The Best Fabric for Hiking Pants: Performance, Durability and Breathability explained
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Fabrics for Hiking Pants
Choosing the best fabric for hiking pants directly affects how comfortable and versatile your gear will be on the trail. The right material needs to balance breathability, stretch, and abrasion resistance—whether you're hiking in hot weather, variable conditions, or rugged terrain. Conditions vary widely, too. Hiking in coastal British Columbia’s wet climate is very different from the dry, high-altitude conditions of the Sierra Nevada, and seasonal changes play a major role in fabric performance. Fabrics can range from lightweight summer hiking pants to a more rugged, abrasion-resistant style. At Discovery Fabrics, we sew and wear what we sell (primarily technical performance fabrics), so our recommendations are based on real-world use—not just specs. In this guide, we’ll break down the most common hiking pant fabrics, including nylon, polyester, and softshell blends, and explain where each performs best. You’ll learn how to choose the right fabric based on your environment, activity level, and durability needs—so you can build or select hiking pants that actually perform in real conditions.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Fabric for Hiking
Climate and Hiking Conditions
The climate and conditions you’ll be hiking in play a major role in choosing the best fabric for hiking pants. In hot weather, lightweight and breathable fabrics help regulate temperature and prevent overheating. In cooler or variable conditions, fabrics with slightly more structure and wind resistance can provide better comfort and protection.
If you expect changing weather, prioritize fabrics that dry quickly and maintain performance even when exposed to moisture. This becomes especially important for overnight or multi-day trips, where faster drying fabrics can be hung to dry, and be relatively warm to wear again even if they are not completely dry. In a recent discussion on Reddit, one of the members said their Adventure Stretch Woven pants got very wet and while still damp in the morning due to cool temperature, they warmed up in just a few minutes and were comfortable to wear as they continued to dry. In wet weather conditions, fabrics with a high cotton content are not recommended as they do not dry quickly and will rob the body of heat if worn in cold and damp conditions for an extended period of time.
Hiking Terrain
Consider the type of hiking you’ll be doing. For more demanding terrain—such as steep trails, scrambling, or off-trail bushwacking—durability, abrasion resistance and water repellency become essential. Nylon is considered more durable than most other fabrics, and higher GSM or weight will add to the durability.
Fabrics with stretch improve mobility and comfort during high-output activity.
For more moderate hiking or travel use, you can prioritize lighter-weight fabrics that balance comfort, breathability, and ease of movement.
Versatility and Wearability
If you are hiking as part of your overall travel plans, fabric versatility becomes important. Look for materials that are lightweight, wrinkle-resistant, and comfortable enough for extended wear.
Fabrics that balance performance with a clean appearance can transition easily from trail to everyday use, reducing the need for multiple garments.
How to Choose the Right Fabric for Hiking Pants
Choosing the Right Fabric Based on Your Needs
Start with Climate
Choosing the best fabric for hiking pants depends on where you are hiking, and in what season. If you are in a very cold climate, you will need to wear warm base layers underneath your pants, regardless of pant fabric. We cover that in another blog article, Braving the Chill.
Then it gets tricky, because much of your decision-making in the weight of the fabric is determined by your metabolism. If you run hot, you may want a lighter weight fabric, if you run cold, something warmer may be more appropriate for you.
Breathable shells, such as Polartec Neoshell or one of the Goretex or other 3 layer waterproof laminates, can double as a final outer layer for weather protection AND as stand alone hiking pants offering the wearer excellent weather protection. In cold weather, you would want to wear a warm base layer underneath as Neoshell is a low-warmth shell. There are many styles of Polartec Neoshell, you can review our Guide to Neoshell Styles for more information.
If you need all the warmth you can get, you may wish to wear a softshell with fleece backing, such as Pacific Tech. There is often a trade-off between warmth and other comfort considerations, such as stretch.
If you prefer a very comfortable, warm and very stretchy pant you could consider Polartec Windpro Stretch or Thermal Flex as these fabrics feature a soft fleecy back and a smooth and soft water resistant face. Also, your pattern may have certain stretch requirements and a fabric with little to no stretch may not work...(see pattern recommendations below).
For warmer temperatures, you may want to consider one of our customers' top picks, Adventure Stretch Woven. At 213 GSM (grams per sq. meter) it is really the sweet spot for an all-season fabric. Nylon is more durable than Polyester, and Adventure is an unlined, lightly water repellent stretch woven nylon that is a favorite choice for hiking and work pants. For hot climates, you may wish something lighter, but also in the water repellent stretch woven category. Surfer Stretch Woven is comparable to a board short or golf pant weight, but is perfectly suitable for hot weather hiking.
Then Consider your Activity
There is no one fabric that is suitable for every climate, or every activity. If you tend to be rough on your clothes, constantly kneeling or just need an extremely durable fabric, you can choose an all-round rugged stretch woven such as Tweave or Heavier Nike Storm Fit. On the other hand, if you want lighter pants you can always add durability to the knees or other areas by sewing some 500 d Cordura or Arctic Tech to that area. This is the benefit of MYOG or sewing!
You'll find all of the above stretch woven fabrics on the same page of our website. There are a wide variety of weights. Just scroll to the style you are interested in. In the Specs and Features tab and the Content tab, there is additional information to help you make the right choice.
A Note on Natural Fabrics
While the focus of this blog is on technical performance fabrics for hiking pants, we appreciate that wool and other natural fabrics are often preferred for comfort. Wool textiles have been around for centuries and there is no denying wool's benefits such as comfort, thermo regulation and warmth when wet. Other natural fabrics however, often absorb a considerable amount of moisture and are slow to dry, making them less desirable for hiking pants, especially if the wearer is out for an extended period of time. These fabrics are an option for fair-weather day hiking.
Fabric Breakdown for Fabric for Hiking Pants
Below is a chart that lists some of the suggested fabrics to make hiking pants. Once you determine what is most important, choose a fabric that meets most of those needs. If you have questions, we are happy to share expertise in our Facebook group, and can also show examples of sewn garments made from most of the recommended fabrics. NOTE: Estimated Stretch % is approximate.
s2s = side to side stretch
lw = lengthwise stretch
| Fabric | GSM | Content | Warmth | Water Repellent |
Stretch% | Comments |
| Stretch Woven "Adventure" | 213 | 90% Nylon 10% Spandex |
Low | Yes | 20% s2s 30% lw |
Good all-season Stretch Woven. |
| Stretch Woven "Surfer" | 185 | 94% Poly 6% spandex |
Very Low | Yes | 10% both directions |
Best for summer. |
| Stretch Woven "SunPro" | 130 | 88% Poly 12% Spandex | Very Low | Yes | 20% both directions | 50+ UPF Best for day hikes in hot weather. Nice for travel. |
| Supplex (Taslan) | 100 | 100% Nylon | Low | Yes | None | Mosquito Resistant, Fast Dry |
| Neoshell and Goretex | Varies | Varies | Low | Yes | Varies | Highly Breathable, Dozens of styles, see chart for guidance. Also good for Gaiters and Jackets. |
| Pacific Tech Softshell | 310-320 | 94% Poly 6% spandex | Mid | Yes | 5-10% ease | Very little stretch. Wind repellent. Most styles are bonded to microfleece |
| Polartec Windpro Stretch | Most are 298 | 50% Poly 30% Spandex | Mid | Yes | 50% s2s 30% lw |
Most styles have "hardface" water repellent finish. Wind repellent. Stretchy and comfortable. Makes great hoodies, too! |
| Thermal Flex | 360 | 76% Nylon 24% Spandex | Mid | Yes | 40% s2s 15% lw |
Soft and stretchy. Most suited for day hikes in cool weather. Also good for X-country Skiing & Snowshoeing. |
NOTE: Discovery Fabrics has dozens of fabrics not in the above chart. As well, we are continually sourcing new styles and weights to add to these recommendations. Check back for updates, or ask in our Facebook Group (link at bottom)
Pattern Recommendations
There are a few patterns that we have tried ourselves and can recommend. If you are looking for a pant that is custom made to fit your body shape, we love Pattern Adventure. Birgit is a talented pattern designer located in Finland that offers customized fit, with options you choose. These patterns consider your fabric stretch as well as your measurements. Birgit often offers online courses to help with your outerwear and active lifestyle sewing projects.
Next up for women is Roadtrip Patterns Granite Pants. They feature a jean-style design with knee patches and gusset crotch.
For men, we like the Jutland Pant by Thread Theory. It's more of a work pant-hiking pant combo, but does have a relaxed fit and knee reinforcements.
Although we have not personally sewn it, we are hearing good things about the Topo pant from Leila Makes. It is unisex, and has an elastic waist. Recommended for confident beginners.
Also recommended was the Trail Trouser from Indigo Indigo. It's super basic, elastic waist, loose fitting design would be suitable for day hikes in hot weather. Using a Supplex nylon (Taslan) or a lightweight Stretch Woven (Surfer) would also discourage mosquitoes, as a bonus!
I must also add one of my own personal favorites, the women's work pant from Waffle Patterns. My favorite pant (made with Adventure Stretch Woven) is worn mostly to work where they take a lot of abuse but, the style is great for hiking, so they get worn a lot. Azuki Work Pants
Ask for Advice!
There are many personal considerations when choosing the right fabrics for durable yet comfortable pants. Choosing appropriate outdoor clothes depends on many factors. We love to help, which is why we have a Facebook Group. If you ask in our group, be specific about where you are hiking (climate), as well as terrain, and whether you are doing day hikes or need pants that must meet a variety of needs. We will try to make suggestions that will help you make the best choice. We are always happy to chat in the group, where others can learn from the answers! Our Facebook group is Sew Inspired by Discovery Fabrics. Join us!