The Best Women's Climbing Pants for Sport, Bouldering, and More

Updated September 17, 2025 09:02AM

We remember our early gumby days climbing in shorts, jeans, and other poorly chosen pants like it was yesterday. It also wasn’t long ago that climbing pants built for women left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, the pants scene has come a long way—and so have we. After climbing sport routes, trad lines, cracks, boulders, multi-pitch walls, and plastic at the gym, we know what we want in pants.

From movement-friendly design and under-harness comfort, to actually useful pockets, we evaluated over two dozen pairs of pants on a variety of climbs. We also included a mix of purpose-built climbing pants, more general outdoor pants, and leggings, for those who feel strongly that tights are the only way on rock.

Best Women’s Climbing Pants: At a Glance

The Best All-Around Women’s Climbing Pants

Only want to deal with one pair of climbing pants? These pairs check most of the boxes for the all-around climber.

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.

Another feature Sam loved was the pocket configuration. Two deep side pockets can accommodate a phone, plus a concealed all-around waistbelt pocket stores tiny essentials. She was a big fan of the bright indigo “Electra” color, but wished they were also available in red or pink.

Lastly, we love that these pants have a wide variety of sizes, including inclusive sizing up to size 16. Numerical sizing allows you to get the best fit.

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 women’s climbing pants is how successful they are in merging lightweight construction with durability. We also loved the style of these pants—aside from the high-profile North Face logo on the right thigh and “Summit Series” insignia below the left knee, you could get away with dressing these pants up for work or town. If you’re a brand fan, that might not be a problem.

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.

Another upside of these pants is the range of inclusive sizing available. With numerical sizing from 00 to 16—plus the ability to choose a short, regular, or long inseam—you can optimize 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; available in XS-XL) wear like lightweight workwear. This means they hold up to abrasion remarkably well and will emerge on the other end of a crack relatively unscathed. 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 more in the way of range of motion. Maya also loved the flattering high-rise, elasticized waistband—the waist stayed in place even as she grunted up a hand crack that turned out to be a baggy fists offwidth for her narrow hands. She also loved the horizontal, oversized front drop-in pockets for stashing a phone between routes. The primary drawback of these pants is breathability, making them less than ideal for a stuffy gym.

More Women’s All-Around Climbing Pants We Liked

The Best Sport Climbing Pants

Searching for maximum range of motion, breathability, and seamless fit under a harness? These are the pants we prefer for clipping bolts and uninhibited movement up the rock.

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.

One of the most innovative and fun pants we tested, the OCÚN Noya Organic Climbing Jeans ($110; available in XS-XL) wear more like jeggings than denim. We loved the movement-friendly construction, durability, and creative features of these pants. They shine for fall or spring sport climbing, when the temperatures are a bit cooler. While these pants perform like leggings, they’re a bit thicker for cooler temperatures and durability. They’re also decked out with more features. Tester Maya Silver wore these jeans on routes in Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon and at the gym. She 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. She also liked being able to choose how high to set the waistband with the fold-over spandex waist construction. This fall, she plans to wear them for cooler weather climbing.

Both testers loved how well these pants fit. The spandex waistband fits securely underneath a harness, and a bungee cord at the hem allows you to cinch in on your ankle to stay in place. The thoughtful pocket configuration includes two deep front pockets that extend beyond your harness leg loops, as well as a quirky “brush pocket” if you’re getting serious about your sport project. Finally, the Euro-inspired, sleek style of OCÚN’s jeans impressed both testers—they can go from project to party in a beat.

More Women’s Sport Climbing Pants We Liked

The Best Bouldering Pants for Women

Lightweight and loose enough to let us float up the problem, but resilient enough for the top-out, these pants are our picks for V anything.

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. Aside from potential durability issues, the one thing Sam found lacking with these pants was style. The short hem combined with the baggy fit renders these pants somewhat unflattering, so consider whether this silhouette would look good on your body type or not. Shorter climbers might find the hem quite regular. While the Chambeau is only available in one inseam length, numerical sizing (0-16) helps you dial fit (note that size 00 and sizes 18-22 are available on a waitlist basis).

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; XS-XXL with 3 inseam options) 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 pant, 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. The non-belted version comes in more of a regular, straight leg silhouette with a zipper-and-button closure and belt loops.

Perhaps the most trend-forward pant we tested was the Mountain Hardwear Women’s Rockrydge ($99; available in XS-XL). With a wide-legged baggy fit that cinches at the ankles, the Rockrydge pant lets you (MC) Hammer away at your problem in style—and without any movement restriction. These pants also proved to be breathable yet durable, and remarkably comfortable with an easy pull-on elastic waist. Note that the fit is too bulky with these pants to make them usable with a harness.

More Women’s Bouldering Pants We Liked

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

From durability and total comfort in a harness to light weather protection, these are our picks for trad lines, big multi-pitch days, and adventure climbing in the alpine. Note that by alpine, we mean routes found in alpine environments during the late spring through early fall season—these are not pants for cold-weather mixed climbing or mountaineering.

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; available in XS-XL) 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.

Watch tester Emilie review the Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants from the Sawtooth Range

If you’re climbing in cooler temperatures and would prefer slightly more technical features, consider the Black Diamond Alpine Pants ($159; available in 2-12). 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 missions in both hot and freezing weather. She found them highly durable, “surprisingly stretchy,” and plenty breathable. She called them her “go-to for all-day missions,” and also loved the zippered thigh pocket. Her primary critiques focused on bunching around the waist and the belt, which she found irritating at times.

More Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Pants We Liked

The Best Offwidth Climbing Pants

Let’s be real: No matter which pants you buy, if you’re climbing wide cracks regularly, you’re guaranteed to shred them. Offwidth fanatic Sam MacIlwaine tested dozens of pants, from high-end leggings to department store picks. Surprisingly, pricier pants did not outperform cheaper ones.

Our general recommendation is to head to your nearest department or thrift store and look for Adidas, Aerie, or similar leggings or pants that don’t cost much. You’ll want a high-waisted fit to secure under your harness, a full length that covers as much of your ankles as possible, and minimal texture or adornments, such as buttons, which could get caught on the rock. Offwidth pants, in particular, are most likely to rip atop the kneecap or along the center back seam, so watch out for wear and tear in those spots. Above all, avoid anything that restricts movement or leaves your skin exposed.

However, if you’re willing to accept the risk of tearing and determined to get a new pair, we’ve picked out our most comfortable and most durable recommendations below.

There are two main reasons the Essent Leggings from Arc’teryx ($140; available in 00-16) take first place in the offwidth category. First, they offer a high-waisted, secure fit, with full coverage from waist to foot that gives your hips, knees, and ankles light protection from scratches. There are no awkward tight spots along the legs or knees; when you climb, there’s nothing digging into your skin except the rock.

Second, these leggings feel cool to the touch and far more silky than any others we tested, including several pairs designed for yoga. If you’re planning to crawl through caverns or hang from your ankles until you’re screaming in pain, you might as well choose the most breathable pants that don’t add any discomfort to what will likely be an already intense experience.

The ALO Airlift ($128; available in XXS-XL and 7/8 or full-length) doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a high-performance, ultra-athletic pick: There are no pockets, logos, or other adornments. This legging is made of a compressive, sheer fabric that feels stronger than any other legging we tested. Its shiny material offers a uniquely fortified feel, almost like a gymnast’s leotard. These leggings held up impressively well against sharp edges in offwidths and have not yet punctured for our testers. While the Airlift is not the best choice for a sweltering day and its lack of pockets is annoying, it’s our best choice to avoid tearing. It will possibly last a whole season on rock, depending on how much offwidth you’re climbing.

The Best Gym Climbing Pants

Our favorite pants for climbing in the gym strike a balance between versatility and performance in an indoor setting.

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. Plus, with a wide range of size options and lengths, you can find the ultimate fit so no extra fabric or funky-fitting waist gets in the way of your climbing.

Tester Sam MacIlwaine has been wearing lululemon’s Align leggings ($98-118; available in size 0-20 and 4 lengths) 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—the main difference is that this ALO pair lacks pockets and has fewer size options available. But if you don’t want to dish out over $100 on leggings, we’ve found that most department store or generic brand leggings hold up just fine for gym climbing. For example, Sam also likes this pair of Dreamlux High-Waisted Workout Leggings from Colorulkoala ($32). It comes in over a dozen colors, two inseams, and seven different sizes.

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; available in XS-XXL). 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. But the non-belted version doesn’t have a gusseted crotch, and the belted version’s gusseted crotch could be bigger—meaning you won’t be able to pull off an above-the-shoulder heel hook or other acrobatic moves. But for most boulderers, these pants will work just fine. The Beta Utility is also great as a travel pant, so if you want to bring a pant for bouldering or an international gym 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 Women’s Gym Climbing Pants We Liked

More Women’s Climbing Pants We Tested

We tested 28 pairs of women’s 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 from Carhartt, a stretchy denim from DUER, the Gnara Go There Pant, two pairs of La Sportiva pants, two pairs of Mammut pants, 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. 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 trad routes around British Columbia, big walls in Yosemite, trad route 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.

A few of our general top priorities when testing out ladies’ climbing pants? Movement-friendly design (think fabric with stretch, gusseted crotches, and articulated knees). Comfort and dialed fit (i.e., sits well under a harness, stays in place, and feels good). And design that strikes a balance between durability and breathability.

Some of our nice-to-haves? Abrasion resistance that gives pants a shelf life beyond one season. Actually useful pockets—this one continues to be a challenge; few pants we tested had the perfect pocket configuration, though some came close. And style that allows us to go to work pre-climbing, or grab a drink after without looking like we’re ready to trek through the Alps.

While we tested plenty of purpose-built climbing pants, we also climbed in general outdoor performance pants—as well a lot of leggings. We know that many women prefer climbing in leggings, especially on sport routes or in the gym. So we included picks for leggings that we like for climbing, as well as more traditional pants.

Of the 28 Pairs We Tested, These Women's Climbing Pants Performed Best

Table of Contents

Best Women’s Climbing Pants: At a Glance

The Best All-Around Women’s Climbing Pants

All-Around Climbing Legging Pick

Arc’teryx Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings

All-Around Pants Pick

The North Face Summit Series Off-Width Pants

All-Around Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Ethos Pants

More Women’s All-Around Climbing Pants We Liked

The Best Sport Climbing Pants

Sport Climbing Pants Pick

Arc’teryx Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings

Sport Climbing Honorable Mention

OCÚN Noya Organic Climbing Jeans

More Women’s Sport Climbing Pants We Liked

The Best Bouldering Pants for Women

Bouldering Pants Pick

Patagonia Chambeau Rock Pants

Bouldering Honorable Mention

The North Face Beta Utility Pants

Bouldering Honorable Mention

Mountain Hardwear Rockrydge Pants

More Women’s Bouldering Pants We Liked

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

Trad/MP/Alpine Pick

The North Face Summit Series Off-Width Pants

Trad/MP/Alpine Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants

Watch tester Emilie review the Black Diamond Alpine Light Pants from the Sawtooth Range

Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Honorable Mention

Black Diamond Alpine Pants

More Women’s Trad/MP/Alpine Pants We Liked

The Best Offwidth Climbing Pants

Offwidth Pants Pick

Arc’teryx Essent High-Rise Utility Leggings

Offwidth Pants Honorable Mention

ALO Airlift Legging

The Best Gym Climbing 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 Women’s Gym Climbing Pants We Liked

More Women’s Climbing Pants We Tested

How We Tested Climbing Pants