The Finest Girls’s Climbing Pants of 2023

Finding the best climbing pants can be a pain. Women’s climbing pants need to allow full movement, keep you covered, endure heavy use, and let’s be honest — look good, too!

After spending months researching, testing, analyzing, and geeking out on everything from the seams to the range of motion, we finally narrowed down the best women’s climbing pants of 2023.

Whether you’re planning an epic climbing trip in the backcountry or working on a project at your local climbing gym, we have the pants for you.

For those wondering if climbing-specific pants are warranted, check out our Buyer’s Guide and FAQ for the lowdown on why these pants are specially constructed for the vertical world. Also, take a look at our comparison chart to help steer your decision-making.

The Best Women’s Climbing Pants of 2023

Women’s Climbing Pants Comparison Chart

Why You Should Trust Us

The team at GearJunkie are outdoor experts and enthusiasts. Our ranks include alpinists, mountaineers, crag rats, purely indoor climbers, and everything in between. On a rolling basis, we put climbing pants to the test, specifically looking at functionality, durability, and comfort to narrow down the best climbing pants available today.

Contributor Katie Griffith goes through climbing pants like it’s her job, and it is. As a professional rock climbing guide, she is always searching for the best fit, most durable and breathable fabrics, and essential features to make up her daily uniform. From desert cragging to alpine climbing to garage-wall bouldering, Katie pursues all types of climbing, all year round.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Climbing Pants

First, take a few moments to imagine your climbing habits. Do you plan to mostly use these pants climbing indoors or in the elements? If outside, will it normally be hot and muggy or cool and breezy? Do you prefer body-hugging clothing or a bit more room?

There’s no right or wrong answer, but having a clear idea of how you’ll use these pants will help determine the best option. For more guidance on choosing the best climbing pants for your needs, keep reading to understand the functions that differentiate them from non-climbing pants.

Climbing Pant Materials

Climbing pants are often a blend of synthetics, sometimes cotton, and typically elastane (sometimes called spandex). The higher percentage of elastane, the more stretch the pants will have.

The added stretch will also result in a more skintight feel, much like the Cotopaxi Cerro Tight with its impressive stretch capabilities (21% elastane).

It’s not only the amount of elastane that makes climbing pants outperform regular pants. Other essential factors include breathability, reinforced areas that add durability, and design that allows fluid mobility, like the Patagonia Altvia Alpine Pants. A decent amount of stretch allows climbers to high-step, stem, and heel hook without restriction.

Other factors, like moisture-wicking properties, sun protection, and the ability to dry quickly, are not vital for indoor climbing. However, they are necessary for long, strenuous alpine or multi-pitch climbs.

Fit

There are a few things to consider when finding the right fit for climbing pants. A loose-fitting pant provides a comfortable, relaxed feel designed for maximum movement. However, the material often tends to be heavier.

If the pants are too loose and flowy, they can obscure your vision for when you need to hone in on technical footwork. On the other hand, tight-fitting pants like leggings and tights allow total freedom without feeling weighed down.

The downside to a tight fit is less durability against abrasions. Tight, thin leggings don’t provide as much buffer between your skin and the rock.

Pockets

Insufficient pockets, or the complete lack thereof, tend to make it on our cons list more than other features on climbing pants. The pockets that tend to work the best are ones that don’t interfere with a harness, are deep enough to be useful, and provide a zipper to ensure that your stuff stays in place while you’re climbing.

A standout in our line of pants is the Patagonia Altvia Alpine Pants. These pants offer zipped flat pockets that don’t interfere with a harness. We also love that the Arc’teryx Gamma Pants only feature zip pockets, ideal for getting high off the ground. If you find yourself climbing indoors or at a local single-pitch crag, you’ll be able to get away with climbing pants that offer a more basic pocket design.

Weight

Generally speaking, the more technical the pant, the more they will weigh because of features that allow them to withstand various elements and terrain. The Patagonia Caliza Rock Pant, for instance, weighs 12 ounces and has several features that make it a durable pant for everyday climbing.

The known lightest on our list is the Patagonia Chambeau Rock Pants, weighing only 7.9 ounces. This pant is breathable and lightweight — perfect for warm-weather excursions.

Weather Protection

Some climbing pants are treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating. This water-resistant coating helps you stay dry by preventing light precipitation from saturating the fabric. While the DWR won’t protect you from a heavy downpour, it will keep light rain beading off the pants and allow them to dry quickly.

Several pants in our lineup have a DWR finish, including the Topo Designs Boulder Pants and the Arc’teryx Gamma Pants. This feature is specifically helpful for those conducting long alpine ascents and who may find themselves in unpredictable weather. 

It’s important to note special instructions to care for your DWR-treated pants to make the coating last longer. Dirt and oils can impede the coating’s moisture-repelling ability, and frequent washing can help maintain its water-repellency.

Thickness and Durability

Beyond choosing a silhouette that complements one’s ergonomics, an important component of a pair of pants are that they are durable. They’ll need to withstand walks through abrasive brush, scrambles up and down steep spur trails, grinding against granite, and rubbing against rough sandstone.

For long-lasting pants, look for thicker fabric, an anti-abrasive or abrasive-resistant overlay or material, and reinforced high-wear areas like the knees.

Climbing pants that received our high praise for durability are the Patagonia Caliza Rock Pants and the Arc’teryx Gamma Pants. They withstood beatings against rock and off-trail travel. Although pants designed for rugged use tend to be warmer, so keep that in mind if you climb in hot temperatures.

Articulated Knees and Gussets

A climbing pant’s ability to stretch extensively makes them different from slacks and most everyday jeans. Beyond elastane material, climbing pants are designed to extend the range of motion by having articulated knees and gussets. The gusseted crotch and four-way stretch of the Topo Designs Boulder Pants makes high stepping a breeze. 

Pants with articulated knees will provide the same natural range of motion as a knee while walking and bending. These features are helpful, especially on pants with less elastane that need a boost in flexibility. As for gussets, the diamond-shaped piece of extra fabric sewn in the crotch area make pants more breathable and allows more freedom to move.

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