A good pair of walking trousers will be able to stand up to constant abrasion, changes in conditions and they’ll also provide conveniences like storage for things like your phone, compass and map. But there’s no point in having a high performance pair that tick all of these boxes if they’re not going to feel comfortable to walk in. And that’s why we’ve put together this test of the best women’s walking trousers; we want to highlight the products where the fit – or the cut – haven’t been neglected and aren’t the result of that old-fashioned ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach.
Take the Fjällräven Kaipak Curved trousers, for example. They are specifically built to accommodate a more curvaceous body type, including features like an accentuated waistband, a body mapped construction and stretch panels for freedom of movement.
Many outdoor brands, such as Halti and Sasta, now include plus size options to accommodate a wider range of builds too. Though a long time coming, it’s refreshing to see these companies leading the way, with hopefully more to come across the industry.
Related: Why Should Plus Size Women Have To Shrink Themselves To Access Good Quality Kit?
Related: Best Hiking Fleeces for Women
Aside from the fit and cut, when choosing a pair of women’s walking pants it’s worth considering the types of fabrics used and the thickness of them. Softshell is a popular material as it tends to be breathable, stretchy and tear resistant, blending a number of materials including polyester or nylon and elastane. Polyester and cotton blends tend to be popular as they tend to provide a high level of protection from the wind. These different constructions have different advantages and disadvantages when compared against each other, so there isn’t necessarily one that can be described as being the best.
It’s also important to look at the adjustment options on a pair of hiking trousers. For instance, what kind of waistband do they have, is it elasticated or semi elasticated? If there’s no elastication, is there an integrated hipbelt or just belt loops? Is there any volume adjustment down at the ankle cuffs? These can be handy if you want the trousers to hold to your hiking boot, keep warm air in and insects out, and not flap in the wind so much. Also consider the amount of pockets and their placement, size and how they close up. Are they big enough to hold a map, are they secure enough to keep your phone or car keys inside?
The Best Women’s Walking Trousers
Here’s our round-up of the best hiking pants for women. All of the images show our testers out using the product in places like the Lake District, Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands. Remember, if you need extra info, we’ve stuck links to our full in-depth product reviews alongside each one.
- Helly Hansen Verglas Tur 2.0 – Best Women’s Walking Trousers Overall
- Craghoppers Kiwi Pro II – Runner up for Best Trousers for Hiking Overall
- The North Face Felik Alpine – Best Women’s Hiking Leggings
- Passenger 365 Trail Trousers – Best Everyday Walking Trousers In Our Tests
The trousers listed should be suitable for a range of different outdoor activities at varying levels of weather protection. If, however, you’re looking for a bit more advice on what to look for in a good pair of walking pants, you’ll find some more info here, as well as some men’s trouser options too. On the flipside, if you’re looking for a good jacket to go with your trousers, here’s our guide on the best waterproof jackets for women at the moment.
1.Helly Hansen Verglas Tur Trousers 2.0
Our pick as the best women’s walking trousers overall
Helly Hansen Verglas Tur 2.0
★★★★½
Price: £160
Weight: 500g
Best for: multi-day backpacking, hiking, scrambling, general outdoor use
Key attributes: large side vents, roomy pockets, stretchy design
What we liked: good venting, stretchy and comfortable, excellent pockets, nice eco efforts, good for bigger legs too
What we didn’t like: prone too pilling at rear and inner thighs
Norwegian brand Helly Hansen are well-known for producing highly functional outdoor gear. Born from the mind of sea caption Helly Hansen himself, he specifically wanted to protect seafarers from harsh weather conditions out on the water. Now many years down the line (148 years to be precise), they’re also known for producing top-notch hiking gear.
We recently got our hands on their Verglas Tur Trousers 2.0 and were very impressed. OM tester Jazz said “I loved the stretchiness of the trousers, especially the relaxed fit. A lot of women’s trouser options seem to have a tight fit so it’s nice to have some sturdy, looser alternatives out there. I also really liked the articulated knees and gusseted crotch which made you feel very unrestricted in your movements. You could really lean into ascents and climb over rocks without worrying about your trousers giving way or hindering you.”
The main features of the Verglas Tur trousers include a two-way stretchy fabric, a PFC-free durable water repellant treatment, a mid to high-rise waist, reinforced insteps, seat and knees, an adjustable hem and waist, webbing at the waistband, and some handy boot hooks. HH also use RECCO technologies here which help rescuers locate you if you’re lost in the outdoors or buried in an avalanche, for example. Very impressive stuff.
Side note: if you’re looking for some shell trousers to go with them – we recently tested and reviewed HH’s Verglas Micro Shell Outdoor Pants.
Full Specifications
XS to XL (short and long versions available) / 2-way stretch fabric / main shell: 96% recycled polyamide, 4% elastane / RECCO technology for searchability / PFC-free DWR / bluesign product / guessed crotch / mid to high-rise waist / backpack compatible / reinforced insteps, seat and knees / adjustable bottom hem and waist / two open hand pockets / two zippered thigh pockets / articulated knees / webbing at waistband / boot hooks / regular fit.
2. Craghoppers Kiwi Pro II
Runner up for best trousers for hiking overall
Craghoppers Kiwi Pro II
★★★★½
Price: £21
Weight: 285g
Best for: hiking and trekking
What we liked: versatile, good durability, recycled materials
What we didn’t like: were a little slow to dry once wet
These trousers, the latest iteration in Craghoppers’ extremely popular Kiwi line, performed well for us during our tests. Firstly, we liked the articulation because, while making long strides while scrambling, the gusseted crotch gave complete freedom of movement. We also found these were durable enough to withstand rough rock and we liked the slight stretchiness to the fabric too.
The fit felt quite loose around the thighs and legs but it’s not overly baggy or flappy and we found the trousers had enough warmth and protection from cold winds to suit hiking right through from early spring through to late autumn.
The combination of durability, comfort, articulation and the convenient pockets all, we think, made these trousers worthy of selection as our best overall pair of women’s walking trousers.
Full Specifications
Available in men’s and women’s versions / made from recycled polyester / with sun protection and insect barrier / four pockets / eco-friendly DWR / built-in sunglassses wipe / belt loops.
Read our full Craghoppers Kiwi Pro II review.
3. The North Face Felik Alpine Leggings
Selected as our team’s favourite pair of women’s hiking leggings
The North Face Felik Alpine
★★★★
Price: £90
Weight: 340g
Best for: hiking, scrambling and mountaineering
What we liked: durable panels, warm, useful pockets
What we didn’t like: waistband is slightly thin
These offer just about everything you’d want from a pair of women’s outdoor pants, as our tester, Emma Cole, found out. “The fabric is excellent, said Emma. “They kept me warm when up on a hillside with a bitter wind blowing, but also let out the heat when the sun came out.”
In our tests, these proved to have a very dynamic feel, with the stretchy fabric and high waist allowing complete freedom of movement. Using them on rough, rocky terrain, we were also impressed by the durability that the reinforced panels on the knees, backside and calves brought to the table.
The Felik Alpine gets bonus points for having handwarmer pockets and useful pockets on the thighs too. We also liked the fact that the waist, though slightly thin, did have elastication and also the addition of a drawcord so you can really refine the fit to suit you as you shrink and grow through the course of a strenuous expedition.
Full Specifications
Available in men’s and women’s versions / polyamide and elastane weave / 70D panels / PFC-free DWR / open handwarmer pockets / zipped thigh pocket and open thigh pocket / zipped ankle cuffs.
Read our full The North Face Felik Alpine review.
