Hiking trousers

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What do I need to know before buying hiking trousers?

Hiking trousers are one of the key items in your outdoor activity wardrobe. Whether you’re out for a quick walk with your dog in the local woods, striking out on bridleways, or heading for a challenging mountain summit, carefully chosen hiking trousers will keep you comfortable and add a spring to your step.

Finding the best hiking trousers for you is very much a personal choice – it’s as much about your own comfort and preferences as it is about the type of walking you’re doing, the terrain and altitude you’re tackling and the weather and season you’re doing it in. You can go for a traditional full length model, a legging or ‘tight’ style, or a cropped length trouser that leaves your lower leg exposed. Whichever you go for, you need to be fully mobile, so check that you can bend over and squat without any restriction. 

When choosing technical hiking trousers, you’ll need to think about how rainproof they need to be, what degree of stretch you want, how much reinforcement you like, and what degree of insulation you’ll need. Look for high performance technical fabrics, which combine several of these aspects in a single pair of trousers. Pockets, secure storage areas and ventilation zips add further practicality and functionality.

For UK conditions, a pair of waterproof hiking trousers is often a standard requirement! Waterproof overtrousers remain a popular and flexible option, but you’ll also find rainproof trousers designed to be worn alone or over thermal leggings. Using the latest multi-layer, waterproof-breathable membranes, these trousers keep you warm and dry at any time of year. 

Lighter weight stretch hiking trousers offer a sporty, modern look, are comfortable and packable, and promote agility out on the trail. Articulated or preformed knees aid movement, while water-resistant fabrics and DWR finishes protect you against light rain without the relative stiffness of heavier duty fully rainproof trousers.

When you’re tackling rougher terrain, reinforced hiking trousers featuring materials like Kevlar® and Cordura® provide valuable protection. And for cold winter hikes and mountain sports, sometimes the biggest priority is staying warm. Insulation can be provided by a combination of materials, from a warm fleece lining to a windproof and rainproof membrane or laminate. Look for walking trousers that balance insulation and moisture management to achieve the weight and breathability you need on your hiking adventure.