Comparison review: We compared the best possible trekking pants by spring, autumn, summer and season.
written by Outdoor Gearzine Editorial Department
It's not surprising if you're a trail run in the middle of summer, but long pants are easy to use for trekking and mountain climbing. In mountains in Japan, long pants are often thought to be good because the weather is easy to change, there are a lot of undergrowth, protecting them from a variety of risk factors such as insects, UV rays, and injuries.
It's certainly true that trekking pants worn in the mountains are basically important, but I also want them to be easy to move in, and I want them to be less likely to get stuffy, and they're better suited to the temperature, so they're cool and warm, and even better with a nice style, which is a great thing.
This time, we've compared long pants for hiking and trekking from various brands this season, and we've come up with some of the best pants for each season, for spring and autumn and summer seasons.
table of contents
table of contents
- About the items we compared and tested this time
- Thin type
- Medium thick type
- summary
About the trekking pants compared this time
Below are 9 models of trekking pants compared this time. We have chosen various trekking pants for three seasons. Their features are so broad that it was difficult to summarize them in one way, so this time we will divide them into two types: thin types (for summer) and medium-thick types (for spring and autumn), and we will post reviews in the first and second half.
Thin type
- Arc'teryx sublio pants
- Houdini Lucid Pants
- Mountain Hardwear Lawn Mountain Stretch Pants
From left, Lucid pants, Sublio pants, Lawn Mountain stretch pants
Medium thick type
- The North Face Magma Pants
- Patagonia Cozy Pike Pants
- Norrona Bitihorn lightweight pants
- Mammut Softec Trekker Pants
- finetrack camino pants
- Mountain Hardwear Rock Ground Pants
From left: Camino Pants, Cozy Pike Pants, Softec Trekker Pants, Rock Ground Pants, Bitihorn Lightweight Pants, Magma Pants
Test environment
The following five points were set as indicators for review of the evaluation items.
- Comfort: an indicator of how to keep wearing comfortably and stress-free
- Mobility: Can you move without hindering your movement as trekking pants?
- Functionality: It has a wide range of functions such as pockets, so whether it is practical
- Breathable and breathable...In the summer, you may be particularly concerned about stuffiness inside clothes
- Weight: Not only the actual weight, but also the actual weight.
- Style: Whether it can be used in a variety of situations, including after descending the mountain or wearing it everyday.
With the above five points in mind, I actually tried walking along the mountain path. Under the pants, only underwear is worn, and the same jacket is chosen. It's difficult to adjust the environment exactly the same, but I did it under the same weather conditions as much as possible. We looked at how quickly drying is not only until it dries completely after soaking it in water for a few minutes, but until it reaches a state where it feels like it's not uncomfortable to wear.
The number of ☆s in each rating is not an absolute overall rating, but rather a relative rating within the thin and medium-thick categories.
Test results & spec comparison table (thin type)
If you find it difficult to see the table because it is lightweight for smartphones, click here
| comprehensive evaluation | AAA | AA | AA |
|---|---|---|---|
| item |  Arc'teryx sublio pants |  Houdini Lucid Pants |  Mountain Hardwear Lawn Mountain Stretch Pants |
| Reference price (excluding tax) | ¥14,000 | ¥19,000 | ¥13,000 |
| This is ◎ |
|
|
|
| This is △ |
|
|
|
| Comfort | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Mobility | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Functionality | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ |
| Breathable and moisture permeable | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ |
| weight | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| style | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| Specs | |||
| Official weight | 220g | 198g | 230g |
| Actual measured weight | 209g | 205g | 229g |
| material | Fortius™ DW 1.0 | Liquid Rock™ | 4 Way Stretch Plain Weave |
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|
| |
Impressions of each model
Arc'teryx sublio pants
This is ◎
- Comfort to wear
- Smooth mobility
This is △
- Compact
The pocket is slightly lower, but it does not interfere with the harness, making it easy to use.
These trekking pants allow you to experience the lightweight 200g, moderate stretchability and fit that are not excessive. Above all, it's amazing how comfortable it is to wear while moving, allowing you to thoroughly enjoy the quality of Arc'teryx construction. It makes you feel comfortable to wear, and it gives you a sense of lightweight and suppleness that makes you forget you're wearing it on occasion. Not only that, it also has moderate stretchability so you can continue wearing it without stress even during activities. It dries quickly and dries quickly even when wet.
There are only two zippered pockets on the sides. Both are mesh, so they can be used as a substitute for ventilation. Unlike other pants, the position is slightly below, so even if you secure your waist with a large backpack waist strap, you can access it without interference, but I'm a bit unsure whether it's easy to put in and take it out. Considering carrying a backpack, two pockets are sufficient, but the pockets themselves are smaller than other pants, so when using only pants, it may feel a bit less storage space.
The fabric is very thin and highly breathable, but it also has a certain amount of wind resistance, so it can be used alone for three seasons. Although Arc'teryx's clothing is generally priced at a high price, these pants are high performance but are relatively affordable, so they are great pants that allow you to easily experience the benefits of Arc'teryx.
Houdini Lucid Pants
This is ◎
- Stress-free fit
- Physically lightweight
This is △
- Front snap button
The front is snap buttons instead of zippered
These trekking pants are lightweight and highly breathable and stretchable, from Houdini to less than 200g. The fabric is a thin, 2-way stretch in the horizontal direction. You might think that the stretchiness is not very good with a 2-way system, but Houdini's unique three-dimensional cutting that creates a mold from a person operating, called Made to Move, will not make you feel stressed. This one is also extremely comfortable to wear, and the fabric is thin and supple, making it extremely breathable.
There are three pockets, two sides and one back pocket, and the back pocket is packable with zippers. The front is usually zippered, but this one uses snap buttons, so it may take a little time if you want to hurry to the toilet.
It's very easy to use, with its flexible fabric and stress-free mobility, but it seems like lighter hiking, changing clothes on tent sites, or wearing the city is more useful than trekking.
Mountain Hardwear Lawn Mountain Stretch Pants
This is ◎
- A spacious fitting
- Quick drying
- Packable
This is △
- It's a bit bad for hard climbing
I'm really grateful for the packable version. Can be stored in the palm of your hand.
These are packable mountain pants with high stretchability. When I put them on, the waist area is much more roomy than other pants, making it easy to wear and relaxed. It has high stretchability and mobility in the crotch, making it stress-free for activities that require large movements such as climbing, as well as mountain climbing.
There are three pockets, two front pockets and one back, and only the front pocket is zippered and mesh. The back pocket is packable, making it convenient to carry as spare pants.
It's packable and has plenty of fitting, so it's more useful to wear it in your backpack, rather than just wearing it as your main outfit, as a campsite or as a change of clothes when you're off the mountain. Another important feature is that it dries quickly even after washing.
