{"id":4972,"date":"2021-01-30T18:25:46","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T00:25:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/?p=4972"},"modified":"2023-08-08T20:54:08","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T01:54:08","slug":"are-hiking-pants-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/decideoutside.com\/are-hiking-pants-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Hiking Pants Worth It? Find Out Why I Won’t Look Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When going on a hike, wearing the proper gear can make or break your experience. Even though I believe that it’s perfectly okay to hike in jeans, read on to find out why hiking pants are now my number one choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hiking pants are worth it because they’re comfortable, lightweight, and dry quickly. After asking the hiking community for their opinions on hiking pants, we found that about 60% of hikers prefer to wear hiking pants over any other type of pant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only do hiking pants offer comfort, but some hiking pants are even designed to convert into shorts. Furthermore, the fabric makes these pants a good choice for hiking in nearly all weather. To learn more about the purpose of hiking pants, what makes them so special, and other options for hiking legwear, read on<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To find out if investing in hiking pants is truly worth it, I reached out to the hiking community. With nearly 50 responses from seasoned campers and hikers, I got my answer. While 60% of people believe that hiking pants are totally worth it, about 28% reported that they hiked in other pants, and around 12% said they wear both.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, with about 72% of our responders saying that they do in fact wear hiking pants, it should be safe to conclude that hiking pants are worth it. Especially since considering that hiking pants are a modern invention.<\/strong> Many people are switching!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hiking pants are flexible and breathable, which makes them very comfortable to hike in. When going on a hike, regardless of the length, you want to be comfortable, move easily, and avoid any chaffing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hiking pants are designed to fit more loosely against the body<\/strong>. When properly fitted, your hiking pants shouldn’t rub against your skin, constrict your legs, or ride up in places they shouldn’t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, most hiking pants have elastic or draw-string waistbands which allows the pants to follow the movement of your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast<\/strong> a pair of jeans is often pretty static in its size. Jeans are getting more and more stretchy as time goes on, but many are going to be be a bit more rigid. This helps jeans be more durable, but it means they’re less comfortable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike jeans or cotton pants, hiking pants are designed to dry quickly. Hiking pants that are made from nylon won’t hold water, which allows them to dry within minutes of getting wet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This quick-drying feature is great if you plan to hiking in wetlands, across streams, or in wet climates. It’s especially good if you’re hiking in an area that’s known for unpredictable weather, such as in the mountains or southern tropics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing sours a long hike more than having to hike for miles with wet pants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If it’s 80 degrees and humid outside, you definitely don’t want to be drowning in sweat and fabric. Hiking pants are lightweight and breathable, which makes them a great choice for hiking in the heat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I did a quick weight comparison, and as you can see from this table, my hiking pants are almost half the weight of my jeans. You can <\/strong>go lighter especially if you just hike in shorts without the pant legs (mine are removable)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe it’s not as fashionable, but the hiking pants with the removable pants legs are absolutely worth it. As many seasoned hikers know, the temperatures can be colder in the morning and then heat up at the day goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you start the day by wearing pants, you might become drenched sweat by the time the sun reaches its peak. But if you decide on shorts, you might be too cold in the morning. The solution? Convertible pants.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With convertible hiking pants, you can zip off each of the pant legs and come out wearing shorts. Thanks to this unique feature, you have pants and shorts all in one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know this sounds weird and like it wouldn’t be a big deal, but it’s really a convenient feature that makes hiking so much more comfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though the zip-off legs may not be the most stylish feature, some brands of hiking pants can be quite stylish. In fact, some hikers (and even non-hikers) wear their hiking pants while they run around town. With such comfortability and style, you can wear your hiking pants pretty much anywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some brands, such as Athleta<\/a> and Kuhl<\/a>, feature more stylish hiking pants for both hiking and everyday wear. So if you’re looking for more versatile hiking pants, it may be worth it to check them out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The truth is, hiking pants are considered the new “hiker hip.” Perhaps to a fault, our persona for a backpacker or a hiker includes someone with those fancy hiking pants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you’re out hiking for the day, it’s nice to not have to stow away everything in a day bag. Luckily, hiking pants can have lots of pockets<\/strong>, so you’ll have endless options to securely store your phone, wallet, keys, lip balm, and other belongings.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Hiking Pants Are Worth It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hiking Pants Are Comfortable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hiking Pants Dry Quickly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hiking Pants Are Lightweight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pants Type<\/th> Weight (oz)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Regular Cut Jeans (male) (33-32)<\/td> 21.1<\/td><\/tr> Cargo Zipper Sportswear Hiking Pants<\/strong> (similar to this one<\/a>\u00a0from Columbia on Amazon)<\/td> 13.3<\/td><\/tr> Generic Gym Shorts<\/td> 6.3<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Hiking Pants Can Be Versatile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hike In Style<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hiking Pants Sometimes Have Lots of Pockets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n