hiking travel pants

The Best Travel Pants For Hiking, Flying, and Hitting The Town

When you’re living out of a suitcase or a small carry-on bag, you don’t have much room for multiple pairs of pants. That means every pair you include has to perform well and be able to stand up to wherever your travels take you.

You might have to survive long bus rides, 4-hour hikes in the woods, and maybe even a night on the town. Regardless of the activities planned, you’ll need to have a quality pair of pants packed and ready. If they can be neat and wrinkle-free that’s an added plus, and if they are pickpocket-proof, you’re even further ahead of the game! 

When you’re purchasing pants for an upcoming trip, there are three things you need to keep in mind.

Go With A Lightweight Material

The first consideration is that your pants should be lightweight, and this advice applies to both men’s and women’s pants. If you’re packing two, three, or more pairs of pants, the weight will add up very quickly, and if you’re only taking a small bag, you’ll be carrying it fulltime before you reach your final destination. 

Wrinkle-Free

A second consideration is that any pants you buy should be wrinkle-free fabric. When you pull a pair of pants out of your carry bag and find that they have huge, ugly creases in them, you may not have the opportunity to iron before you have to wear them.

If you need to get dressed for an event and can’t put your pants on, you’ll be in a bit of a sticky situation. With wrinkle-free pants, and you can avoid the embarrassment and inconvenience of those creases.

Comfortable And Functional

The final consideration is that you should make sure any pants you bring along are comfortable to wear. This means they have a relaxed fit and allow you to breathe without pinching off your circulation.

They should also be made of a material that feels good against your skin, instead of something that makes you itchy. You don’t want pants that are stiff and snug like brand new blue jeans before washing.

The Best Travel Pants Available On Amazon

Men’s prAna Stretch Zion Pant

If you read some of the reviews of these pants, you’ll find that men simply love how they fit, and how comfortable they are to wear. The stretch fabric allows for flexibility and really does seem to stretch right along with your body movements.

Available in 12 different colors, these pants are water repellent, quick-drying, and protect your skin against the sun with UPF 50. The pants sit just below the waist and feature an adjustable waistband, roll-up leg snaps, and a single cargo pocket.

They’re great for hiking and for ordinary walking about town, and they don’t get wrinkled when you toss them on the floor at night.

One reviewer mentions that these pants fare well in hot weather, and provide much better ventilation than denim. He also mentions that water and stains roll right off these pants, and they line dry fairly quickly when they’re wet.

Men’s Columbia Silver Ridge Cargo Pants

Buyers rave about how lightweight yet functional these dynamic pants are. For the active man, they provide a moisture-wicking material that won’t cling to the skin when wet, and they resist sun penetration as well.

Available in 18 different colors and a wide variety of sizes, these Columbia pants are made out of Omni-Shade UPF 50 fabric to protect your skin from the sun. They feature a traditional cargo pant silhouette and are ideal for all sorts of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and backpacking.

They also clean up easily and don’t get wrinkled when laying around on days when they’re not being worn. Because they’re equipped with a plastic belt buckle, they won’t trip the alarms when you go through security checks in airports.

Men’s Unionbay Men’s Rainier Lightweight Comfort Travel Tech Chino Pants

These pants live up to every bit of their long title and are terrific travel pants to include in your carry bag. Available in eight different colors, these pants from Unionbay have a water-repellent finish and UPF 50 protection against the sun. The pockets are mesh-lined and have a zipper closure to keep your keys and money safe.

They are of course, very lightweight and flexible, so they provide maximum comfort to the wearer, and they are very easy to wash and dry as well. This could be important if you end up having to wash your pants for any reason while you’re away from home.

Reviewers mention that the pockets are deep enough that the contents don’t fall out, and the zippers make the back pockets even more secure. Another reviewer mentions that the pants are super comfortable and can look dressed up when worn with a button-down shirt.

Women’s prAna Women’s Halle Pant

Water repellent and quick-drying, these travel pants from prAna are available in 10 different colors and a variety of sizes and lengths. Owners rave about how comfortable and breathable these pants feel.

They are made of very lightweight material, and look like dress pants, even though they are often worn for long, exploratory tourist trips around cities and attractions.

The pants offer plenty of coverage with their mid-rise, stretchy waistband. They have a relaxed fit and straight leg with a button fly, roll-up legs, and a hidden stash pocket for important items like keys and cash.

Some reviewers were initially put off by the relatively high price, but after wearing them, found these pants are well worth the money. One reviewer mentioned that are great for taller girls, and liked that they easily convert into capris.

Women’s Columbia Women’s Anytime Outdoor Boot Cut Pants

Available in six colors, these travel pants are lightweight and dry quickly after washing. They’re ideal for travel because they’re highly wrinkle resistant, are water and stain-resistant, and have UPF 50 sun protection.

These Columbia pants feature both Omni-Shade and Omni-Shield protection to protect your skin from the sun and the elements. The drawstring offers an easy way to adjust the pants for the perfect fit.

They are also very comfortable, so if you’re stuck on a long airplane flight, you won’t be squirming in your seat because your pants are too tight, or too warm. Reviewers also love these pants for lounging around the house and long road trips.

One reviewer mentions that these pants are super lightweight and roll and pack well into small spaces in your bag. Another reviewer mentions that these pants are breathable even in the desert heat, and that when they get wet the water beads up and falls right off to keep you dry.

Women’s Nonwe Outdoor Water-Resistant Quick-Drying Lightweight Cargo Pants

The name carries most of the relevant selling points of these excellent travel pants which are a favorite of women travelers everywhere. If you’re headed to a wet climate, these are the pants you want to have in your travel bag.

Choose from 12 different colors and a variety of sizes for these travel pants. With a partial elastic waist, these pants are fitted but allow for a bit of stretch. With a variety of zipper pockets, there is plenty of space to store keys, money, and other necessities.

You can convert these pants to capris with the elastic hem drawstring, offering an easy way to cool down when the day warms up. Reviewers mention that these pants are true to size and super comfortable for a whole day’s worth of activities. Some reviewers do mention though, that these pants are water-resistant, not waterproof. Also, they are definitely breathable.

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