The best trail running pants are lightweight, flexible, breathable, warm, wind-proof, durable, affordable and doesn’t easily rip. Not an easy combination to find in pants, but we tried to create a list with pants that got the best scores overall.
However, most of these attributes are also important for a regular running pants. The main difference is that we need our pants to not easily rip as we are running through terrain where the pants might get damaged. However, it’s also very important for trail running pants to be flexible. You might have to do some scrambling (or make uncomfortably big steps) from time to time, and good flexible pants are definitely recommended for these situations.
Overview
List of the best trail running pants
Let’s take a closer look at the best trail running pants, and find out which one is right for you.
TSLA Thermal trail running pants
The TSLA trail running pants has everything that we trail runners are looking for cold weather trail running. It’s warm, windproof, they have handy zippers, they are not that expensive.
However, because they are so weatherproof, they are not stretchy. Even though they do not have any stretch, they are still pretty flexible. They are not crazy stiff and they are not very tight.
However, they do run a bit small. That’s something to keep in mind.
Considering how warm and windproof these pants are, they are actually surprisingly breathable.
These pants are recommendable for runners who are not looking for stretchy trail running pants, but for an all round solid outdoors winter pants that’s very suitable for trail running.
Note that these pants can also be used for biking, hiking and many other outdoor activities/sports.
Another very important factor for the best trail running pants is durability. The TSLA pants did not disappoint here either. There are surprisingly little damaged pants, even after multiple trips in the outdoors.
The good
- Great value
- Great all round
- Weatherproof
- Great for trail running and other outdoor activities
The bad
- Not stretchy
These pants are available for both men and women. The women’s version of these pants are good, but not as good as the men’s version. It’s not entirely the same pants.
Men: Men’s TSLA trail running pants
Women: Women’s TSLA trail running pants
ATG by Wrangler Trail Jogger
If you are looking for budget-friendly lightweight trail running pants, the ATG pants are definitely worth a look.
These pants are less suitable for cold weather, but they are better if you are looking for a lightweight pants that have some stretch.
These are good for trail running as well as hiking. Also, for multiday trail running sessions, these pants might be a good option.
They have zippers, are quick drying and have a convertible fit. However, don’t confuse the convertible fit with real convertible pants. These pants cannot be turned into shorts.
The good
- Budget-friendly
- Stretchy
- Lightweight
The bad
- Not very warm
These pants are available for both men and women:
Men: Men’s ATG by Wrangler trail jogger
Women: Women’s ATG by Wrangler trail jogger
BALEAF Joggers Pants
The Baleaf Joggers pants
Note that these are not the best choice for those of you who are looking for warm pants.
They are not waterproof or even water-resistant but they do dry quick. Which is why they are also a decent option as hiking pants.
When it comes to practicality, these pants have 2 seamless zipper pockets which come in really handy while running (keys, phone, money).
More good news, these pants are not very expensive either, another great value option.
The bottom line: these are great pants for overall usage for a good price. However, these might not be the best option for running through dense forests or technical scrambles. However, they are perfect for some easy runnable mountain or forest trails where there won’t be too much friction with the pants.
The good
- Comfortable
- Lightweight
The bad
- Not warm
- Not very rip resistant
These pants are available for both men and women:
Men: Baleaf Men’s Jogger pants
Women: Baleaf Women’s Jogger Pants
Salomon Agile Tights
When it comes to having a comfortable trail running experience, tights are often the preferred type of pants.
These are obviously very flexible and, therefore, very comfortable (if you get the right fit).
Salomon is a brand that truly specializes in trail running (and hiking), so you know you won’t be purchasing a low quality product.
The tricky part with tights is that they are not always as durable as they should be for trail running.
Therefore, these tights are carefully selected.
Note that these are pretty warm, so it’s perfect for colder weather. I would not recommend these for a hot summer’s day.
The good
- Comfortable
- Quality
The bad
- A bit pricey
These pants are available for both men and women.
Men: Men’s Salomon Agile tights
Women: Women’s Salomon Agile tights
If you are looking for tights, but these pants seem a bit too expensive for you, BALEAF also makes running tights, which are quite a bit cheaper.
What’s important for trail running pants
These are the factors and ranking factors we use to create the list of the best trail running pants.
Weight
The weight of the pants is important for obvious reasons. Being lightweight has many advantages.
However, everything is a tradeoff. If you are looking for warmer pants, it’s only logical that they are a bit heavier.
Flexibility
We want trail running pants to be flexible. Not only will this make running more comfortable. It’s also advantageous when we need to scramble or climb up a rock.
Breathable
If you ever ran in non-breathable pants, you will know how important breathability is. Once again, if you value wind-proof or even water-resistant pants, you can expect the pants to be less breathable.
Warmth
Depending on your needs, warmth will be very important for obvious reasons.
Wind-proof
When talking about warmth, we also have to cover the wind-proof aspect. If you have warm pants, but it’s not wind-proof, you will be cold in windy conditions.
It might not seem very important at first… Until you have actually encountered these conditions.
Durability
Durability is always an important factor.
However, when it comes to trail running, we are especially in need for durable pants because the conditions are harsher than on the road.
Price
Another obvious one, aren’t we all trying to get good value?
For some it’s more important than others, but I will not recommend trail running pants that are way too expensive for their worth.
Rip resistance
Linked to durability, rip resistance is important for both hiking and trail running pants.
It’s important to keep this in mind because this is different from a good road running pants.
Taking a look at reviews, but more importantly, inspecting the materials used, is the key to figuring out how rip resistant pants are.
Best trail running pants – conclusion
If you are looking for more trail running recommendations, I also wrote an article about the best cheap trail running shoes.
As always, the right product depends on what you are specifically looking for.
This is basically the summary and conclusion of this article about trail running pants:
- If you are looking for tights, I would recommend the Salomon tights.
- If you are looking for tights and you are on a budget, I would recommend the Baleaf tights instead.
- Looking for trail running pants that will keep you warm? The TSLA thermal trail pants is the right one for you!
- For the lightweight options, both the Baleaf jogger pants and the ATG by wragler make good options. The ATG is more suitable for hiking and technical terrain, where the Baleaf is more budget-friendly and good for the more easy-going trails.