Light, Tough as Nails: The North Face Summit Series Off Width Pants Review

You know the feeling — you’re out on a multipitch climb, and the chimney pitch is next. You wedge your body into the crack, scraping your harness, pants, ankles, and shoes against the rough stone. You don’t think about the beating your gear is taking at the time, because all you care about is upward motion, and trying not to think about how you can’t place any gear for another 20 feet when the crack gets smaller.

At least you don’t have to worry about your pants, because you wore your The North Face Summit Series Off Width pants, and there will be no holes in the tough fabric after you’re done making your way up this pitch. Made with recycled nylon and elastane, these pants will stretch with you. A DWR finish repels moisture and helps keep them windproof. You’ll want these pants for all your big adventures.

In short: The North Face Summit Series Off Width pants are a lightweight yet rugged pair of climbing pants perfectly suited for multipitch and trad climbing, where abrasion is more likely. A crotch gusset and articulated knees make any movement easy. A slim leg with cinch cords at the ankles and wind-resistant DWR fabric keeps you protected from mountain elements. Though they run slightly big, everything else about them feels primed and ready for serious climbing objectives.

Compare The North Face Summit Series Off Width Pants with other picks in our guide to the best hiking pants for women and our best hiking pants for men.

The North Face Summit Series Off Width Pants Review

Performance in the Field

I made sure to put The North Face Off Width pants through their paces, climbing dozens of pitches in Pine Creek Canyon, Calif., where the granite is crystalline and sharp. The first thing I noticed about these pants is how stretchy and comfortable the fabric is. This made me slightly suspicious of how well they would endure rubbing up against rough granite, as I assumed a pant with “off-width” in the title would feel more burly to the touch.

I was immediately able to hike my knees up to start wiggling into a wide crack, and was grateful that the articulated knees and stretchy fabric made movement easy. After a six-pitch route, the pants were still as good as new. And I was impressed by how The North Face managed to make a fabric that is both lightweight and durable.

The low-profile waistband kept the pants up under my harness the entire time I climbed a multipitch with a heavy harness of gear.

Weather Resistance and Durability

This category is what you buy these pants for. If you put the word “off-width” in the name of your pants, you’d better be sure that they are actually durable because people will find out quick. Off-width is a type of crack climbing where the crack is wider than 3 inches. This requires you to shove your limbs as far inside as you can so you can deploy a variety of techniques to make very slow upward progress.

While not everyone who wears these pants will climb (or more likely, will want to climb) off-width, having a pair of pants for trad climbing that are durable for when you might be scraping against the wall or when gear is scraping against you is pretty important.

The 70D WINDWALL proprietary fabric ensures these pants resist wind as well as abrasion. A DWR finish without PFCs wicks away moisture, making these pants ideal for changing mountain conditions.

Pockets and Storage

These pants have four pockets for storage. Two in the front are deep with no zippers, but provide quick access to small accessories. A zippered thigh pocket is a great place to keep your other small items, like a phone or topo, secure, and a zippered back pocket is there for whatever else you might need to stash. The pockets are minimal and functional, and pretty much what I expect from a pair of technical climbing pants.

Room for Improvement

These pants are really exceptional in many ways; it’s hard to give much criticism. The fit is slightly off, which is my main gripe, and I would recommend ladies to size down from their usual size unless they want a baggy fit.

The good thing about them running a bit big is that they can be adapted for cold-weather climates, easily fitting a pair of long underwear underneath. I’m looking forward to seeing what their durability ends up being like over the years, but I am overall pleased with these pants.

The North Face Summit Series Off Width Pants Review: The Bottom Line

When going multipitch or trad climbing, you typically want a more technical pant that has abrasion and weather resistance, as well as is comfortable to move in and wear all day. Multipitch climbing typically involves long approaches, so you want pants that are comfortable to hike in as well. The North Face is known for its high-end, technical apparel, and it’s no surprise that the Off Width Pants live up to the name.

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