We pick ten great walking trousers for every hiking eventuality, from mountain assaults to gentle countryside rambles.

Although not the sexiest of outdoor gear, walking trousers, along with walking boots will make the most difference to comfort on your hikes, just try going for a proper stomp in jeans and you'll see what we mean.

Walking trousers are usually made for comfort, but durability is also important for stomping around in deep undergrowth or scrambling as these will put extra stresses and strains on the materials. The more soft and comfortable the material the less durable it's likely to be long term, so consider whether you value one over the other or a good balance. For a really hard-wearing performance material try Fjallraven's G1000.

Generally you want your walking trousers to have stretch fabric so that they move with you when you're stretching for that rock or to turn that sausage on the camp fire. You also need the material to be breathable so you don't overheat, and fast drying so the sweat you generate evaporates quickly.

The final consideration is pockets, ideally you want the hand pockets to be deep enough to securely hold a phone, zips help to keep things in place when you're moving fast or scrambling.

If you walk in changeable weather then look for water repellent treatments (DWR) on your walking trousers. Some walking trousers are completely waterproof but we wouldn't recommend using these exclusively unless you're absolutely sure it will be raining for the duration of your walk as you'll soon work up a massive sweat, it's better to take lightweight waterproof overtrousers in case of a downpour.

If you're going to be walking in cold weather then walking trousers are ideal for layering up with a decent base layer underneath. This will help to regulate your temperature, helps wick moisture away from the body and keeps you cosy as you hike. Winter walking trousers generally use a thicker, more windproof material to help protect your legs from icy blasts and some even have fleece linings.

Best for: Winter mountain walking

Berghaus Hiten trousers are made for walking in the colder autumn and winter months. They’re built to offer more wind resistance and durability than lightweight summer walking trousers.

They do this by using a relatively thick softshell material with a brushed back for extra warmth. An initial look suggests that the Hiten Pants will be uncomfortable and restrictive due to the thick material that lacks stretch. This feels true when you first put the trousers on as well, but as soon as you start to walk, they feel truly comfortable.

We used the Hiten walking trousers on walking routes that involved steep climbs and we were never unduly restricted by the trousers. They have been built with a good amount of stitched in articulation which essentially means that the cut of the trousers is optimised for walking.

These being warm trousers you might rightly be worried about breathability, and of course the Hiten’s are not as airy as lightweight summer walking trousers but the material copes well with high tempo walking, where even if it’s cold out you might work up a sweat. The hand pockets are mesh lined for extra ventilation and can be zipped up to keep draughts out.

The softshell material is reinforced with highly durable patches across large portions of the trousers including around the ankles, knees and bum. This makes the Hiten trousers practically indestructible and certainly capable of regular winter mountain walking duties.

Best for: Hillwalking where lots of stretch and articulation is needed

These softshell walking trousers feel just right from the off. The 4-way stretch really does help when you have a lot of ups and downs, the last thing you want is your trousers restricting movement and the Knee articulation also features heavily in the freedom of movement you feel in the Nevis trousers.

The material is soft against the skin and has a comfortable waistband, so it barely feels like you’re wearing them. There is very little of that annoying swooshing sound you sometimes get when walking in outdoors gear either, which is a bonus.

Reinforced panelling around the bum, knees and inner ankles is a welcome addition to these walking trousers that lends them an air of extra utility and durability. It’s also in a stretch material so takes nothing away from comfort.

We found the Nevis trousers to be nice and airy while walking at a pace, thanks to a breathable material and venting through the mesh lined pockets. Zips at the ankles help with getting the trousers on and off, as well as dumping excess heat.

Overall, the Nevis trousers offer everything you could want in a pair of hill walking trousers without the associated price tag.

Best for: These are simply brilliant trousers no matter what you choose to use them for.

Let’s address the elephant in the room straight away, £295 is quite a lot of money for a pair of walking trousers. Whether they’re worth it, much like anything in life is a matter of personal opinion.

What we do know is that everything about these trousers is over engineered and over the top to the point of brilliance. From the Cordura and Dyneema mix knee reinforcement to the fact that they’re made in Italy, not China.

When you wear them though, they feel absolutely fantastic. Standout features include superb articulation and fantastic comfort. They feel super smooth inside and warm but breathable. The fit is sublime, from the waistband to the hems, everything is of the highest quality. The sewn in stretch panels provide just the right amount of stretch and complement the hardier polyester cotton blend fabric as well as being perfectly positioned.

If you’re still worried about fit you will find adjustment all over the SF Charge trousers including a Velcro waistband, four levels of adjustment at the leg openings and curiously, Velcro adjusters at the backs of the knees.

An amazing array of pockets make the SF Charge trousers more akin to a utility or bushcraft trouser than a walking trouser. Two hand pockets, two button down pockets and two cavernous side bellow dump pockets should be enough to store all the maps, knifes, compasses and electronic devices you could possibly need in the wild.

You also get boot hooks to help stop your socks getting damp when you’re yomping through wet grass.

Build quality is top notch, anecdotal reports suggest that these trousers can be thoroughly put through their paces daily for years and years without disintegrating.

Overall, these are some of the best multi-use outdoor trousers we have ever worn. If we had our way the looks would be toned down, especially the knee reinforcements but we can forgive that for what is otherwise a fantastic pair of walking trousers.

Best for: High summer hiking where absolute comfort and excellent performance are key

Insanely comfy stretch pants optimised for summer hillwalking, the Alpine Edge pants are the perfect trousers to take on an alpine hiking trip. The material is mega stretch and super comfy against the skin, the waistband is elasticated and foregoes the usual belt loops for a drawstring, this only acts to make things even more pleasant. The black panels offer reinforcement at the knees, bum and hem, not to mention cutting a dash and giving you an air of the serious hillwalker. The two mesh vented hand pockets are zipped and there’s an additional pocket at the rear making for a practical, high performing pair of walking trousers.

Best for: Fast paced summer walks

These walking trousers are light and airy and are therefore best for warm weather, summer walks thanks to great breathability and a load of stretch. You need this stretch, as despite being straight leg pants the cut is quite tight around the thighs if you have thick set legs. This is typical of alpine influenced outdoor gear and you're unlikely to find a pair of Salomon hiking pants with a more baggy cut.

The waistband is excellent with comfortable backing, a non-intrusive but securely fastening popper and elasticated velcro adjusters to save wearing a belt. The material is really thin and stretchy so these won't be the right walking trousers for you if you tend to rub up against abrasive rocks a lot but for most walking they're durable and long lasting as the build quality is excellent.

Mesh lining in the two zipped hand pockets helps vent your legs and these pockets are easily deep enough for a modern smartphone. There are two additional zipped pockets, one on the thigh, which is so small we're not sure what to put in it and one on the bum.

Overall an absolutely solid high summer walking option.

Best for: All weather everyday wear and general hiking use

If you want to look inconspicuous on your walks but still benefit from performance and bombproof durability then Fjallraven's Kaipak trousers are an excellent choice. Similar to the popular Keb walking trousers, but with a slightly less hardcore approach, the Kaipaks blend solid walking features with a more relaxed look which is great for everyday wear. We wouldn't necessarily put them on to go down the shops, but if you're pottering around the garden or walking the dog they're a comfortable and hard-wearing option.

G1000 is used pretty much all over the Kaipak trousers, this is a cotton and polyester blend so looks a bit like your average jeans or chinos material, making it lot more aesthetically pleasing than shiny polyester, but it can also be waxed to add water repellance and doesn't hold moisture like 100% cotton does. You also get stretch panels, in the crotch, behind the knees, and around the back of the waist. This lets you move about a bit easier against that slightly stiff G1000 material. Of course, these panels also let a bit more cold and wind through, but on the flip side they also let your heat and sweat dissipate a bit easier.

Zipped hand pockets wouldn't have looked right so the Kaipak has normal open style hand pockets that are deep enough for phones and wallets. There are also two fairly inconspicuous cargo pockets - one is zipped and the other has a strorm flap and popper.

Despite being marketed as a jack of all trades master of none we really like wearing the Kaipak for our mix of activities which include - yes gardening, but also long walks through countryside and mountains, wild camping and bushcraft.

Best for: Summer walking and scrambling in absolute comfort

These trousers are so comfortable you barely know you're wearing them. The material is a little thicker than the Salomon Wayfarer but similar in that it's a summer weight, with not a lot of wind resistance. This is great for breathability, and there is also a good amount of 2-way stretch.

Where these trousers really shine though is in the cut. Although the leg is slightly tapered Rab have built in a bit more bagginess around the bum and crotch. This means that you have the benefit of the technical cut towards the bottom of the legs but absolute freedom of movement, even when you're scrambling rather than just walking, at the tops of the legs.

The waistband is a little unusual in that there are no adjusters or belt loops so you better make sure you get the right size! Instead, a band of elastic runs all the way from the front to the back. The elastic is just about strong enough to hold the trousers up including when you're carrying a backpack with a hip belt, which can often make your top ride up and trousers fall down! Without any adjusters or a belt the waistband is smooth as silk and therefore more comfortable than any other walking trousers we've worn.

Simplicity is key with the Torque walking pants and that means that pockets and other features are also kept to a minimum, with just a couple of deep hand pockets, one zipped thigh pocket and a pocket on the bum. The hand pockets are mesh lined so let heat escape, another boon for summer walking.

Overall the major thing to note about the Rab Torque pants is the superior comfort and excellent summer walking performance.

Best for: High mountain walks

In the spring, autumn and winter these pants come into their own and despite Montane themselves all but dismissing them for summer use we still love them when the weather warms up. In the autumn and winter the GRANITE fabric – like a tough cotton - stops wind in its tracks. This also means the fabric is durable, so you don’t wince every time you catch the trousers on some undergrowth or a rock.

The Cordura Hydro patches on the knees, insteps and bum are stupidly strong and waterproof - great for sitting on soggy rocks or indeed scrapping past sharp, pointy rocks.

At the bottom of the trousers you have ankle zips for access and ventilation but also gaiter hooks and three poppers for adjusting the opening size and to hold everything snug against foul weather. This is all very good, useful stuff and the quality of construction is excellent.

Despite the decidedly strong construction the Super Terra’s are comfortable to wear and feel light on. There is articulation where you need it so kneeling and dealing with kit or cooking a brew won’t split any seams.

We loved the Super Terra pants when we first reviewed them back in 2016 and they’ve only grown on us since then.

A seriously robust mountain pant.

With a slightly thicker fabric that somehow manages to look a little like cotton (despite being polyester) the Ortler Pant is our pick of the best option for adventure travel. There's still the same swish associated with walking trousers but you also get a good balance between breathability and a little wind resistance thanks to a medium weight fabric. There isn't much stretch in the material but the cut just about allows for good freedom of movement on your walks and travels.

The pockets are mesh lined and there are also two mesh lined leg vents to help release excess heat and moisture in particularly hot weather, this gives the Ortler a bit more versatility than some of the distinctly summer weight trousers in this test. You could probably get away with wearing these on their own in spring and autumn and even into mild winter's days with a base layer underneath and the PFC free DWR (durable water repellent) coating will even fend off light rain.

There are only two hand pockets and one bum pocket (which we always find pointless anyway) which is a little stingy compared to most. If you're tooling up for wild camping or bushcraft you might want to look for trousers with a few extra pockets. Having said that, inside one of the hand pockets is a small zipped security pocket which pushes the Ortler further towards adventure travel use in our eyes.

Overall we were pleased with the looks of the Ortler pants but in terms of pure performance for walking they lag behind some of the others on the list.

Best for: Hill walkers on a budget

These aren't as technically advanced or well made as some of the other trousers on test but when we saw the price we couldn't help but be impressed. We found the MH500 trousers quite tight but there's so much stretch in the material it doesn't really matter. Decathlon have made a good attempt at anatomically shaping the panels of these walking trousers but have had varying levels of success and the cut is generally a little unusual all over.

If you can look past the basic cut and quality the MH500 trousers are still capable walking trousers though, they're breathable, lightweight and comfortable. The two hand pockets are zipped and mesh lined but perhaps a little shallow and there's an additional zipped thigh pocket, again this is less than generous.

The waistband is true to size and generally comfortable, Decathlon have equipped the MH500 with a G hook adjuster for the waist so you don't have to wear a belt, this is slimline and works pretty well although the adjustment isn't as fine as a velcro adjuster.

The price of these trousers is astounding, we applaud Decathlon for offering an accessible entry into the world of hiking and the MH500 are good enough for unfussy seasoned hikers too, they're just not as refined as some of the more expensive walking trousers out there.

Best for: Cold weather walks in the countryside

We found these walking trousers from Sprayway immediately comfortable, with a fleece lining that offers a lovely feeling next to the skin and warmth for winter walks. The outer material is thick and has a fairly tight weave so offers a good first defence against cold wind and there's also a DWR coating for light rain although there's no mention of it being PFC free.

When you work up a sweat in the Warm Compass Challenger trousers the outer material deals with heat and moisture well, so although not really summer trousers these can be worn in the spring and autumn and on cooler summer days. The mesh lined pockets help dissipate heat and moisture but can be a bit annoying when you leave them open on winters days, as you immediately feel the cold against your skin.

The elasticated waistband has a wicking tricot lining which pulls sweat away from your skin and is also very soft and comfortable. Although there are belt loops the elastic is strong enough to hold the trousers up, wearing a belt under a heavy pack and hipbelt can be uncomfortable so this is always a big tick in the positive box for us.

The cut is very 'sensible British' you certainly won't be showing off your bum in these but that also means they won't look out of place if you're out for a gentle stroll.

A solid, and eminently sensible cold weather option.

Best for: Travel where an element of durability is necessary

Hailing from a new range of travel focused clothing, the Travellers MT trousers aim to blend cool, fast drying materials with practical, travel friendly features.

The matt polyamide/cotton mix is certainly cool on warmer days, but for summer clothing the material is a lot thicker than we would have expected. This doesn't affect breathability too much, and the cut, which is trim but not figure hugging, allows air to circulate around the legs. The thicker material is really robust though, so if you're hiking and expecting to snag on branches or you're wild camping and want to be able to move around camp without worrying about your clothing then the Travellers MT are a viable option. 

With coulorways, styling and cut that all blend into the background, whether an urban environment or woodland setting, the Travellers MT are also well suited to general travel and everyday use, like much of Fjallraven' clothing. 

Regular travellers will find the range of pockets useful, especially the hidden security pocket which is perfect for storing a passport or wallet in, and the two leg pockets, which are fairly cavernous.

Despite having little to no stretch the Travellers MT still maintain a comfortable feeling thanks to articulation at the knee and elasticated sides on the waist. The material is a little stiff though and swishes and crinkles when you're on the move.

Overall a very durable pair of summer travel/walking trousers.

Best for: Battling through undergrowth on regular woodland walks.

Alpkit’s Arnison trousers feature workwear like looks and durability in a hiking friendly package. We were impressed by the thick cotton feel of the Nylon and Spandex mix material, which isn’t too stiff but offers great abrasion resistance and long term durability. What this material doesn’t have is any stetch to speak of and there are no stretch panels sewn in, so if you like to feel like spandex man on your walks then these aren’t for you. If you are however a fan of Fjallravens G1000 material and styling then you will probably be a fan of the Arnison, just at half the price.

The Arnison trousers feature great looks, being baggier than most walking trousers - which often succumb to a sometimes embarrassingly skintight fit - but they still have a bit of cut and tailoring which helps you move freely through the environment.

This all adds up to a comfortable pair of walking trousers that also feel like they have multi-use versatility, as general hard-wearing trousers for anything you decide to do in them.

Being of a fairly thick construction these perhaps aren’t the optimal option for summer walking, but the mesh lined hand, and zipped thigh pocket help with heat and moisture management. The hand pockets are a little shallow, only just swallowing a modern smartphone but this is better kept in the long and thin left thigh pocket which has a Velcro closure for secure stowage.

The modern incarnation of the Kiwi Pro Trousers take what was great about the originals and add select touches to make them even better.

If comfort is your main concern, then you’re well catered for here. The waistband is elasticated so sits well without a belt and the cut is ideal for walking and travel. There is room to move and decent articulation where you need it and because the fit isn’t too tight the Kiwi Pro trousers work well in a number of different environments and situations.

There is a little stretch from the fabric which also offers travel friendly UPF 40+ sun protection. Being polyamide the Kiwi Pro trousers are quick to dry, which is handy if you get caught in a downpour or need to give them a quick wash and dry to freshen them up.

The weight of the material is suitable for both summer and mild winter use, Craghoppers also do a winter lined version for particularly cold days.

All the pockets are zipped, with the two hand pockets being big enough for modern smartphones. The thigh pocket is lined with mesh which makes it great for a touch of ventilation when your legs get hot. The looks are more on trend and modern than the original Kiwi Pro and less middle-aged, despite polyamide being naturally a little shiny the khaki colour on test offsets this nicely.

Over and above all of this though, the Kiwi Pro II trousers hit the sweet spot of value for money.

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