafing. (Spoiler alert: All chafing is unwanted.)
Thanks to remarkable advances in eco-friendly fabric technology, the world’s best outdoor clothing brands now make some truly epic hiking pants. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to score a good pair. Here are the best hiking pants for men in 2023.
REI Co-Op Activator 3.0 Pants
Best hiking pants for men overall
REI Co-Op’s Activator 3.0 are next-gen, three-season hiking pants with plenty of clever trail technology built-in. The softshell fabric is Bluesign-approved with a blend of nylon, polyester, and spandex for maximum moisture-wicking, water-repellence, and active stretch. A center gusset and articulated knees also help you move more freely on the trail. When the going gets a little rough, draw-cords at the cuffs allow you to cinch the legs around your favorite hiking sneakers to keep out dirt and debris.
The North Face Paramount Trail Convertible Pants
Best bang-for-your-buck hiking pants for men
The North Face’s Paramount Trail Convertible Pants remain a perennial favorite among avid hikers. The relaxed fit allows for free and easy active movements, while the DWR fabric stays dry through mist and light rain. Weighing in at almost a pound, they’re also plenty durable and more heavy-duty than most ultra-light alternatives. The best part? At just under $40 on sale, they’re more affordable, too.
Patagonia Quandary Pants
Most durable hiking pants for men
Patagonia’s Quandary Pants are among the most versatile hiking pants in its catalog. They’re tough and technical, with a generous 6% spandex construction that allows for a wide range of movement on the trail. They’re also surprisingly lightweight at just 10 ounces, yet plenty durable with a tough, weather-resistant DWR finish. Plus, the fabric offers solid UPF 40 sun protection.
Arc'teryx Gamma Pant
Best premium hiking pants for men
For the discerning outdoorsmen for whom only the best will do, Arc’teryx always delivers. The brand’s Gamma Pant (the new, improved version of its best-selling Gamma LT Pant) is soft and ultra-lightweight at less than 13 ounces. The Fortius DW 2.0 fabric is also extremely durable with plenty of stretch. Together, the zippered fly and adjustable webbing belt ensure a firm closure even when the going — er, climbing — gets rough.
Fjallraven Vidda Pro Ventilated Pants
Best cotton hiking pants for men
One of the first rules that outdoor adventurers learn is that “cotton kills.” That’s why it’s rare to find cotton fabric in any premium outdoor apparel. Fjallraven, however, doesn’t always play by the rules. The brand’s Vidda Pro Ventilated hiking pants are made from G-1000 material that’s 35% cotton. This unusual choice makes these hiking pants extremely durable, allowing for harder slides over rough, rocky terrain without worrying that your trousers won’t survive the abuse. Just throw on a liberal coating of Fjallraven’s Greenland Beeswax for added waterproofing, and you’re good to go.
KUIU Pro Brush Pant
Best technical hiking pants for men
The all-new PRO Brush Pant from KUIU is the most technical hiking pant in this year's roundup. Like most everything in the brand's catalog of hardcore apparel, it's designed first and foremost with hunters in mind. Translation: They're high-performance and extremely durable, built for long treks through thorn- and briar-filled terrain. The combination of lightweight fabric and four-way stretch ensures maximum comfort and freedom of movement, no matter how deep into the backcountry you're planning to stray.
Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants
Best convertible hiking pants for men
Kuhl’s long history of well-built hiking apparel carries through to its Renegade Convertible Pants. The Duralux fabric is soft like cotton but durable for years and years of wear. That’s mainly due to its blended 95% nylon and 5% spandex construction. The latter makes for a stretchy fit that gives where and when you need it and guarantees all-day comfort even on the most extended hikes (or travel days). Plus, when the weather heats up, the legs zip off so they double as shorts or even a bathing suit in a pinch.
Marmot Arch Rock Pants
Best abrasion-resistant hiking pants for men
For warm-weather adventures on the trail or in the crags, Marmot’s Arch Rock hiking pants are ready. The stretch fabric construction features a gusseted inseam, articulated knees, and a zippered closure along the right pant leg for maximum comfort and mobility. At just 11.6 ounces, they’re ideal for desert hikes and scrambles, even in the height of summer.
Outdoor Research Cirque II Softshell Pants
Best alpine-ready hiking pants for men
For some of the best men's hiking pants that are damn-near bulletproof, Outdoor Research offers its Cirque II Softshell Pants. Most softshell pants are designed to minimize weight and maximize range of motion and water -resistance. But that usually results in a thinner, less durable construction. The Cirque II boasts all of these features but with a tougher, abrasion-resistant fabric that’s ready for bushwhacking and venturing farther off-trail. None of which is surprising given that these are technically billed as specialty, all-season, alpine-centric pants.
Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pants
Best budget hiking pants for men
Columbia has become a staple in our outdoor gear closet. Nearly every product in its catalog is durable, comfortable, and well-made, yet costs a fraction of its better-known competition. The Silver Ridge Convertible hiking pants are quick-wicking with plenty of storage and sun protection. Like most on this list, they easily convert to shorts with just two zipper pulls. The best part? The roughly $65 price tag.
Royal Robbins Alpine Road Pant
Most versatile hiking pants for men
Royal Robbins' Alpine Road Pants are unlike any other hiking pants in this season's roundup. They feature a remarkably versatile design that's just as well suited for light backcountry hikes as for long days at the office. The fabric is stiffer than we ordinarily like, but that gives them a structure that works for more casual in-town wear. Your coworkers and cocktail hour companions won't ever think you're actually wearing
Hikers know that their legs and feet take a beating more than any other part of their body when venturing into the backcountry. That's why, in addition to good hiking boots, it pays to invest in the best men's hiking pants you can afford. A lousy pair can make even the best day hike feel like a slog, while a good pair, at the very least, keeps your lower extremities protected so you can focus on what matters: Enjoying the great outdoors.
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