Finding the perfect pair of women’s travel pants is no easy feat. But finding a pair of travel pants that are both functional AND cute? How about functional, cute, AND sized to fit on my tall, curvy Amazonian body? HA! Forget about it. How dare I have such unreasonable expectations?!
But guess what? After trying on, returning, trying on again, and field-testing like crazy, I’ve found 5 absolutely amazing pairs of travel pants for women. They’ve changed my packing game, and I’m about to change yours.
Table of Contents
This post was originally published on December 8, 2017 but was most recently updated in July, 2019.
Psst: Looking for more tips on what to pack for your next trip? I’ve got some other posts that might help!
- The 4 Best Women’s Travel Shoes: Lightweight, Field-Tested, & Cute
- What to Pack for a Beach Vacation: the Curvy Girl’s Beach Vacation Packing List
- The Ultimate Guide to Makeup & Beauty for Backpacking
Oh, and if you have a dude to dress, Jeremy wrote up a guide to the best travel pants for men.
Is it me, or do women’s travel pants generally suck?
Browse the womens’ travel pants section in your local outdoor outfitter and you’ll find roughly 4 main categories of terrible travel trousers (TTT for short, trademark pending):
✔ There are the quick dry pants that convert to the most hideous shorts you’ve ever seen.
✔ There are the hiking pants that look like they’re still storing the 90’s in their massive cargo pockets.
✔ There are the ladies’ travel pants that are actually just mens’ pants but with the word “ladies’” in the title, as if that’s supposed to fool me enough to overlook my cameltoe and that uncomfortable pull across my hips.
✔ And then there are the women’s’ travel jeans, which are exactly like regular womens’ jeans: thin and stretchy, with teeny tiny pockets that hold roughly ½ of a chapstick and 3 dimes, and end up shredded to pieces after a good 5 minutes of inner thigh rub/walking.
Needless to say, shopping for travel pants is right down on the bottom on my list of favorite things to do alongside root canal and being rescued off of waterfalls while having a panic attack (I speak from experience, unfortunately).
Drinking coffee on a chilly day in Boston in the best pair of travel jeans EVER. Also: those are the best winter boots ever – more info here!
In the past, my solution has been DIY: I sewed in pockets (even hidden pockets!), I added chub-rub patch protection, I hemmed, I repaired. It’s a great way to actually use that fashion design degree I paid a zillion dollars for, but it’s frustrating. I don’t want to have to sew my own pairs of pants just to have good pants.
But! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. After literally years of searching, trying on, She-Hulking my way out of inaccurately labelled jeans, and field-testing, I’ve found 5 pairs of the best travel pants for women, which serve 5 completely distinct purposes.
With these 5 travel pants, you can actually have your pant situation covered. Like, you’re good. This is it. Packing is done. Like maybe throw in a dress or whatever, but pants? Check.
I know, I know: it’s too good to be true, right? But y’all, I’m on my soapbox and I am speaking from EXPERIENCE.
As a full time travel blogger, I’ve logged a LOT of hours in these miracle pants, including a year-long honeymoon, city breaks, jungle treks, mountain hikes, and even the aforementioned waterfall repelling disaster (I was wearing pant #2).
These 5 ladies’ travel pants have proved themselves. They fit on my 5’10”, size 12-14ish size body, they function as promised, and they feel amazing. With these 5 pants in my pack, I can go anywhere (cue Reading Rainbow soundtrack).
With these 5 pairs of pants, I don’t even have that oh-god-get-me-out-of-these-leg-prisons feeling you get when you arrive home from work and disrobe .5 steps into your door.
I even wore JEANS ON A PLANE once. You guys. Jeans on a plane. Not yoga pants. Not leggings. JEANS. It was a lot like snakes on a plane, except with less Samuel L. Jackson and more me drooling onto my husband’s shoulder in a comfy jean-induced nap.
So, are you ready to have your world turned upside down and your legs encased in travel-ready, pocketed fabric heaven? Without further rambling, here are the 5 best travel pants for women.
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- Wearing my Indigo Skinny Aviator Jeans in Oslo, Norway in January. I wore a pair of wool underwear underneath to stay warm all day long.
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- I took my Aviator Jeans with me on a trip to the Arctic Tundra in Norway. Its -30 degrees and my hair is frozen, but with 2 layers of wool underneath my jeans, I stayed warm and dry!
The Best Women’s Travel Jeans
I recently discovered these travel jeans from Aviator USA, and my one great regret in life is that it took 28 years for us to become acquainted. Because I am full on OBSESSED with them. Love can come in the form of a good pair of jeans, and for me, these are The Ones.
What makes these travel jeans so incredibly wonderful? Let me count the ways…
✔ They have front pockets that are actual human sized.
None of that BS “this pocket will fit 1 key and 4 tic-tacs” crap. I have a LOT of angry feelings about the lack of pockets in women’s clothing and how it’s a sexist, patriarchal conspiracy designed to sell more purses, but I won’t get into that here.
What I will say is this: I can fit my giant phone in the front (FRONT) pocket of my Aviator USA jeans. I can fit my whole hand, up to my cute travel watch-covered wrist. I can sit down with my phone in my pocket, and it doesn’t pop out and fall on the floor like I’ve just given birth to a phone from my hip. If I had an iPhone, I think it would actually fit in the “coin pocket,” which is the size of most jean pockets on inferior jeans.
My Aviator USA travel jean pockets are as big as the pockets on all of my husband’s jeans, and I’m angry that I even HAVE to celebrate that, but I’m celebrating it anyway.
✔ That have back sized pockets that are roomy AF, + a hidden zippered back pocket.
As a result of living my life deprived of functional front pockets, I’ve developed a back pocket habit. And the back pockets on my Aviator USA jeans are fantastically large. Plus, one of them has a cool hidden zippered pocket that is ALSO fantastically large. That’s 2 pockets in 1 pocket. Pocket-ception!
Also, the hidden pocket is actually hidden: the zipper is tucked underneath the back pocket flap, so you can’t see it even when I sit down, bend over, or twerk. Meaning pick-pockets can eff off forever, and also that I can twerk/use the bathroom without worrying that my credit card, license, or transit card is going to fall out of my back pocket, never to be seen again.
✔ They have 6 pockets that are all actually useful.
I know, I know, I’m obsessed with pockets. But can you blame me?! There are 6 of them in these jeans, and they’re all big enough to actually hold stuff!!!!!!!! This is life-changing. Screw you, Patriarchy!
My black Aviator USA jeans are my fave jeans, and the best women’s travel jeans! Check out how deep my hands are in my front pockets, you guys. I can actually fit my whole hands in up to my wrists, no joke. AMAZING.
✔ They’re stretchy and soft.
The fabric of my black Aviator USA jeans is buttery soft and super stretchy, in a way that makes them insanely comfy and perfectly fitted, but not in the kind of way that makes my cheap stretchy jeans fall down when I walk too fast or do something athletic, like crossing my legs.
✔ They come long, but are easily tailored.
The 2 colors of Aviator USA jeans only come in 1 length (because it’s a small company) and I’m happy to report that it’s long enough for my 5’10” height. For shorter ladies, the jeans are hemmed in a way that makes them easily tailored. Tailoring costs like $10 and you don’t even need to find a ~tailor: you can literally just walk into a Men’s Wearhouse and use their in-house tailor. Yes, ladies, The Men’s Wearhouse tailors women’s jeans too. Full disclosure: I am a former employee. RIP, my sweet tailoring discount.
The first week I owned my black Aviator USA jeans, I wore them 5/7 days. I took them on a weekend trip. I wore them on the plane. I wore them all day as we explored freezing cold, rainy Seattle – not only did they keep my legs cozy and warm, but they dried quickly, too. I carried a bunch of stuff in my pockets, I looked cute AF, and I was incredibly comfortable. That’s it. I’m sold. I’m throwing out all of my other jeans. These are bae.
You can get a pair of black jeans (my personal favorites) or a pair of indigo jeans (which are slightly less buttery & stretchy, in my experience) on the Aviator USA website.
- Update, August 2018: I’ve newly acquired a pair of Aviator’s indigo skinnies in size 36, and lo and behold, they are AMAZING and fit me perfectly. So if you’re buying the indigo skinnies, you’ll want to size up – I’m a 36 in the indigo and a 32 in the black jeans. No idea why the sizing is different, but whatever, I have pocket room for daysssss and I could do yoga in these jeans (but let’s be honest, I’m not going to), so no complaints here. Similarly, if you’re looking for extended sizes, it seems like size 32+ in the black jeans falls into plus size territory (I’m usually a 12/14 in women’s jeans to give you an idea). If that seems confusing, feel free reach out to Aviator directly with questions – they are a teeny company and will respond to you directly, and according to my readers their customer service is fantastic!
Shop Women’s Travel Jeans at Aviator USA
Do these hiking pants make my butt look good? (Let’s not be coy: yes.) Just one of the many reasons why I love my prAna Halle Pants for hiking!
The Best Hiking Pants for Women
I’m not strictly a city traveler. I’m also an outdoorsy traveler, who loves nature and the occasional adrenaline rush (in moderation). For all of my adventure/hiking/outdoorsy travel needs, I wear my prAna Halle Pants. They’re designed for hiking, climbing, exploring, running, jumping, butt-scooting, knee-hitting, and white-water rafting. I know this because I’ve done all of the above in my Halle pants, and other than a popped button that I quickly sewed back on with my trusty travel sewing kit, they’ve survived completely intact.
Let me gush about these pants a lil’ bit and tell you why I love them so much.
✔ They’re highly technical: super stretchy, quick-dry, moisture-wicking, breathable, reinforced, and water repellent.
Hiking & trekking pants are about function first and foremost, and the prAna Halle pant nails function. When we were hiking the Quilotoa Loop in the Andes in Ecuador, we got lost a zillion times and I ended up crawling up a mountain on my hands and knees. I’d made the mistake of wearing leggings, which ended up full of tiny holes and tiny itchy things stuck in the fabric for the rest of my 10-hour long hike. But the next day, I wore my Halle pants: no holes, no irritating stickers, no problems.
In addition to a reinforced knee and technically designed fabric that lets your skin breathe even when you’re sweating, the pants are water-repellent. Now, they aren’t water proof – then they wouldn’t be very breathable, so that’s a good thing – but I’ve worn these in the rain, under a waterfall, and during a white-water rafting trip and even after getting soaking wet, they dry within an hour. Quick dry pants? Check!
Oh, and they’re also super stretchy and incredibly comfortable.
✔ They are actually cute. Like, for real.
Most women’s hiking pants are hideous and make me want to hide in the wilderness while I’m wearing them. But my Halle pants are legit cute. Like, I’ve actually worn them to work in a corporate office setting, as business-casual pants. I was so comfortable all day! The legs are fully flared at the bottom, not that weird sort-of-skinny-but-kinda-straight mom jeans look that I absolutely cannot pull off. prAna does have a slim fit hiking pant, but the flare on the Halle pant is actually functional, becauusseeee….
✔ They can be converted from long pants to short pants.
NO, they’re not zip-offs. And NO, they don’t look hideous after you convert them. The flared bottom rolls up easily into a cuff that ends above or below your knee, for a cute cuffed capri length pant. Personally, I have massive calves, as do most hikers and bikers and athletic folks, and I cannot imagine rolling a skinny pant all the way up to my knee. But the flare makes it so that these roll up perfectly. And the cuff doesn’t fall down, either: there are 2 little tabbed snaps to hold it in place all day long.
The prAna Halle Pants are the best hiking pants for women! They are rugged, durable, stretchy, and even convert to shorts without looking hideous.
✔ There’s a hidden zip pocket.
The front pockets on these pants aren’t huge, but the back pockets are fine – and snap closed – and there’s a conveniently placed hidden zip pocket.. It’s a few inches above the knee, sewn into the side seam. It’s just big enough for an ID or some emergency cash – put anything too bulky in there and it stops being hidden. But I like that it’s in an unusual spot, because most pick-pockets would never think to look around my knees.
✔ They come in 3 inseams and 18 waist sizes, with a waist tie.
I love that these pants come in short, regular, and tall, as well as sizes 0-18 for all heights and sizes of badass female travelers! I also love there is a waist tie, because some days I’m a 12 and some days I’m a 16, depending on the amount of water I’ve drank and my cycle and a whole bunch of other random things. Plus, having a waist tie helps keep my pants up even on days where my weight is fluctuating.
The prAna Halle pant comes in several colors, which is news to me because I got mine several years ago. I really, REALLY want a pair in black and grey now. Anyway, you can pick a pair up here.
Say hello to the perfect lightweight winter pants for women! On extra cold days like this one in Banff National Park, I layer the Briann pants over a pair of wool leggings to add insulation!
The Best Winter Pants for Women
First and foremost, let me just say that I am STILL looking for a pair of snow pants that fits my size 16 hips and doesn’t make me feel like I’m wearing two giant, heavy trashbags duct-taped to my thighs. So, no, I have not found the best ~snow pants for women (would love any helpful suggestions). What I have found instead is a workaround.
Who SAYS you need a big, chunky snowsuit to play in the snow? Nobody, that’s who.
Well, OK, actually a lot of people said that I needed to wear a snowsuit while riding snowmobiles in the Arctic Tundra and they were absolutely right. But if you’re not going to literally the Arctic, though, you don’t need snow pants. You just need water-resistant pants that can be layered over something warm and insulting.
Enter the prAna Briann pant. Much like the Halle, my beloved hiking pants, the Briann pants are made from stretchy, water-repellent, rugged technical fabric. Let me tell you why these are my favorite winter pants.
✔ They’re super stretchy.
Every time I try on a pair of uncomfortable, bulky snow pants or snow overalls or whatever else, I can never get the freakin’ things to fit over my damn hips. They’re never stretchy and they’re either not wide enough, or way too wide to actually walk in without tripping.
Not these pants, though! They’re stretchy enough to run, jump, leap, hike, stretch, do yoga, or whatever else you feel like- with room to spare.
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- Rockin’ the prAna Briann pant on a chilly morning in Yosemite! These are the perfect cold weather & winter pants for women.
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- I’ve also worn these pants hiking! Can you say multifunctional?
✔ They’re super lightweight.
You wouldn’t normally think of “snow” and “lightweight clothing” in the same sentence, right? But these pants change the game! Instead of packing my suitcase or backpack with a bunch of bulky snow gear, these pants take up almost no room at all and don’t weigh very much. That’s just the magic of technical fabric, y’all.
Take note, though: for very cold destinations when the weather hovers around zero, you’ll need to layer up! While they’re great for protecting your legs against chilly winds and snow, they don’t provide much actual warmth. So, I always layer the Briann pants over top of a merino base layer or pair of fleece-lined leggings – I actually wear both of them when the temperature is hovering around 0.
The Briann pants are stretchy enough to accommodate the extra layer, and the combination is perfectly warm and dry.
✔ They’re designed with a tapered leg.
Although they’re made with the same high-tech material as my hiking pants, instead of a convertible flared leg, they’re designed with a skinny taper that’s perfect for tucking into snow boots or snowshoes. I layer a pair of wool socks over the legs, stick ’em into some boots, and my feet stay toasty dry even when I’m walking through deep snow!
✔ They dry incredibly quickly.
I’ve personally tested these pants on everything from rainy day hikes to sledding in thigh-deep snowdrifts, and I can report that they will be totally dry by the time you get back to your cabin from the slopes.
✔ They’re cute outside of the snow, too.
Even though I typically wear them as winter pants, they’re also incredibly cute as just like, regular pants. These are one of the most multifunctional pair of travel pants I’ve EVER owned.
If I had to pick something to complain about, my ONE irritation with these pants is that the pockets are teeny tiny. Like, there are 5 functional pockets, but they’re irritatingly small. I’d also like a zippered pocket somewhere, please?
Still – compared to heavy, bulky snow pants, I’ll take these every time.
Psst: do a lot of winter travel? Us too! You can check out more of my favorite outdoor apparel and gear for cold destinations in this post!
Exploring Yosemite National Park in my FAVORITE leggings for travel (THEY HAVE POCKETS!).
The Best Travel Leggings for Women
Raise your hand if you wish it was socially acceptable to LIVE in leggings. Anyone else?
I freakin’ love leggings, but I usually can’t justify wearing them every day on a trip. For starters, I don’t want to look like I’m going to work out – the overly athletic look isn’t what I want out of a legging. I want to look like I’m wearing real pants, but FEEL like my legs are firmly wrapped in stretchy goodness.
Secondly, most leggings have no pockets, which is an automatic disqualifier for travel-friendly pants in my book. And the ones that do have pockets typically just have a mesh outer pocket, which is basically like a goodie bag for pickpockets. No thanks.
So, does a magical pant actually exist that is close enough to leggings to make me feel like I’m lounging at home all day, but functional enough to actually wear out and about on a day of exploring? My friends: THOSE PANTS DO EXIST.
Color me high-key obsessed with the amazing Royal Robbins Lucerne Ponte Pant, and here’s why.
✔ There are TWO roomy pockets, and they have ZIPPERS!
These aren’t your BS teeny tiny women’s pants pockets, and they’re also not your athletic mesh pockets, either. They’re legit pockets – big enough to fit my gigantic Samsung s7 smartphone, with room to spare. And they zip closed to help with that horrifying “oh god is my phone going to fall out of my pocket into the toilet” feeling (I can’t be the only one who’s done that, right?) as well as help safeguard against theft.
✔ They’re insanely stretchy.
They may not be 100% leggings, but they FEEL like leggings. You can move your legs any which way in these!
✔ There’s a nice, thick waistband.
You know that feeling when you’re running your a** off through the airport trying to make your flight before they close the doors and they’re like, PAGING you (AHH!) and then you realize with growing horror that your leggings have slipped down past your tummy and are rapidly making a beeline for the floor?
Cue that awkward “I’m running as fast as I can but also I have to hold my pants up” move. I know that move so, so well.
Good news: The Royal Robbins Lucerne pant won’t betray you when you most need them to stay the f**k up on your hips. There’s a hefty waistband that both sucks you in a lil’ bit and keeps everything where it belongs… even while you’re booking it through 3 terminals.
Also, yes, I’ve tested, and these are 10000% comfy to wear on a long plane ride!
The Lucerne Pants have a nice, flattering vertical seam running up and down your legs on the front and the back, which adds like a solid 2 feet of height at least. Psst: my shirt and scarf are also from Royal Robbins, and they’re made out of warm, cozy merino wool and I love them.
✔ There’s a flattering vertical seam running up and down your legs on both sides.
My legs are already 18 feet long (I’m like a big, awkward baby giraffe) but the vertical seams running up and down the Lucerne pant add like another 3 feet. Oooooh they make my legs look so good! The only downside to the seam is that if your skin is REALLY sensitive, you might feel it a little bit while you move around. But in my experience that feeling goes away as you get used to it after 20 or so minutes.
✔ They pass the squat test, and then some.
These aren’t your basic leggings, and they don’t have your basic legging problems: I’m happy to report that they fully pass the squat test, as well as the “bend over and look at yourself between your legs in the mirror” test and the twerk test (is anyone else incapable of doing the squat test without also incorporating these 2 highly scientific bonus moves?). These pants are made of Ponte fabric, which is nice and thick and totally opaque – and has the bonus of keeping you warm on a cold day!
✔ They look like actual pants.
Since the Lucerne pants aren’t actually leggings, they don’t fall prey to typical legging problems, such as “can I wear these to work and actually pull it off, or will everyone know it’s shark week?” These look like legit pants, thanks to the seam, the pockets, and the thick fabric and actual-pant-esque hemline (I’m sure there’s a technical name for that but I have no idea what it is). So yes: you can wear these at work, on the weekends, on an airplane, and exploring a fancy city in like, France, where they would probably judge you for wearing leggings.
I prefer my pseudo leggings in jet black (aka charcoal) but there are a few other colors available as well, like charcoal heather and a really cute herringbone pattern that legit looks like a fancy pair of work pants. Ooooh now I want another pair! You can pick up a pair of these pants on Amazon.
Shop for the Royal Robbins Ponte Pants
This entire post is actually just a clever excuse for me to post as many photos of my butt as possible. JK, but like, here it is again in my Outdoor Voices pants 😉
The Best Women’s Travel Lounge Pants
So, I wasn’t even looking for these pants when I walked into the Outdoor Voices store in San Francisco earlier this year. I was actually looking for ethically made athletic wear. But to my surprise, I walked out of the store with a new pair of travel pants that I am totally OBSESSED with: the Outdoor Voices CloudKnit Sweatpants.
These have quickly become my favorite pants to travel in, especially on long haul flights. Here’s the rundown:
✔ They’re like if a pair of sweatpants had a baby with a pair of leggings.
Y’all, these are not your mama’s sweatpants. They are CUTE! From the knee down, these pants fit like a pair of leggings. But from the thigh up, they fit like sweatpants: comfy, slouchy, and with a thick tie waistband (bless you, tie waistbands, for protecting my muffin top’s modesty).
What that means is that you never have to worry about them falling down while you’re running across the airport to catch a flight, and you can push the legs up if you want to do, like, a cool athleisure look or whatever (I assume if you can pull that off you’re already more trendy than I am). And like, I’ve never felt cute in a pair of sweatpants before, but in these I totally do.
✔ They’re super lightweight and insanely soft.
Don’t let the word “sweatpants” fool you – these aren’t your typical bulky lounge pants. They’re super soft and incredibly lightweight, perfect for stuffing in your suitcase or wearing in warm weather destinations. But they’re also insulating enough to keep your leg hairs from freezing on a flight with the A/C cranked up to a zillion for no reason (why do airplanes do that?! Why??).
✔ They have THREE pockets!
There are two deep, roomy, giant-cell-phone friendly pockets in the front and one deep, roomy hidden pocket tucked inside one of the front pockets. They’re not zippered – that would be my one wish for an upgrade on these – but thanks to the super stretchy fabric, I’ve yet to have anything fall out of my pocket while wearing these.
Living my coziest life in Panama in my Outdoor Voices pants! They’re stretchy AF, have 3 huge pockets, and keep me warm on freezing cold airplanes. In hot weather, I push the legs up a little (it’s cuter that way, too). BTW, that weird shape under my shirt is my bra pocket 😉
✔ They’re ethically made.
Outdoor Voices is an eco-conscious company that uses recycled polyester in many of its products and thoroughly vets its factories to ensure that workers are paid a fair living wage and receive ethical treatment. Heck yea!
✔ They actually make decent hiking pants, in a pinch.
I actually didn’t mean to test these pants as hiking pants, but sometimes you gotta roll with the punches. What had happened was, I didn’t realize that you have to wear long, dark pants in the jungle, because of animals and insects – my usual green hiking pants would attract flies like, well, flies. So I found myself in Chitwan National Park in Nepal with nothing but linen pants, swooshy skirts, useless green hiking pants, and shorts. …and these. I figured “what the heck” and put them on.
And y’all: that was such a comfortable hike. Like, I thought I was going to be so overheated wearing sweats covered with socks tramping through a hot, humid jungle (and also sweating with fear because the jungle is full of tigers and rhinoceroses) but they were fantastic!
I credit their surprising resilience to the fact that Outdoor Voices is an athletic company at heart – they make a mean pair of leggings, so no surprise that their “sweatpants” are actually low-key athletic pants in disguise!
Jeremy and I both have a pair of these (in the exact same color, so yes, we constantly wear each other’s on accident) and we’re totally obsessed. I’ll never wear anything else on long plane rides again!
Shop Outdoor Voices CloudKnit Pants
Hopefully, I haven’t scared you off by now with my rabid pocket obsession. But like, it’s not just me, right?! Is anyone else BEYOND fed up with the lack of pockets in women’s clothing?
If you’ve struggled finding travel pants, vent to me in the comments! What are your frustrations? What are your concerns? What questions can I answer for you about these 5 best travel pants for women?
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Disclosure: This post was partially sponsored by Aviator USA. All comments, raves, pocket obsessions, and decades-out-of-date pop culture references are completely my own. I legit love and wear every single one of these pants.
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These all look great! My husband has Bluffworks pants and they’re so perfect for travel (and hiking, work, going out, and everything else), and I’m super jealous they don’t make a women’s version. Will have to look into one of these!
That’s exactly how I feel about Outliers! My husband has their shorts and they function as both cute/active shorts AND swimwear. I’m so jealous!
The prAna pair is going on my wishlist!
Not only did your post make me chuckle, these trousers sound amazing! Why is it so hard to find trousers that fit well, look good and are super comfy? Thanks for sharing your finds! Making a note! 🙂
I seriously talk shit about how bad womens outdoor/travel pants are. Why are they so narrow? Does no one else have an ass? I do like the Halle pant from prana but need to check out the jeans you mentioned. I had no idea about these ex officio pants! I’m getting these immediately.
RIGHT?! Like, y’all know that not all outdoorsy/travel loving women are tiny, right? Hiking gives you leg muscles for DAYSSSSS, including that poppin’ booty! I mean, that’s not why *I* happen to have such a curvaceous lower half, but whatever. Hope you like the pants as much as I do!
This is great! I’m always looking for new comfy but stylish pants to wear while travelling! I’ll have to check out each of these brands. Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Great tip on Mens’ Wearhouse – I’m 5’2″ and even petite pants sometimes require hemming! Definitely going to check out the Aviator jeans, already a big fan of Prana and ExOfficio!
I had to laugh all through this post about your pocket obsession. I totally agree- traditional women’s pants are terrible with pockets! I have two small boys and constantly need to hold rocks, pinecones (ouch), matchbox cars and other “essentials” not to mention a phone, Kleenex, etc. I have a 10 year old pair of Eddie Bauer cargo shorts. Absolutely unattractive but oh so functional with yes! a zippered pocket!! They are threadbare but I will keep wearing them until I find a “suitable” replacement….and you may have done that. Love the post— I’ll be a follower now!
LOL you totally get me! I definitely have a few pairs of pants that were threadbare … several years ago, but I love them so much that they’re just held together entirely with sewed-on patches and hope at this point. Good pants are hard to find!
Yes, I have ordered the Prana pants, but there are a lot of complaints about the small pockets. What gives?
Hmmm that’s a good point – the Prana pant has LOTS of pockets, but they aren’t very BIG (at least not like the Aviator jeans, which are luscious and huge). The front pockets are your typical too-small lady-pocket size, the back pockets are big enough for a phone or wallet, and the hidden zip pocket is just the right size for a credit card. It’s definitely not those cargo-pant style hiking pants that you can put everything in. I still recommend them, though. I typically have a hydration pack or daybag when I hike for snacks etc, but the Prana Halle pant pockets are big enough for pocket things like a point and shoot camera, phone, lip balm, etc.
Unless of course, they’ve changed the design and made the pockets smaller since I bought these a couple years back – please report back!
I bought the Prana Halle pants in size 10, short. The length was too long (easily fixed) but the rise is miniature. I usually can wear low-rise pants and the waistband is at my waist. It is so short that there’s no way to hold them up, unless with a too-tight drawstring. By the time I realized that was true, I had washed and hemmed them, so they are unreturnable. If you don’t like low-rise, you won’t like these. Also, the buttons (yes, two, arranged vertically) are very hard to both do up and open. If I were to keep them, I’d find another way to fasten them. The fabric seems good: just order them in the right size!
Hi Susan, I’m so sorry to hear that! Hmm, my size 12’s aren’t low-rise … they hit me right around my belly button. I do have to use the drawstring to keep them there, though. I reallllly hope they haven’t changed the fit since I bought mine! Think I’ll go to REI and try a few on just to make sure.
Thanks for introducing me to world of “I don’t have to look ugly to love the outdoors”. Hubby and I are planning a combo trip to Europe in August. The first half of the trip is full of hiking adventures in Switzerland while the second half is about exploring Paris/MSM. Needless to say trying to fit the right clothes and not look out place, in a carry-on is a challenge. BUT, you might have saved the day. The Aviator jeans just went to the top of my “must buy” list and I’m officially checking out the ExOfficio pants for flight days and long train ride days. I own the Prana Halle in black and tan from our trip to Alaska! Yay for the budget. Thank you again and I love reading your blog!
YES I’m so glad I helped, Deb! The Aviator jeans are AMAZINGGGGG and I love the ExOfficio pants for travel days. Love that you’ve already got a pair of Halle pants 😛 you’re gonna have the trifecta!
I’ve just discovered your blog and I LOVE it. Your writing style and content really appeal to me and you are honest and hilarious! Enough gushing…
…apart from this post deserves so much more gushing!! Yes yes and yes! Ugly bastard travel pants are an irritance at best.
I found some random berghouse ones once which just looked like normal slightly bootlegged trousers with one relatively inconspicuous zip mid thigh. They were indestructable on hikes/ in caves despite being pretty lightweight. Unfortunately I’m now too big for them..
I’ve also had some success with a company called Rohan in the UK who make a jeans ish product with a genuinely hidden pocket and really big other pockets. I took one to South America and lived in it. My whole passport and my phone disappear easily in the front pockets… it was the dream!
I must have these Aviator jeans ASAP. I feel like they will make my life!!
Thanks for writing – Am excited to have a new blog to follow!
Hey Michelle! I’m so flattered, you’re the sweetest!! I totally tried on some Rohan pants before we left but they did NOT fit me at all … they fit like men’s pants labelled as women’s. IDK what was going on there. But the jeans you’re describing sound just like the Aviator jeans that I’m totally obsessed with so YES! You’re gonna love them! 🙂
I really really appreciate you guys!! Your sincerity & honesty shine through, and for those of us planning our own multi-month adventures, this blog is a very valuable resource!!!
That being said, I’d love some more help. I couldn’t find any post on which bags/packs you guys used, and I’d love to know what did & didn’t work for you!!!
Keep being awesome, we’ll be following along!
That’s a really great idea for a post, Rose! I’ll get working on that right away. For your reference though, I brought this Gregory Jade 53L and Jeremy brought along this Deuter 50+ 10L. Finding a backpack took me a LOT of trial and error, and my Gregory Jade was the only one that didn’t squish either my boobs or my armpits 😉
Thanks for this round-up! I’m a short (5’3″), curvy-ish woman who’s had real difficulty finding hiking/active/travel pants that fit me properly, and your article gave me hope that manufacturers are finally paying attention.
I headed to my local REI earlier today and was surprised to find that I now have real options. Unfortunately, the prAna Halle pants are too low-rise to fit me comfortably, but I found a very similar style in the Kuhl Spire Roll-up pants which offer a mid-rise as well as the added drawstring (with the button and zipper closure) for a more secure fit around my waist. I was also happy to find a decent fit in the Columbia Saturday Trail pants; they’re a little loose in the waist but can still be comfortably worn without a belt.
I nearly ended up with a pair of REI Taereen pants, too, if not for color considerations.
Note: I normally wear a 6 but came away with size 8s—8 short in Columbia and 8 regular in Kuhl. I could’ve used a short in the Kuhls, but those won’t be available until August 2018 (according to the Kuhl website).
This is such great information, thank you! I’ll have to head to REI and do a little research (aka trying on pants and dancing around in the mirror. For “research.”) I did pick up a pair of the prAna Meme pants recently and they’re pleasantly high-waisted and very cute, although a big snug compared to the Halle pants, so I think they’re going to be better for city travel than hiking and outdoorsy adventures.
I am totally with you on the patriarchy of the pockets! I usually wear men’s pants because, you know, pockets, and I can’t be arsed to be fashionable. So, aviator jeans sounded like they might be worth a try but their pants sizes don’t exactly get large, a 32 inch waist/14 being the max.
I hear you, Sara! I actually have some *~*~*~insider knowledge*~*~* that Aviator is planning to release a few larger sizes for women soon, thanks to demand coming from my readers, like you! Which I’m SO thrilled about, because like, how often does a pant company actually make an effort to meet the needs of fat, adventurous, awesome women like us?! So stay tuned – I’m not sure when the release is of the bigger sizes but I know they’re working on it now, and I will be shouting from the rooftops the minute they’re in stock!
Hi! I did a search for best travel pants and landed here. I cannot thank you enough for pointing me to these jeans and hiking pants! I ordered both and prepared for disappointment but they both fit perfectly! The sizing tips at the Aviator and Prana sites were spot on too.
You are so right about the general hideousness of hiking pants. My old ones are going in the give away bag. Because they are hideous.
Thanks again!
Jess
I’m so happy to hear that, Jess! And YAY, we’re pant twins now 🙂
I was excited to try the Aviator jeans but they don’t carry plus sizes – that I could find. Maybe they’ll add them eventually. Thanks for all the great travel tips, though!
Hey, Lori! We’ve actually been informed that Aviator is working on adding extended sizes (thanks in no small part to my incredible readers!). They’ll be rolling out a few additional sizes later this year. So please check back!
Hi Lia: Thanks for all the useful info on women’s travel pants! I completely agree with you that the pockets are so important (and of course fit/style, as well as quality) but yet most clothing brands ignore women customers! I’ll have to wait and see if Aviator gets the size 16 back in stock. Or maybe I should lose weight…
Anyways, my favorite travel pants to wear are the Royal Robbins Cardiff or Cardigan pants for a more dressier look; the fit and waist is comfortable (stretch/adjustable) and it does have a lower thigh zipper pocket that is large enough for a US passport or most smartphones and it’s easy wash and fast drying.
My other travel pants with the front thigh pockets are: EX Officio Nomads, Royal Robbins Discovery, REI Sahara rollups, Columbia Cascades, Columbia Aruba (runs waay small/tight!), Kuhl Durango, and the Costco/Kirkland Ladies travel pants. I still have but haven’t worn for several years, some older cargo style hiking pants with the zip legs because they just look, ugh! I’ll probably donate them this year.
And now that we’re older, we don’t do major hiking excursions but do the day outings and come back to the nice hotels, so we prefer to wear the nicer looking pants! We’ll usually travel for at least 3-4 weeks and each bring one personal backpack/purse and pack one carry on each. Used to pack 4 pairs of pants but now we usually travel with only two pairs of long pants, so they have to be easy wash, fast drying, not bulky and look decent. And of course good, functional pockets overall and the zippered thigh cell phone/passport pocket!
But the Costco ones, while comfortable have useless shallow pockets for stuff to fall out and their zip thigh pocket is kind of a joke – it isn’t even large enough for a passport! But I guess the Costco buyers and designers didn’t read my and some other customer’s comments to design the next ones to make the thigh/cell front pocket bigger/usable and the other pockets to be deeper and also secure to really call them travel pants and to also make them regular length and not the choppy ankle length since they have them again this year with the same shortcomings!
I read Sara’s comments above that she likes the men’s pants because they are designed better (more secure & functional pockets!) and agree that men have better choices in travel pants! Costco (and Amazon) carry the UB (Unionbay) Tech Rainier men’s travel pants so my husband likes those for travel and regular wear because it has the nice cell phone zip pocket on the front thigh and it doesn’t have the large cargo flaps or zip legs, so these UB tech pants look dressier and don’t scream hiking pants!
I actually emailed Union Bay and Costco asking them to make a women’s version, but no response. Even Sam’s Club carries several decent men’s travel shirts, pants and shorts of course, with great/functional zipper secured pockets, wicking and quick dry. The brand is ZeroExposur. But nothing for women. There’s some other brands of shorts or capri length pants that would probably take the whole day to dry!
Another company that Costco carries and that makes decent outdoor clothes is 32 Degrees. Once in a closeout outlet store, I saw a pair of women’s pants that I never saw at Costco and it actually looked pretty decent for travel pants. Fabric looked like it would dry quickly too Of course, they didn’t have my size and of course picky me still saw some things that could be improved, like making the zip pocket larger/functional. Costco sells this pants version as shorts and I have and like the shorts but of course, the current pocket design isn’t functional-too shallow and small. Of course I emailed 32 Degrees with the compliments on the current design and suggestions to make their travel pants and shorts better, but never heard back.
I think these clothing companies are missing out on a big market! Of course my other pet peeve is trying to find the best personal sized carry on purse/backpack. I have a collection of Pacsafe totes, Travelon tote/backpack, Sherpani tote/backpack and several others! Need it to be large enough to carry my personal stuff, but not overwhelming and heavy. Enough room to put anything we might buy or if hubby’s pack is too heavy (always!), I’ll transfer some of his electronics into mine.
Have you heard of the “Clothing Arts” company that markets as “pick pocket proof”clothing? On their website, it shows that they use a series of pockets, zippers, hidden zippers to make it more difficult for a pickpocket but it seems to work. Slows them down enough, so you “feel” them trying to open the zippers and realize what’s happening so they give up. They have men’s “dressier” pants but of course only the casual style with the cargo flaps for women! I’m tempted to try it though, as the pockets do seem practical and functional and their pants seem to hit all the checkboxes for travel pants.
But meanwhile, I’ll wait for the Aviator jeans to come back in stock!
Thanks again for all the great travel info and entertaining stories!
Thanks for all this insanely useful information, Cay! I’m so glad I’m not the only one with A LOT OF FEELINGS about women’s pants. Why, why, WHY is it so hard to find decent travel pants for women? Especially plus sized women!? Especially women who want pockets?!!?!?!?! WHY!?! It is absolutely a gaping hole in the market, you’re 100% right, and how frustrating that these companies aren’t listening to their consumers – like you! I’m beyond thrilled that Aviator is extending their sizes thanks to input from my readers and from women like you – we need to keep asking for what we need. Like, HELLO, there is money to be made here! Don’t you people like money?!
It’s something I spend a lot of time being frustrated about and I’d really like to get involved in changing this. I’d love to have like, a line of awesome travel clothing that runs in extended sizes and actually looks as amazing as it is functional. Now THAT would be a great melding of my 2 passions, fashion design and travel. Hmmm ….
Thank you for this article and for being a REAL HUMAN BEING! I swear, I can’t find a freaking guide for good pants because instagram has told all women they have to wear a red dress to hike machu picchu!
Hey, I mean, I’m def not gonna judge you if you want to bring a dress along on your hike and throw it on for your photos 😉 but no, I wouldn’t recommend hiking in it 😛
I just found your site while searching for the best travel pants, and I’m delighted that not only did I find some excellent trouser recommendations (for REAL women who do REAL things! Imagine that?!), but discovered an awesome and hilarious blog and IG account to follow!
You’re so sweet, Rose! I’m so glad you found us too 🙂
Hi — do you have any suggestions for an alternative to the quietude lounge pants? They no longer seem to be available. 🙁
Ahhhhhh I’m so glad you told me this, THANK YOU! I’ve begun my hunt for the perfect replacement pair and I WILL find something that’s as good as the quietude pants (RIP). I’ve added a couple of links for alternatives that I’m currently exploring and I’ll keep this post updated with my findings and research! (I mean, I say research but let’s be honest, all I need to know is how hard can I flomp in these pants and also where do I put my snacks.)
I was excited about your post, like everyone else. I chose the Royal Robbins leggings, because POCKETS, and I like buying on Amazon where I know the return policy. I do love the leggings feel, fit, look, but really, the pockets??? Your Samsung must be smaller than my old iPhone, because it won’t zip shut. I’m still searching for the perfect pants. These aren’t – – – –
I’m so sorry to hear that they didn’t work for you, Linda! For anyone else wondering, I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 which is pretty big, and it fits into the pockets and zips shut thanks to the stretch in the pants. Sure, you can pretty clearly see there’s something in there (and you can even tell in the photo above) but it definitely fits!
Your website is the most delightful thing I’ve found on the internet all week and this incredibly thoughtful and thorough review has helped solidify my decision to splurge on a pair of Halle pants for my birthday! Yay, and thank you!
Yay! Happy birthday to youuuu!
I’m going to order the jeans and leggings ASAP! But I wondered about the super cute tunic cardigan you’re wearing in the first picture. Who makes that?
I wish I had a better answer for you, but I found it at a random little boutique in Corning, New York :-/ it’s like, my favorite fall vest, though!
This is great! I’m always looking for new comfy but stylish pants to wear while traveling! I’ll have to check out each of these brands. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi, can you tell me where the vest/scarf are from in the Boston bakery photo? I really love that combo!
I wish I had a helpful answer for you but I picked them up in random places! The vest was from some boutique in the Finger Lakes region of NY and I don’t have a clue where the scarf is from, I sort of collect scarves 😛