Walking trousers
YOUR COMPLETE BUYING GUIDE TO
Lighter, stronger, comfier and quicker-drying than the trousers you’re wearing now.
IT’S A PHRASE Nick remembers and recites to this very day: “The heat retentive capacity of wet denim is nil.” It was written on every kit list sent home to parents by physics teacher Andy Hawton (a very clever man) every time the intrepid pupils of St Nicholas High School in Cheshire were setting forth in the great outdoors. It meant: don’t wear jeans. Get some good walking trousers. Okay, so trousers may not be the most glamorous item in your wardrobe, or the one that makes you sally forth to the gear shop with the thumpiest heart. But by gosh, they work. They’re important. And it’s not just about dealing with dampness: depending on the fabric, a good pair can protect you from some combination of heat, cold, wind, midges, ticks, gorse bushes and hailstones (sometimes all of the above), as well as keeping you dry and storing important stuff in securely zippable pockets. They’ll stretch when you need them to, and adapt to the temperature around you. And this makes them, like Mr Hawton himself, very clever indeed.
About our reviews
We’ve chosen ten pairs that cover a broad range of prices and technologies. All of them should be widely on sale online and in stores as you read this issue, or shortly thereafter. Gender availability is indicated by the blue and pink dots. ( ) Rather than simply comparing one pair with another, we focus on the kind of walking that each pair will suit best. We don’t pick an overall winner as no single option will suit every walker, but both testers nominate a personal favourite.
WATER REPELLENCY
We aren’t looking at fully waterproof trousers in this test (and they tend to be overtrousers anyway), but several pairs are made with water-repellent soft shell fabric that should stop your legs from soaking in a shower, and dry out quickly afterwards.
STRETCH
Materials like Elastane and Spandex will help the trousers stretch with your leg movements (especially useful if you like a bit of a scramble). Nonstretch trousers will be mainly made with polyester – and usually cheaper.
FIT
In human beings, the legs are second only to the feet in the amount by which we vary in dimensions from one to another. Leg length, waist size, thigh width: these are all hugely personal, so even if we love a pair, it’s worth trying on before you buy, and ensuring there’s a perfect size for you. Summer walking trousers tend to be more generous and baggy; soft shell trousers are more precisely tailored.
ANKLE CUFFS
Some walkers like flappy hems as these give maximum ventilation and don’t look too specialised and athletic. Others like a tighter cuff that locks closely around your boot or shoe. An adjustable cuff (via drawcord or Velcro) offers the best of both worlds.
POCKETS
Opinions vary here. Some walkers like to keep keys, wallet/purse, map, phone, GPS and medication close to hand; others want to walk unencumbered and stick everything in their rucksack. You can find (and we’ve tested) trousers that serve both ideals, and a mix in between. You’ll almost always get waist pockets, even if they’re tiny, but you can also get rear and cargo pockets, and hidden security pockets too.
ARTICULATION
Seams around the kneecap are a good sign the trousers will give you freedom of movement. Just make sure the seam doesn’t sit across any tender spots around the knee, as this can rub.
VENTILATION
If your legs are prone to overheating, consider trousers with vents (usually on the upper thigh) – or zipoff convertibles.