Flexible, breathable and comfortable: we test the best hiking leggings for 2024

These really are the bee's knees of hiking leggings. We love Sherpa products for their all-round quality, and these leggings are bang on the money when it comes to balancing materials, fit, wicking properties and features. It’s an added bonus that Sherpa funds the education of children in Nepal, and is committed to using more eco-friendly fabrics too. 

Made from a blend of softer SUPPLEX nylon and elastane, these high-performance leggings are perfect for hiking in the UK at most times of the year - sure they’ll probably be a little warm in high summer, and in mid winter or torrential downpours you’ll want something to go over the top of them, but for the vast majority of the seasons, these are a fantastic bet. They’re thick and supportive but still soft and comfortable, with great four-way stretch and a deep waistband, fitting perfectly over long periods of hiking and scrambling.

They’re also pretty durable, coping well with being scootched over tough granite, and also being one of the only pairs of leggings on test which don’t look any different after 4-5 washes. We also love the tough zipped pockets, odour control technology and the flat seams, making these leggings our best in test. And yes, £80 is a princely sum to spend on a pair of leggings, but as the old saying goes: buy nice, not twice.

We really liked Sprayway’s offering of the Escape leggings, especially when you realise that the RRP can be sacked off and they can be found for around £30 in many places. They’ve held up very well in testing, with no loss of elastic or burring on the seams. They’re a great fit for the most part, and are good for moisture management on the trail, with the polyamide fabric drying quickly and keeping you cool on the uphills too. 

The waistband isn’t as deep as other brands, but an adjustable drawstring helps cinch the fit in a little if needed. We also like the length of these; they go from full length to ⅞ quite easily when pulled up at the knees, also making them great for warmer days. We’ve found them to be a little saggy when sitting down on the waist area, but if anything, that makes them more comfortable, if a tad less flattering.

The open mesh pocket does leave a little to be desired in terms of security, especially when hanging upside down from a tree or climbing, but for normal-person activities like trail running and hiking, phones and keys are - happily - kept tight against the thigh. Overall these are fantastic value if you’re not wanting to splash all the cash at once.

These leggings nearly won our best in test award, but were pipped by Sherpa to the top spot for a few reasons: the fabric isn’t quite as thick and durable, there’s no odour control technology, and these are also £10 more expensive.

But the Helly Hansen Blaze tights are still a brilliant bit of kit for hiking: lightweight, cut well and with reinforced knees and bum patches for durability. We love the colour choices, the stretchy polyamide-elastane mix in of the material, plus the laminated zipped pocket which stretches to fit a pretty chunky smartphone, or a well-stuffed ciabatta. 

These tights are also pretty lightweight, making them a great option to carry as a spare layer, or as a backup pair of trousers should you be attempting to climb something scary. However, they’re only available in 7/8th length, which is great for ewoks like us, but does mean any tall person will suffer from cold ankles when using these leggings in the colder months.

Overall if you’re looking for something for summer walking that isn’t too thick but still is incredibly durable, then these are the choice for you.

Acai are a brilliantly stylish brand, specialising in making women’s hiking trousers and leggings. These are their insulated, showerproof option which are designed to make winter hiking a breeze - and they absolutely do. With a tog rating of 1.1, the leggings are fleece lined, which kept us nice and toasty when the mercury dips below 5 degrees.

We’ve used them in the sleet and snow and were impressed with how warm they kept our - ahem - extremity. They’re also equipped with a DWR coating so rain beads off initially but don’t expect this to last for hours of downpour; there’s only so much the coating can do alone and the rest of the material isn’t waterproof. (This isn’t a criticism at all - having a completely waterproof legging would impede breathability and hinder movement, as well as doubling the currently reasonable RRP of £75. There is a reason waterproof overtrousers exist.)

The best thing about Acai’s thermal leggings, however, is the cut. It’s incredibly flattering, with good compression and seam placement that has evidently been thought about - we can do mad yoga moves in them as well as climb hard rock routes. We also like the unfussy thigh pocket and zipped key pocket in the waistband. If you’re looking for a winter legging that does it all, then look no further: this is the answer.

These merino tights from Smartwool are hands-down the most comfortable pair of leggings we had on test. They have a brilliant warmth-to-weight ratio and as well as wearing them under our waterproofs for very cold hikes, we’ve also been using them around our freezing Scottish tenement flat underneath our dry robe for extra warmth. 

As a standalone bit of kit, they also do well. On the hill they feel so comfortable, breathable and warm that you forget you’re wearing leggings at all. They’re durable enough to stand up to the shoulder seasons in the UK by themselves, but they’re also our first choice for wearing as a winter base-layer for skiing and walking too.

As a huge plus, they’re also fantastic at not being smelly after even 3-4 days of continued wear; one advantage of being made from 100% merino. The flat locked seams feel barely there and overall, we’d recommend this as a bit of gear you’ll want to have in your wardrobe even if you’re not explicitly looking to hike in them. The price tag isn’t pretty, no, but you’re paying for high quality natural wicking materials which will last a long time.

We love these supple, soft leggings from BAM for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, they’re supremely comfortable to wear just about anywhere, from the hill, to walking the dog in the park, or going to yoga - you could even dress them up a bit if you were so inclined.

We really like the deep waistband too, which gives a lovely, flattering fit to just about any figure. The material is of course, a beautifully soft bamboo fibres and elastane mix - BAM isn’t called BAM for nothing, you know.

These leggings, however, live and die by this material. On one hand, they’re incredibly lovely to wear, remaining opaque no matter what you’re doing, and fit really well, without any sign of sagging even after months of washing. However, for serious hiking adventures, especially multi day ones that are likely to encounter wet weather or require very efficient packing, we’d recommend choosing a different pair seeing as these contain cotton so don’t dry quite as quickly as we’d like, and are heavier than many of the more technical offerings on this list.

But if you’re after something that’s multi-use, soft and comfortable for shorter, fair weather walking, then these are a great option, and at £49.99 RRP, they’re well priced for what you get in return.

When we first unsheathed these leggings from the packet, we couldn’t believe how buttery soft they were. They’re made of a recycled polyester and elastane mix, with a brushed, velvety feel for all-day comfort, and honestly, it feels like you’re not even wearing anything when they’re on. The waistband isn’t as defined and deep as some of the other pairs we had on test, but still manages to be flattering and comfortable, staying put on a 15km hike, and a 10km bike ride in early spring. 

These leggings weigh in at just 167g, so when it comes to features, they’re understandably light. There is a key pocket in the back, but other than that, there’s little else: no side pocket for other gubbins such as a phone or a snack.

This minimalism, however, is offset by the Cross Multi 28”’s excellent quick-drying abilities - they’re the fastest drying leggings we had on test, which gives peace of mind for drizzly showers or river crossings - they dry so fast they don’t chafe or weigh you down at all. They’re also a great thing to stash in your pack as clean, dry gear for tent-lounging, or as an emergency layer seeing as they pack down so small.

The only other downsides we’d say is that these are too thin to be useful as a standalone hiking legging for the colder end of the year, and the light colour we chose does show up marks very quickly (chain-ring tats for us mostly) - but luckily these are also available in a darker green, and in black too.

Nordic brand Norrona threw their hat into the ring for this test, and we’re very glad they did. The Equaliser stretch tights are another great all-rounder for hiking and trekking, and this time come with some great eco-credentials too: these leggings are made from over 50% recycled materials and comply with both ethics checks in the factory they’re produced in and use Oeko-Tex® certified fabric, which falls above industry standards in terms of its chemical use. But does that all mean anything when it comes to performance?

Happily, yes (and at £119 RRP, we’d be fuming if it didn’t). These leggings are silky in feel, and have an athletic cut with a gusseted crotch for full flexibility. We love them for multi-activity days such as biking, climbing and walking, seeing as the lightweight material flexes and moves with you.

They’re also featured up to the nines, with two thigh pockets, zippered key pocket on the waist, a drawstring elasticated waist and use flat-locked seams to minimise chafing. If you’re also a keen long-distance trail runner and after a pair of leggings which will do both running and hiking, in all but the coldest of conditions, then these are the ones for you. The only downside we see to these leggings is the price, which is expensive by anyone’s standards, but you are also paying for good eco credentials, and quality, lightweight gear.

If you’re after a pair of leggings which have a supremely flattering cut, and keep you nice and dry when it’s showery out, then look no further than Acai’s showerproof softshell leggings. If you’re into acronyms, their main USP is that they come with a DWR coating, which is great at beading up water so it runs off - keeping us completely dry during some torrential downpours in North Wales during a hike in March. (A durable water repellent coating, by the way, doesn’t guarantee full weatherproofing; these leggings are marketed as showerproof rather than fully waterproof). 

These leggings also do well on the windproof side of things; unlike some of the thinner options here, these are definitely suitable for windy munro-bagging in the shoulder seasons. The nylon material, augmented with elastane for a great fit, is durable and tough too, staying completely opaque when performing acrobatic manoeuvres like doing up one’s shoelaces on the top of a cairn.

The notched V waistband is a lovely touch, making us feel great when out and about, and we love the laminated pocket too, which is just big enough for a large smartphone. The only downside we can find with these is that if you’re wearing them for long periods of time, they’re not quite as breathable as some of the other pairs on test, meaning that odours do build up and they have to be washed every couple of wears. That’s ok for 3-4 washes, and then the waterproof coating must be refreshed with a wash-in product.

Oh, Fjallraven. Only this super-duper-uber-high quality Swedish brand could get away with charging £195 for a pair of leggings. The question is, is that little leather fox embroidered on the thigh really worth that sort of cash? We think that depends on what you want to wear them for. 

So, let’s start with the real positives of this pair of trekking tights, which is their superb longevity. The word “bombproof” is often overused in gear reviewing but we mean it here: the lifespan of these leggings, even with constant use, will be at least five times the next hardest wearing pair on this list (which we reckon to be the Sherpa Kalpanas, incidentally), which gives them a massive plus on sustainability grounds too.

The incredibly durable arse-and-knee reinforcements of the Abisko HDs are designed to be hoiked over rocks while climbing and mountaineering and offer a great fit for the most part. This quality alone makes them worth it if you’re out and about constantly; these leggings will soon pay for themselves if you work outdoors, perhaps in farming, labouring or as a mountain guide. In the three months we’ve been using them, they haven’t aged a day. 

They’re also a great fit on the legs, knees and thighs, but where these leggings fall down (not literally - they stay up wonderfully) is in the seams, and not for the usual reason. We found the stitching to be very noticeable around the cordura patching when in motion, and when wet it can actually end up chafing slightly. However, we will caveat this by saying that we’re chunkier in the legs and thighs than most people who will end up with a size small, so perhaps this won’t be as much of an issue for other people. 

If you really love high quality leggings, but can’t fathom spending nearly £200 on a pair you're only going to use every other weekend or so, then the Abisko Pros (£155) also have reinforced knees and bum patches, and they’re lighter too - but of course not quite as bombproof as the HDs.