11 Best Climbing Pants for Sport, Bouldering, Trad, and More

Updated September 19, 2025 02:42PM

Take a look around any crag and you’ll likely see a wide variety of climbing pants. Sure, there are plenty of climbers wearing purpose-built pants with four-way stretch and techy features. But we also see people climbing in leggings, billowy linen, the occasional Lycra tight, Carhartts, and denim (the horror!). While there are many pants that you can make work for climbing, if you’re in search of the best climbing pants, you’re in the right place. We put dozens of pairs to the test, from technical bottoms and department store leggings to burly workwear.

To help guide you toward the best pair, we identified the top all-around rock pants for anyone who doesn’t want to invest in multiple pairs. We also picked top pairs for sport climbing, bouldering, the gym, and trad/multi-pitch/alpine.

Searching for climbing pants for women? While we offer recommendations for both men and women here, we also created a separate women’s-specific guide to the best pants with more detail and additional recommendations.

Best Climbing Pants: At a Glance

Men’s

Women’s

The All-Around Best Climbing Pants

Don’t climb enough to merit a literal quiver of rock climbing pants? Or do you shirk specialization and climb across disciplines? Our all-arounder picks can pinch hit in just about any rock climbing discipline, from performance sport routes and adventurous days in the alpine, to gym sessions after work.

Black Diamond’s Alpine Light Pants ($123) became our testers’ top pick for the best climbing pants thanks to their featured, mobility-friendly design. They performed admirably on exposed alpine ridge climbs in Rogers Pass, BC, where lead tester—and Climbing Senior Editor—Anthony Walsh enchained Avalanche Mountain and Eagle Peak in the Alpine Light. With over 3,000 feet of low-fifth-class scrambling on an exposed prow, he found the Alpine Light struck an ideal balance between breathability while moving quickly, and moderately protective in light winds and rain showers with its DWR coating.

The Alpine Light received full marks for its climbing performance. Anthony found that, unlike many other “alpine softshells” he tested for this review, the Alpine Light had a baggier cut and a generously gusseted crotch. These two features provided tons of mobility when high stepping, stemming, and throwing an awkward alpine knee. He also noted that all three pockets (one thigh, two hand-warmer) fit comfortably beneath a harness, yet all could be accessed from a hanging belay nevertheless.

No pant is perfect, but the Alpine Light comes painfully close. The one downside? The wide thigh pocket means your phone rotates freely while climbing. A horizontal elastic strap—otherwise known as a “phone garage”—would prevent this annoyance.

Watch Anthony’s review of these pants straight from Rogers Pass, BC

The Arc’teryx Gamma Pants ($200) were a close second place for best all-arounder. Like the Alpine Light, the Gamma has an excellent range of motion, light DWR coating, and a smart pocket design. Anthony Walsh used the Gamma pant extensively while “alpine cragging” on the 500-meter east face of Snowpatch Spire, Bugaboos, and on various rock climbs in Argentine Patagonia’s Fitz Roy massif. The Gamma ultimately came in second place for two reasons: its fabric is thicker (and therefore warmer) than the Alpine Light, making it less suited for mid-summer multi-pitch romps. It’s also $77 more expensive despite having the exact same feature set.

Since many women prefer to climb in leggings, we were determined to find the absolute best pair when it comes to quality, fit, and pockets. Arc’teryx gave leggings a total glow-up for climbers with this high-performance pair. While the price is steep for leggings, the payoff in terms of breathability, fit, and pocket configuration is worth it if you’re looking for a workhorse pair for climbing indoors and out. By far, we found the material of these leggings to be the smoothest and most comfortable of all the rock climbing pants we tested.

Climbing Associate Editor Sam MacIlwaine wore the Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings ($140) during hot spring and summer sessions around the Utah desert. After sport climbing, bouldering, and moving through offwidths in the Essent, she called them the “most comfortable leggings” she owns—and she owns a lot of leggings. While she loved the lightweight construction for warm-weather climbing, she did worry that the thin fabric would become damaged over time—though hasn’t seen any signs of wear or tear yet. That said, the potential tradeoff is worth it if you want to prioritize breathability and low-profile construction for comfort in warm temps or climbing in the gym.

Don’t be fooled by the name—tester Sam MacIlwaine says these Off-width Pants from The North Face ($160) are more of an all-around staple than an offwidth-specific garment. For climbers who don’t love leggings, Sam found these pairs outperformed the rest on trad climbs, multi-pitch routes, and sport pitches alike. Compared to its peers, these pants felt lighter, smoother, and more comfortable. She called them “the most fantastic pants for sport and multi-pitch climbing” due to their superior breathability and “mega smooth” feel. As for offwidths, she found they worked decently well for vertical offwidths but fell short on roofs; their breezy fit left her shins exposed for shredding. (See our offwidth pant recommendations below if that’s what you’re looking for).

One of the biggest boons of these rock climbing pants is how successful they are in merging lightweight construction with durability. While Sam calls these pants “95% perfect,” her biggest gripe was the belt loops and snap button closure at the waist. A harness renders the belt loops useless, and a high-waisted spandex strip would allow for a more seamless, comfortable fit.

If you love Carhartts, but feel that they’re ultimately a little too burly and intractable for performance climbing, the Black Diamond Ethos Pants ($109) wear like lightweight workwear. Climbing Editor-in-Chief Maya Silver wore these pants climbing a desert tower and cracks in Utah’s San Rafael Swell, on sport routes around Echo Canyon in Utah, and at the gym. Though there’s only 2% elastane woven into the organic cotton, the fit was loose enough and the stretch sufficient to avoid inhibiting mobility. A generously gusseted crotch and articulated knees add mobility. Maya also loved the high-rise, elasticized waistband, which stayed in place on offwidths and rappells alike. The primary drawback of these pants is breathability, making them less than ideal for a stuffy gym.

The Best Sport Climbing Pants

We sought out pants with total freedom of movement, seamless under-harness fit, and breathability for performance sport climbing. These were the pairs that delivered.

Rab’s Radius Pants ($90) became an instant classic for autumn sport and multi-pitch climbing, thanks to their ideal balance between abrasion resistance and mobility. Squamish-based tester Nat Bailey used the Radius on everything from Pet Wall clip-ups to the famous 5.10d offwidth Pipeline—and still reached for the pants on rest days thanks to their subdued style.

“They still look brand new after climbing Pipeline and I found them as breathable as I could ask for (from thicker pants) when wearing them in 85°F heat,” Bailey said. “I like the fit and I like that I can wear them around town and not look like a complete climber.”

As summer gives way to autumn, Bailey said the Radius will hit its stride once the mercury drops: “These pants are the type I’d reach for on a multi-pitch or cooler day, where I’m anticipating abrasion and I want my pants to be slightly heavier and warmer, like a pair of jeans, but still have lots of movement and stretch.”

Another tried-and-true pair of sport climbing pants, the Black Diamond’s Notion ($99) performed for our testers from St. George to Squamish and back. One of Nat Bailey’s first-ever rock climbing pants was a pair of Notions, “and there were multiple autumns where I barely took them off,” he admits. Though they are a solid pair of everyday pants, Bailey notes that you get what you’d expect from cotton pants: “The Notion doesn’t breathe super well, and it isn’t weather proof, but they have good stretch, a nice fit, and are as durable as any pant on the market. I’ve wiggled up many granite and sandstone pitches in Notions and my own pair lasted years. Plus, I always give a bonus to a zip pocket.”

Our top all-arounder women’s climbing pants are also our favorite for sport climbing. With movement-friendly construction, unparalleled comfort, and lightweight materials, the Arc’teryx Utility Leggings ($140) delivered uninhibited movement on hard sport routes. See our full review of this pant under the All-Arounder category above.

That said, the main takeaway is that leggings are our preferred pants for sport climbing. If you are looking for more color options, we recommend the lululemon Align High-Rise Pants With Pockets ($98-$118). But if you’re on a budget, any high-waisted department store pick with side pockets will totally do the trick, too. We like climbing in leggings from Adidas, Aerie, and Colorfulkoala ($22-$34), which all offer smooth, high-waisted, and pocketed options.

For fall or spring sport climbing, our top pick for women sport climbers is the OCÚN Noya Organic Climbing Jeans ($110). These pants wear like leggings, but are a bit thicker for cooler temperatures and durability. They’re also decked out with more features. Climbing Editor-in-Chief Maya Silver tested these pants on routes in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon and at the gym and found them stretchy yet well-structured, highly durable, and incredibly comfortable. Tester Sam MacIlwaine found these pants a little less breathable than she’d like for warm-weather climbing, but loved the comfortable fit, range of motion, and flexibility.

The Best Bouldering Pants

Mobility and breathability are king when it comes to bouldering. We also look for pants durable enough to withstand funky top outs—or adventurous approaches.

The steezy, airy stylings of Rab’s Birchen ($95) makes them a no-brainer for our favorite bouldering pants. Constructed with a delightful combination of robust ripstop fabric and a mobility-first pattern, the Birchen held up admirably against sharp kneebars, scums, and beached-whale topouts. IFMGA-certified guide Nolan Haas used the Birchen on all sorts of terrain this summer—from alpine ridge climbs to single-pitch sport climbing and bouldering—but he found the Birchen excelled the closer he was to the ground.

“The lack of a zippered pocket is a major drawback for multi-pitch climbs,” he notes. “Carrying essentials like a phone becomes risky, especially when you’re high off the deck and can’t afford to drop anything.” But while bouldering in the valley bottoms and in gyms, the Birchen performed exactly as intended: “Comfortable, unrestrictive, and fast-drying,” reports Haas. A bonus: If your pockets are empty of both cell phones and cash, the Birchen is one of the most budget-friendly pants we tested.

The North Face’s Lightstride ($90) is another worthy choice for all-around bouldering pants. Tester Nat Bailey found the pant provided ample breathability while hiking and its FlashDry fabric shirked moisture during river crossing, sweaty approaches, and brief spells of rain. Anthony Walsh found that the chief asset for climbing—its wispy, stretchy fabric that allowed him to highstep without restriction—was also the pant’s ultimate downfall. For any graceless topouts, kneebars, or ass-first punting, the Lightstride’s fabric quickly piled and, in extreme cases, tore.

The Lightstride’s UPF 40 protection, DWR coating, and zippered pocket may feel like overkill for gym climbing, but its lightweight fabric would certainly be an asset during any sweaty training session.

For warm-weather bouldering, the Patagonia Chambeau Pants ($129) rose to the top, with their loose-fitting, lightweight construction and superior breathability. This also makes these pants highly suitable for bouldering in the gym. While tester Sam MacIlwaine loved these pants for warm-to-hot days bouldering, the tradeoff for the airy design comes in the form of durability. While Sam didn’t notice any signs of wear and tear after a full season of testing, she noted that the fabric felt like it could be one bramble away from destruction. Another design element that Sam liked is the comfortable waistband that fits well under a harness. She was also a fan of the lightweight pockets—two front pockets and one zippered thigh pocket offer great storage between problems.

If you’re looking for a similar pick for cooler weather, try Patagonia’s Caliza Pants ($109), made from regenerative organic cotton and 2% elastane for mobility. The Caliza offers a similar range of motion, seamless waistband, and comfortable fit with a little more heft to the fabric.

We loved The North Face Beta Utility Pants ($100) for casual bouldering. With relatively good range of motion, solid durable construction, and great fit, these pants are a good choice for most boulderers. After testing both the belted and non-belted versions of the pants, we found the “climate conscious cotton” held up well to abrasion and felt very comfortable.

Note: The belted Beta Utility pants are the newer version available from The North Face. While the material is the same, the belted pants have a baggier fit and a slightly elastic waistband with a plastic belt closure. The belted version also has a gusseted crotch offering more range of motion, where the non-belted version does not. Meanwhile, the non-belted version comes in more of a regular, straight leg silhouette with a zipper-and-button closure and belt loops.

The Best Pants for Trad, Multi-pitch, and Alpine Climbing

When you’re clipping a full rack to your gear loops, or climbing in a remote, alpine location, you need pants that exceed your expectations when it comes to durability, all-day comfort, weather resistance, and utilitarian features. Note that by alpine, we mean routes in alpine environments in late spring through early fall—not cold-weather mixed climbing or mountaineering.

Long trad routes and alpine rock climbs are perhaps the toughest terrain for pants to thrive in. You might face tough 5.12 sequences, then a scrappy offwidth, then shiver through a rain shower, and finally hoof it back to basecamp in the afternoon sun. As a result, our favorite all-around pants, Black Diamond’s Alpine Light ($149), are also our favorite pants for trad/multi-pitch.

The pants performed admirably on exposed alpine ridge climbs in Rogers Pass, BC, where lead tester Anthony Walsh enchained Avalanche Mountain and Eagle Peak in the Alpine Light. With over 3,000 feet of low-fifth-class scrambling on an exposed prow, he found the Alpine Light to strike an ideal balance between breathability while moving quickly, and moderate protection in light winds and rain showers with its DWR coating.

The Alpine Light received full marks for its climbing performance. Anthony found that, unlike many other “alpine softshells” he tested for this review, the Alpine Light had a baggier cut and a generously gusseted crotch. These two features provided tons of mobility when high stepping, stemming, and throwing an awkward alpine knee. He also noted that all three pockets (one thigh, two hand-warmer) lay comfortably beneath a harness, yet all could be accessed from a hanging belay nevertheless.

No pant is perfect, but the Alpine Light comes painfully close. The one downside? The wide thigh pocket allows the phone to rotate freely while climbing. A horizontal elastic strap—otherwise known as a “phone garage”—would prevent this annoyance.

Just like Black Diamond’s Alpine Light, the Arc’teryx Gamma Pants ($200) are equally suited for tough alpine terrain. These too have excellent range of motion, a light DWR coating, and a smart pocket design. Anthony Walsh used the Gamma pants extensively while “alpine cragging” on the 500-meter east face of Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos, and on various splitters in Argentine Patagonia’s Fitz Roy massif. He found the material to be marginally thicker than the Alpine Light, making it better suited for offwidths and climbing in cooler temps. For hot weather multi-pitching, seek lighter pants.

Our top all-around climbing pant pick is also our top choice for trad lines, multi-pitch routes, big walls, and alpine climbing. The North Face’s Summit Series Off-Width Pants ($160) are surprisingly smooth on the inside, with light weather protection on the outside. We enjoyed full mobility, and a lightweight yet durable design climbing in these pants. See our full thoughts above under the all-arounder category.

For multi-pitch routes and alpine adventures, we found the comfort level of these pants—aside from leggings—unmatched. Hanging in a harness or questing up a long pitch, these pants feel “surprisingly sleek and cool to the touch,” according to tester Sam MacIlwaine. Meanwhile, a PFC-free durable water repellent finish will keep you protected on long days on the wall or in the backcountry. Our only issue with these pants? The pockets and extraneous features. While these design elements won’t get in the way of your climbing, they could be better engineered to be more utilitarian.

The Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants ($149) came in as a very close second for trad, multi-pitch, and alpine climbing. Tester Emilie Grenier, a trad and alpine climber based in British Columbia, found that the gusseted crotch and stretch-friendly material made these pants highly mobile on long approaches and lengthy pitches alike. These pants are also quite breathable so you won’t trap sweat, only to become cold when the temps drop the higher you go. Emilie also loved the athletic yet flattering fit of these pants, including the low-profile stretch waistband. Her main gripe was that after a season of use, abrasion led to pilling on the fabric, which also degraded weather resistance.

If you’re climbing in cooler temperatures and would prefer slightly more technical features, consider the Black Diamond Alpine Pants ($159). The fabric is slightly heavier weight (an extra 34 grams per square meter in the material), yielding a more durable and protective yet somewhat less breathable design. The Alpine Pants also feature an adjustable webbing belt and a zippered side pocket. Tester Sam MacIlwaine climbed in BD’s Alpine Pants last spring and fall in Yosemite, using them for multi-pitch climbs in both hot and freezing weather. She found them highly durable, and called them her “go-to for all-day missions.”

The Best Gym Climbing Pants

Unless you’re a total gym rat, you probably want pants that can swing it outside the gym, too, whether that’s at the crag, at work, or around town. We looked for style and versatility in our gym pants picks, as well as movement-friendly design and breathability for the gym environment.

Any of the pants listed in this review would be suitable for gym climbing. There is no inclement weather to contend with, no risk of dropping your phone from 1,000 feet up, and no crampons to risk tearing your pant cuff. So where to start with purchasing gym climbing pants? For Anthony Walsh, it comes down to one thing: “Pick something that looks cool.”

The Black Diamond Dogma Pants fit the bill. “It has a similar cut and fabric as a Carhartt work pant, yet it is slightly stretchy and more breathable,” Anthony notes. “If there was ever a pant to go from work to the bouldering gym to the brewery, the Dogma Pants are it.” The Dogma is made with a heavyweight, pre-washed cotton that is comfortable next to skin and has proven exceptionally durable. After sessioning in the local gym, Anthony wore the Dogma during hours of home renovation projects and hasn’t noticed any premature wear.

Speaking of style, the Sprag 5-Pocket Pants from The North Face ($80) are another option to seamlessly sneak in a gym session before evening plans. The Sprag’s streetwear aesthetic may be its greatest asset, because its technical design is a bit confusing, notes tester Nolan Haas. The Sprag has a DWR finish to protect from light rain, but it also has externally sewn pockets (think: jeans). As a result, Nolan felt that the pocket design negated some of the weather protection the Sprag might otherwise have: “If you’re going to lean into a DWR finish and market them for mountain use, then go all in on function. If you’re aiming for style and casual wear, skip the DWR and let them breathe better.”

Our verdict? If you’re searching for an all-around pant that will keep you dry at a bus stop, looking fresh at dinner, and can still hold up to everyday climbing wear and tear, the Sprag is a good choice.

Are these leggings purpose-built for climbing? Nope. Do they wear beautifully well on climbs? Absolutely. Sometimes, you just can’t compete with the flexibility and comfort of leggings when it comes to performance climbing. Indoors, where durability, abrasion-resistance, and technical features like zippered pockets become less important, these leggings outperform the competition. Tester Sam MacIlwaine has been wearing lululemon’s Align leggings ($99-118) for years and loves them for all-day missions, sport climbing, offwidths (including invert offwidths), big walls, and training alike.

One thing Sam always looks for in a pair of leggings suitable for climbing is a high, seamless waist that stays secure under your harness. She also is a fan of low thigh pockets for tucking away essentials or storing a phone on pretty approaches. While this pair from lululemon rises to the top for its sizing (which you can dial in with numerical sizing and four inseam options) features, and durability, we also love the ALO High-Waist Airlift Legging ($128) for the gym. If you don’t want to dish out over $100 on leggings, most department store or generic brand leggings—like these Dreamlux High-Waisted Workout Leggings from Colorulkoala ($32)—hold up just fine.

Going from office to gym? Gym to dinner? Autobelay to airport? If versatility is important to you, then testers Maya Silver and Emilie Grenier recommend The North Face Beta Utility Pants ($100). Also a runner-up for best bouldering pants, these well-constructed pants (both the belted and non-belted versions) are comfortable and durable. The North Face weaved 3% elastane into the fabric and added articulated knees to give these pants solid mobility. The Beta Utility is also great for travel, so if you want to bring pants for bouldering or an international gym stop that you can use outside of training, pack these.

Note: The belted Beta Utility pants are the newer version available from The North Face. While the material is the same, the belted pants have a baggier fit and a slightly elastic waistband with a plastic belt closure. The belted version also has a gusseted crotch offering more range of motion, where the non-belted version does not. The non-belted version comes in more of a regular, straight leg silhouette with a zipper-and-button closure and belt loops.

More Climbing Pants We Tested

We tested 42 pairs of pants, including pants that are purpose-built for climbing, as well as other non-climbing-specific pairs. In addition to our top climbing pants picks above, we also tested several more pants from Black Diamond, leggings and utility pants from Carhartt, a stretchy denim from DUER, the Gnara Go There Pants, three pairs of La Sportiva pants, three pairs of Mammut pants, two pair of Norrona pants, and a number of pairs from Rab.

How We Tested Climbing Pants

Our pants testing commenced in late spring and continued through summer. Seven testers—three male climbers and four female climbers—put our pants to the test across a variety of disciplines and destinations.

A few of the places we tested these pants include alpine routes in the Bugaboos, big walls in Yosemite, trad routes in Idaho’s City of Rocks, and cracks and desert towers across Utah. We tested these pants for gym climbing, bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, single-pitch climbing, multi-pitch climbing, and trad routes in alpine environments on grades ranging from 5.5 to 5.13.

We Tested 42 Different Climbing Pants. These Pairs Came Out on Top.

Table of Contents

Best Climbing Pants: At a Glance

Men’s

Women’s

The All-Around Best Climbing Pants

Men’s All-Around Pick

Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants

Watch Anthony’s review of these pants straight from Rogers Pass, BC

Men’s All-Around Honorable Mention

Arc’teryx Gamma Pants

Women’s All-Around Climbing Legging Pick

Arc’teryx Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings

Women’s All-Around Pant Pick

The North Face Summit Series Off-Width Pants

Women’s All-Around Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Ethos Pants

The Best Sport Climbing Pants

Men’s Sport Climbing Pants Pick

Rab Radius Pants

Men’s Sport Climbing Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Notion

Women’s Sport Climbing Pants Pick

Arc’teryx Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings

Women’s Sport Climbing Honorable Mention

OCÚN Noya Organic Climbing Jeans

The Best Bouldering Pants

Men’s Bouldering Pants Pick

Rab Birchen Pants

Men’s Bouldering Honorable Mention

The North Face Lighstride Pants

Women’s Bouldering Pants Pick

Patagonia Chambeau Rock Pants

Women’s Bouldering Honorable Mention

The North Face Beta Utility Pants

The Best Pants for Trad, Multi-pitch, and Alpine Climbing

Men’s Trad/MP/Alpine Pick

Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants

Men’s Trad/MP/Alpine Honorable Mention

Arc’teryx Gamma Pants

Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Pick

The North Face Summit Series Off-Width Pants

Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants

Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Alpine Pants

The Best Gym Climbing Pants

Men’s Gym Pants Pick

Black Diamond Dogma Pants

Men’s Gym Honorable Mention

The North Face Sprag 5-Pocket Pants

Women’s Gym Pants Pick

lululemon Align™ High-Rise Pants With Pockets

Women’s Gym Honorable Mention

The North Face Beta Utility Pants

More Climbing Pants We Tested

How We Tested Climbing Pants