Australian Hiker

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Prana Zion Stretch Pants Review

After footwear, your pants are probably the one piece of personal equipment that needs to withstand a beating. Sliding down rocks, brushing past sharp vegetation and the constant movement involved with hiking that includes those gazelle like movements when you are occasionally required to cross streams or jump across narrow gaps. While I usually prefer the zip off legs of the Prana Zion Stretch Convertible Pants I have now started to wear non-convertible pants during Winter. The Prana Zion Stretch Pants are a durable all purpose piece of clothing that has now become part of my regular hiking wardrobe for non-snow conditions.

The material is supple and feels good against the skin, and they fit well where they need to but not so tight to be restrictive.  The leg length has been judged well and isn’t overly short like many other pants. I’m 188 cm tall (6’2″ on the old scale) and I tried on the 34″ inseam and it was too long on me (with boots) so I opted for the shorter 32″ inseam.

They also look good as a result of the good cut. In addition they have a great colour range. I usually try to avoid khaki or light brown colours wherever I can. You only have to look through this website to see I like quirky colours and am always drawn to companies that provide some different options. The full range of colours are not always easy to find but the larger specialist stores will usually stock a decent range.

The horizontal stretch of the fabric means you don’t end up with any restrictions even when doing a wide stretch, when crossing streams or maneuvering up rough sections of trail. The material is robust without being excessively heavy. They are one of the most comfortable hiking pants I have ever owned and feel good both while hiking as well as lounging around at the end of the day.

Having worked outdoors for most of my life, I have a very high tolerance to cold weather so will only wear long johns when I absolutely necessary. I have worn these pants at temperature ranges down to -8 and up to 32°Celsius (28-90°F) and even at the colder end of the range, I was very comfortable. However at the warmer end of the scale, I was wishing for a lighter pair of pants. Having said that, I don’t wear gaters for most of my hiking and found that while I was a bit on the warm side at the high temperatures, the pants are thick enough to protect my legs when brushing past sharp plants such as spinifex and are able to stop our local March Flies (Horse Flies) that can, and do, bite through thinner thickness pants.

The Durable Water Repellent (DWR) treatment on the pants doesn’t provide full waterproofing but it does mean that walking in light rain or through wet grasslands you do stay relatively dry and the pants do dry out more quickly than you would expect.

Now you would think that the convertible and non-convertible versions of these pants would be identical apart from the zip off legs but you would be wrong here (just). One difference is that the legs on the non-convertible pants roll up a few inches and clip in place to keep the bottom out of the mud and water when you need.

The other difference is that the non-convertible version has one less pocket on the front/side of the leg. What’s up with that? For me this is almost a deal breaker; almost. I like having lots of different storage options to hold my phone, camera, GPS and a spare pocket for things like keys. One less pocket is just plain annoying and I find that after getting used to the extra pocket I really do miss it.

Now while I usually prefer to use the Prana Zion Stretch convertible pants when I can, for Winter day hikes where I won’t be wearing the same set of pants over multiple days, I will always opt for the non-convertible version.

We Like

• Durable Water Repellant Treatment (DWR) on the fabric that helps repel water and allows it to dry faster when wet. This miminises water soaking through to the legs in wet weather
• Ventilated inseam gusset that provides breathability in the crotch area of the pants helping to reduce sweating and helping to maintain comfort
• Stretchable material providing an increased range of movement. This creates a high level of comfort for any active sport such as hiking or rock climbing. This stretchable material also means that these pants will last longer than pants that don’t have this built in stretch
• Abrasion resistant material that ensures that these pants will cope with most abuse that you throw at them and wont need replacing as often. More money to spend on other toys!
• Adjustable waistband that allows you to adjust the fit with weight gain/loss and allows for the addition of under layers. There’s nothing worse than pants that keep on wanting to slip down at the most inopportune moments!
• Five pockets: one on the legs, two at the waist and two rear pockets provide ample storage. I use the waist pockets to store my compact camera and it sits very securely providing quick access when the need arises
• Love the lairy colours when you can find them

We Don't Like

These pants are close to perfect from my perspective but there are a few minor shortcomings that are worth mentioning:

• The adjustable waist bans loosens throughout the day when wearing a pack and made me wish that I had brought a belt which would have defeated the purpose. It took me a week to discover a hack for this problem. By looping the tensioning strap back on itself this issue was fixed

• The double entry leg pockets are designed to provide easy access in any position however I’m not a fan of this system. I usually put valuables such as cash, credit cards, mobile phones or a key in these pockets on short walks, and tend not to use them on long walks instead relying on internal pockets in my pack. Having to check both zips each time you use the pockets is an inconvenience and creates an additional opportunity for losing things. The first time I wore the Prana pants I did a 50 minute walk with my house key in one of the leg pockets and the ‘side’ zip was left fully undone. My mistake but it was just sheer luck that I didn’t loose my key

• In the past year Prana has changed the sizing and you will find that trying on two supposedly identical sized pairs of pants will be different. In addition as the older stock runs out, you have to choose between pants labelled either S, M, L etc and 32, 34, 36 etc. Very confusing

Best Uses

• Three seasons hiking where snow is not involved
• Temperatures under 25°C (77°F)
• On hikes where you would prefer not to use gaiters
• Hikes that require a lot of dynamic movements that may split other pants

Buy One

Prana Zion Stretch Pants are available online from Amazon Australia

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have worn the Prana Zion Strectch Pants or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD $144 RRP (you will find this product online for almost $400 but you shouldn’t pay any more for than AUD $160 for them)

Other Versions

The Zion is also available in a convertible pant as well as shorts

Prana Zion Stretch Pants – Spruce colour front view

Prana Zion Stretch Pants – Spruce colour side view

Image showing the pocket entry on the front leg. The two entries are designed so that whether you are sitting or standing you have a pocket that you open at the top. Be careful when using this pocket to ensure both zips are closed otherwise you may loose something

This images shows the snap lock on the leg which allows you to keep the bottom of the legs out of water and mud when you need to

Prana Zion pant leg rolled up. While I know why they have included this it is something that I am never likely to use; just personal preference

Crotch venting

The material is very stretchy so you will never overstress it when moving

The belt lock as its meant to be used. Used like this it loosens particularly the you are wearing a pack

The belt lock doubled over. Used like this it will not come loose

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

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