High Sierra Topix

My apologies in advanced if the existence of these pants is already widely known! I recently came across the Straight Fit version of the popular prAna Zion hiking pants. I bought a pair and really love the fit.



I am 6' 2" tall and ~180 pounds, so it has always been a struggle to find a pair of hiking pants that fit well. Most options out there are super baggy. What I have been looking for is a pair of synthetic pants that fit similar to a Levi 511 jean and are tapered through the leg.

I ended up ordering pretty much all the different prAna hiking pants to try them and the Straight Fit Zion were by far the best fit. So... if you are a tall slender guy looking for hiking pants you can also wear to work or to a brewery, give the Straight Fit Zion pants a look. Like most prAna products they are a tad pricey at ~$90 retail.

I took pictures of myself wearing all the different prAna pants (Straight Fit Zion, Zion, Zioneer, Brion, and Broadfield pant), so head over to this more complete review I wrote if you want to compare: https://backpackers-review.com/articles ... ts-review/

Many hikers like some pants that have a little more room inside, especially if you are climbing anything.

I can't speak for this new cut, but I can speak to the fabric material (it's called Stretch Zion). . . I wore a pair of Prana Stretch Zion cargo shorts every day on my CDT thru-hike (2,800 miles), and the shorts still look great and feel comfortable. After months of bushwacking, butt-sliding over talus, and generally just rolling around in the dirt, all the stitches remained intact and the fabric is in excellent condition. The construction quality on Prana garments seems quite high.

Flamingo wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2019 4:19 pm The construction quality on Prana garments seems quite high.

I will second this. I have a few different pairs of prAna pants and they are tough.

PrAna primarily is aimed at technical rock climbers and sports climbers. Slim and stretchy yet tough are the requirements for this. Baggy pants can be a problem when carrying and using a lot gear and ropes and you do not want to chance catching a baggy pant leg on a rock. They also cater to the younger crowd who are fashion conscious, thus baggy pants may not be "cool". I am way too out of touch with current fashion trends to know what is "in" and "out" now. Although expensive, PrAna is known for high quality clothing.

Yep, these are mostly marketed for the younger crowd. Great for people with slim legs, but not great if you have big legs (cyclists) or like loose clothing.

I've been wearing prAna Halle pants for years. Most recently on a trip to Point Reyes I put my phone in my back pocket and took two steps and it was at my ankle! The stitching holding the pocket on had become worn from some rocky butt-scoots over the years and both butt pockets were just completely unattached at the bottom. That was a pretty hilarious incident. I do still love their pants though. Right now I'm looking at some Fjallraven pants (Nikka) because they have more pockets and have butt and knee reinforcement, together with stretch and articulated knees. They come with a crazy-long inseam that is meant to be hemmed, so that might also be a good option for tall guys.

You assume that guys know how to get pants hemmed.

I have the PrAna Zion and Mojos but much prefer the Mojos. Same basic fabric but not all the pockets, buttons or belt loops, just and elastic waistband and draw string. Simple and light.

I also really like the PrAna hiking pants. Like Maia, I've worn the women's Halle (and another older version) for a number of years. The fabric is thicker, has held up well on rocks and butt sliding but has enough stretch that you can do long strides, lunges, squats, etc. Also, they come in very small sizes-- which is great because kids pants don't always fit the best, even for small people. My only complaint (other than price) is that I think the men's version is slightly better. The men's pants have a gusseted, "vented" crotch and the waistband has a built-in flat waistband. The women's pants have a drawstring that faces the inside of the waist and always dug into my stomach when I wore my backpack. So I just took the drawstring out and sewed in a belt like the men's version. Wish I could put in a gusseted crotch, but it just seems like too much work. I am not sure why they think men need a gusseted crotch but women don't. My Halle do have articulated knees, maybe some versions don't. Here is a pic of my DIY waistband.