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What are the best hiking pants for winter?
Have you planned any winter adventures for the upcoming winter season? Winter is the best time of the year for some, but not so fun for others. We believe that good winter gear can make a big difference. Therefore here is a list of some of the very best winter hiking pants that may inspire more winter adventures.
These are some of our favorite pants for snow hiking and outdoors.
Table of Contents
Best Men’s Hiking Pants for Winter – Our Favorite
All of these winter hiking pants look great.
Because no one really likes ugly waterproof lined hiking pants. But that’s not all. All of them are also comfortable and well equipped for hiking in cold weather.
1. Wespornow Men’s Fleece Lined Hiking Pants (click for more details)
The ultimate winter hiking pants for men, 3-layer pants.
Overall, the best hiking pants for winter, our favorite.
Designed to offer next-to-skin comfort, these pants have a water resistant, breathable and quick drying outer layer, windproof mid-layer and fleece lining with great heat storage capacity. These pants feature ergonomic design with articulated knees and gusseted crotch. They also have a great pocket set – two front slant pockets, one zippered back pocket and one reinforcement-secured flap pocket.
Reliable pants to keep you dry and warm in Arctic circumstances.
MATERIAL: Polyester
BEST FOR: Hiking, skiing, fishing, climbing or everyday wear
Read more: Best Gaiters for Hiking in Winter
Best Women’s Winter Hiking Pants – Our Favorite
You will never guess how advanced these pants are by just looking at them.
They look effortless. You can easily wear them on any occasion and stay warm and comfortable at the same time.
2. Camii Mia Women’s Warm Windproof and Waterproof Hiking Pants (click for more details)
Top-notch multi-purpose hiking pants for winter.
Overall the best women’s winter hiking pants, our favorite.
These pants feature all the best winter garment qualities. The outer layer is waterproof and windproof. But the fleece lining makes them extra warm. Useful pocket arrangement – two slanted hand pockets and two pockets at the back. Reinforced knees offer extra mobility, while the high waist makes them fit extremely well.
Additionally, these pants are breathable. So your body will remain dry no matter what winter activities you decide to do.
MATERIAL: 97% Nylon, 3% Spandex
BEST FOR: Camping, hiking, skiing, traveling, snowmobiling, etc.
Read more: Best Women’s Winter Hiking Pants
Best Hiking Pants for Winter
Want to see more options for warm pants? Take a look below.
With these winter pants you will want to spend more time outdoors. That’s for sure. No matter what you choose, as long as they are the right ones for your needs.
3. Arctix Men’s Snow Sports Cargo Pants (click for more details)
Super durable, lightweight insulated hiking pants.
ThermaTech technology that traps heat in micro chambers is what makes these pants very warm. They are made to make you feel comfortable at temperatures between 20 F and 35 F. There are three layers with different purposes. The outer layer is wind and water resistant. The mid-layer is breathable and moisture wicking. The insulation features advanced heat retaining technology.
Other useful features include boot zippers and boot gaiters with grippers. They allow the pants to isolate the wind around the ankles.
MATERIAL: 100% Polyester
BEST FOR: Climbing, hiking, skiing, snowboarding or working outdoors
4. FREE SOLDIER Men’s Fleece Lined Cargo Pants (click for more details)
Extremely comfortable men’s hiking pants for cold weather activities.
These pants have everything to make you feel comfortable. There is hook and loop closure. The soft shell is windproof, water repellent and breathable. In the meantime the fleece lining assures next-to-skin comfort. The pants are also a little stretchy and have elastic parts at the waistband.
Great pocket arrangement too – two zippered security pockets and two rear pockets with hook and loop closure.
MATERIAL: 94% Polyester, 6% Spandex
BEST FOR: hiking and daily wear
5. Little Donkey Andy Men’s Winter Hiking Pants (click for more details)
Warm pants for winter that have great wind blocking abilities.
The semi-elasticated leg opening blocks wind from the bottom. And the mid-layer is windproof too. The 114 micro Polar fleece lining offers great warmth while the outer layer is water resistant and breathable. The polyester and spandex blend fabric makes them 4-way stretchable. Preformed articulated knees and gusseted crotch are other great features that make these pants extra comfortable.
These pants are suitable for temperatures between 14 F and 59 F.
MATERIAL: 95% Polyester, 5% Spandex
BEST FOR: Hiking, active winter sports
6. Columbia Men’s Ridge 2 Run III Pants (click for more details)
Men’s waterproof hiking pants with space blanket technology for warmth.
The metallic dot pattern makes these pants heat reflective. It uses your body temperature to retain warmth. These pants are a bit pricier, but you can also notice the extra qualities that they offer like leg vents, internal gaiters and cuff guards, something you don’t see in many other pants. There is also a great set of good quality pockets – two zippered hand pockets, two large cargo pockets and two pockets at the back.
MATERIAL: Shell: 100% Nylon, Lining: 100% Polyester
BEST FOR: Snowy hikes, winter camping, snow sports
7. CQR Men’s Tactical Pants (click for more details)
Budget friendly men’s hiking pants with eight pockets.
The design of these pants is inspired by military uniforms. This means extra focus on durability and performance. The pants have a knee bending cut, gusseted crotch and partially elastic waistband. The material is lightweight, water repellent and wrinkle resistant. The D-ring is convenient for attaching keys, tools and other small items.
These are very versatile pants, however, for greater comfort in winter temperatures consider wearing a base layer underneath them — a pair of Merino wool base layer pants could be a great option.
MATERIAL: Polyester, Cotton
BEST FOR: Hiking, fishing, working outdoors
How to Find the Best Hiking Pants for Winter For Yourself?
How to find the best cold weather hiking pants for your needs?
Let’s make this super simple.
Generally speaking it’s mostly about these 4 simple things.
1. Warmth
It’s the most important quality to look for in hiking pants for cold weather.
More layers most of the time means more warmth. However, when pants with waterproof outer layer are combined with underneath leggings or base layer pants they become more versatile and can serve you in other weather too. The general rule for good winter pants is that when the weather is tough you want to have a waterproof and windproof outer layer and a warm and comfortable inner layer.
Some winter hiking pants feature special heat retaining materials or have special gaiters to lock out the wind at the boot area. Pay attention to these details if you are going to deal with really cold temperatures.
2. Freedom of Movement
It’s just as important in summer, as it is in winter.
You want to feel comfortable in your pants. The perfect pants for hiking in winter not only should have dense outer material to resist water, wind and cold temperatures, but they also should be stretchy (a little bit is enough in this case). Take into account that articulated knee design can make it more comfortable to move in slim fit pants.
If the pants have a loose fit it also means that there is more room for movement. For pants like that sometimes there’s no need for articulated knees for the same reason.
3. Fit
When the pants fit well you not only look good, but also feel good.
To find pants for hiking in cold weather that fits perfectly is a bit tricky. Pay attention to the length and leg cut, as well as look for elastic inserts at the waistband or a belt option. Slim fit may look fashionable, but may be too narrow for some body types. Whereas, a straight leg cut is comfortable and fits more people. Elastic waistband and a belt are great features that keep your pants in place even when moving a lot.
Don’t forget about your boots! Make sure that the pants are wide enough for ski or snowboarding boots if that’s what you are going for. If you plan to use them also for that, not only for hiking.
4. Extras
Sometimes it’s the extras that make the difference.
Even the smallest things can make one hiking pants stand out in the crowd, making them the best pants for winter hiking for your needs. That’s why it’s important to understand, what are they (your needs).
When it comes to pockets it’s always handy to have at least some of them with zippers. Some pants allow you to adjust the leg opening around the ankles, others have zippers that allow you to easily take on and off your boots. Reflective prints are great for the dark winter days too. Sweat control can be a complicated task in cold weather. But the more moisture there is, the colder it feels. Breathable fabric and features like leg vents are great to prevent excessive sweating.
What is your experience with winter hiking clothing? What are the best hiking pants for winter you have tried so far?
Featured photo by Jaime Reimer from Pexels
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