A hot weather hike has elemental risks that can cause various health hazards. From your hiking gear to your hiking wear; everything you own has to be thin, durable and long-lasting. However, a hot weather hike requires an additional precaution, which is usually taken for granted.
Related: Best Winter Hiking Pants
The protection of your legs against sweat, UV and insects completely depends on the kind of pants you wear.
The pants you decide to wear on a hot weather hike can make or mar your trip. Any pants that restrict movement, provide poor ventilation or just don’t fit, can cause chaffing, blisters due to sweat, or rip at the most inopportune places and times.
Quick Hot Weather Hiking Pants Recommendations:
- Best overall: Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants
- Best Lightweight Option: Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pant
- Best Tactical option: Propper Men’s Summerweight Tactical Pant
- Best Budget Option: FREE SOLDIER Outdoor Cargo Pant
- Best Quality Option: prAna Men’s Stretch Zion Pant
So, how do you choose a good pant for a hot weather hike? Let’s find out.
Features to Look for in Hot Weather Hiking Pants
While most of us look for comfort in our ensemble, choosing hiking pants requires sundry features that aim to provide optimized outdoor performance.
Venting and Breathability
A summer trails comes with a risk of dehydration, which is increased if your gear isn’t breathable. Most tactical pants are made of nylon and polyester; warm-weather pants sport a good amount of cotton.
Such pants have a spread of porous surface, which not only allows air to pass through but lets water vapor escape to maintain the humidity level around areas prone to increased sweating, such as behind your knees and within your skin folds.
Many hiking pants sport meshes and even zippered sections around the foreleg and knee areas to adjust the length according to the temperature.
Moisture-wicking and Quick-drying
On hot and dry trails, sweat can be your greatest enemy. Not only do you have to keep hydrated but you have to keep a check on your sweating. This is where a moisture-wicking fabric will help you regulate your hydration.
Nylon and polyester are both great sources of moisture wicking which is why most tactical wear uses them.
The porous fabric not only wicks moisture away from your body but the increased ventilation gives a quick dry-out time. Such pants are designed to be antimicrobial, eliminating the chances of bacterial growth should a blister or open wound occur.
UPF Sun Protection
While we all consider sunscreen to be enough protection from the sun, all parts of our skin are equally sensitive to UV rays no matter the clothing.
Summer hiking pants are designed with the added feature of the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), which controls the amount of UV rays that might reach your skin.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a UPF of 30. However, some hiking pants come with a UPF of 50, which reduces UV ray exposure by 97%.
Thus, while you hike under the blistering sun, your body’s largest organ is protected against burning, reddening and cellular mutations causing cancer.
Comfort and Mobility
The comfort of your sweat pants or cargo pants might be unmatched but they are seldom good enough for hiking a trail that needs durability with the comfort.
Summer hiking pants have articulated knees to provide you with a varied range of mobility. This feature eliminates the risk of fabric bunching up while you bend your knee and allows a comfortable leg stretch when you step ahead.
To add to the comfort, the inseams are replaced with gusseted tongues. The diamond-shaped cloth evenly distributes the pressure put on the seams while you stride uphill.
Unlike straight-leg pants, gusseted inseams withstand rips and decrease the chances of chafing and skin irritation.
Pockets and Storage
A hiking pant is a lightweight backpacker’s dream come true since it sports multiple pockets. Most of these are zipper-protected, which allows a sealed lockup for your belongings.
To add to this feature, a waterproof gusset is added to let moisture into the pockets, keeping moisture away not only from the pocket’s contents but also from the overall leg of the pants.
Convertibles and Roll-ups
Hiking pants allow for great length adjustability for the extremely hot weather of a summer trail. The pants come with two-way zipper legs at various lengths that can be completely taken off for breathability and an adjustment to temperature.
However, many prefer the roll-up variation that sports a drawstring method. Unlike zipper-off pants, the roll-up pants are easier to carry and can be tightened around the desired length.
Since roll-ups have a continuous fall, they prove to be more durable against a rough hike, where scarping and abrasions are a great probability.
Best Hot Weather Hiking Pants Reviews
Our research is based on our field experience and customer reviews so you can choose the perfect fit.
1. Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants
The Ferrosi pants are designed to cover all the bases of a hot weather hike. To begin with, the Ferrosi pants are entirely made of nylon fabric and a bit of spandex as well. Nylon has a great porous surface, allowing great ventilation and regulated breathability.
The elastic capacity of nylon allows you to put a great amount of pressure against the fabric without damaging the thread. Hence, your motion is rarely restricted. A UPF of 50 makes this the best shield from exposure to the sun.
Structurally, these pants have articulated knees and a gusseted crotch. While you maintain an upward stride, the articulation sustains the pressure on your knees.
The chances of circulation cut-off are minimal as the gusset of the crotch works with the articulated knees to achieve room for movement.
However, the sizing of these pants can be a hindrance. You need to pay close attention to the measurements before buying them. They can be baggy and need a belt to secure around the waist. Since they are roll-ups, the length can be adjusted to your needs.
2. Columbia Silver Ridge Convertible Pant
These lightweight, nylon pants are your go-to if you want to change you decide to change your wardrobe mid-hike. Like the Ferrosi pants, the Coumbia Silver Ridge are also made of nylon, allowing great breathability and stretching.
They, too, have an SPF of over 50. However, they carry the structural brownie point of having Omni-Wick technology that keeps moisture away and doesn’t let it collect around your body.
The increased wicking also takes time off its drying period, which is great for hot yet humid and rain-prone trails.
This pair of pants can turn into shorts with only the swipe of a zipper. Since the legs detach entirely, the adjustability of the length of the pants is limited. The semi-elastic built-in belt keeps it snug around the waist.
The only drawback of this pair is its mesh pocket lining, which can be cumbersome. While the crotch of these pants is gusseted, some consumers find it loose and hanging.
3. Propper Men’s Summerweight Tactical Pant
This pair will be your favorite if you are used to traveling with your pockets full. The ten mesh liner pockets can help you take the weight off your backpack. These pockets are gusset and zip-protected and give you enough room to carry items that are needed on the get-go.
The nylon fabric keeps you cool and well-ventilated against heat and clamminess. Once the moisture is swept away, the chances of bacterial growth are greatly reduced. The UPF of 50 keeps the UVA and UVB rays blocked.
However, these pants sometimes block wind, making them overheat, but they are also wearable on cooler occasions. The straight legs of the pants are non-adjustable, which can be a drawback for those who like to have the option of a roll-up or zippers.
Structurally, they are an athletic fit that keeps the seat and thighs snug around your body. For an inclined surface, your movement can be briefly restricted.
4. FREE SOLDIER Outdoor Cargo Pant
The FREE SOLDIER cargo pant is designed to be waterproof and anti-wrinkle. The 86% nylon content might ensure great stretching but doesn’t provide the same ventilation as those mentioned above.
These pants are a relaxed fit so that you can wear them in more than one season and for more than just one activity. Instead of a UPF, the pants sport a Dupot Teflon coating that resists stains, spills, and soil and generally repels water.
The knee articulation and the gusseted crotch add to its durability, allowing great performance on a rocky and rough trail. The water-resistant treatment makes it a good companion for rainy weather. Still, it certainly makes the fabric stiff, which could affect the wicking properties. T
o add to a few drawbacks, the pants aren’t convertible. The semi-elastic waistband might help with the adjustments, but the built-in belt doesn’t allow much stretching.
5. prAna Men’s Stretch Zion Pant
The stretch ‘Zion’ fabric is a minimalist’s dream due to its lightweight and quick-drying features. The DWR, or Durable Water Repellent, makes it a good fit for a trail that might be dry yet contain some water elements like streams or rain.
The pants have a straight hip, thigh and leg structure so they can’t be converted. However, they can be folded around the ankle gusset.
Like every other pants on this list, these also carry 97% nylon which provides comfort and mobility, but the DWR limits breathability, making these pants a fit for moderate temperature.
Like every cargo pant, they have zipper-seal pockets so you can carry your valuables without losing them.
6. MARMOT Arch Rock Pants
The durability of the MARMOT Arch Rock pants lies in their structure. The pair has paneled sections and together with articulated knees, your range of motion remains free.
The tucked-in seams allow the legs to retain their structure so you can wear them daily after hiking.
The nylon fabric is coated with a DWR that gives you a quick drying-out time should your pants get wet. While many of these pairs had hoops to carry belts, the newer versions do not allow for a belt.
The MARMOT has its own set of measurements so when you buy one, you must be careful about them.
FAQs
Are hiking pants good for summer?
Since companies provide a range of hiking pants, you will have to be sure that the fabric you choose accommodates the elements of a summer hike, such as exposure to sun, heat and humidity. Any pair with a UPF of 50 can save you from sun-caused damage. Nylon is an excellent choice for summer as it is thin, breathable, wicks water away and allows great mobility for a steep inclination since it is stretchable.
Should I wear shorts or pants hiking in summer?
Summer hike has an increased risk of sun damage and insect bites. Wearing shorts on a summer hike might provide a relaxed feeling, but it will result in sunburns, mosquito bites, and floral allergies.
However, wearing convertible hiking pants on a hot weather trail can help you adjust the length according to your desire. These can either be rolled up or taken off depending on the technology used and are easier to handle on long hikes.
Do hiking pants keep you cool?
Hiking pants with an 80-90% nylon content keep you really cool on a summer hike. Since nylon has porous threading, ventilation is increased as double airflow is allowed. It helps to bring down the body temperature by wicking moisture away and out of your ensemble, providing great breathability and ventilation.
Summary
If you have decided on a summer hike, make sure your apparel is aligned with the needs of the trail. Consider the added threat of sun exposure and buy pants with a UPF of 50. Our advice is to go with roll-up pants such as OUTDOOR Research Ferrosi. They are a great fit and support your upward motion with a gusseted crotch. Unlike zipper pants, roll-ups can provide a range of length adjustability, which can save you from the trouble of damaged zip teeth and wear and tears around zip openings.
Related: