Work Pants Flex for Camping & Hiking: PATH Projects Wildwood Pant Review

While scooting down sandstone and leaping across streams in Moab canyons, I often forgot I was wearing the same canvas pants I wear at work in Denver. In both locales, its move-with-you stretch and ample breathability proved a surprise for the thicker feel of its fabric. They caught my attention because these sturdy pants seem to run counter to the brand’s reputation for lightweight and airy running apparel.

Its five-pocket design is like that of most pairs of jeans, except the fifth pocket is deep enough to hold a small EDC knife. The pants have a zippered fly, a tack button closure, and belt loops. The polyester-cotton blend stays cool and offers plenty of stretch without feeling saggy.

The Wildwood Pant’s fabric is stretchier, more breathable, cooler than classic work pants, and sturdier than your typical polyester hiking pants. You won’t find hiking features like articulated knees, map pockets, or venting, nor work-pant details like reinforced knees or tool loops.

Through testing at work, on hikes, and on a road trip, the pants held up to lots of bending and sandstone scrapes and also picked up some stains. They are sturdy enough that they feel like you have to break them in, yet stretchy enough that they’re ready to go off the rack.

In short: The PATH Projects Wildwood Pant is great for all-around, semi-active wear. They are comfortable for travel, everyday chores, and hikes but are a master of none. The canvas is heavy enough to wear on 40-degree days and breathable enough to stay comfortable on 60-degree days. The five-pocket style disguises the pants’ performance fabric. If you’re looking for comfortable day-to-day work pants that seamlessly transition to hiking or camping, you should check these out.

PATH Projects Wildwood Pant

Check Price at PATH Projects

PATH Projects Wildwood Jean

8.1

How we rate products ⓘ

Specifications

• Fabric: Toray Warpknit Canvas (54% elastomultiester, 33% cotton, 13% elastane)
• Fit: True to size
• Weight: 22.4 oz (size 32)

Pros

• Middleweight yet breathable
• Stretchy enough
• Wrinkle-resistant

Cons

• Limited sizing
• Can pick up stains

M.T. Elliott

PATH Projects Wildwood Pant Review

According to the PATH website, the pants started as an experiment and challenge from skateboarding legend Geoff Rowley. The Wildwood offers durability and stretch without sagging under the weight of a wallet. In other words, they are not athleisure.

I wore the Path Wildwood Pants on cool-weather hikes, scrambling on rocks in Moab, and worked in them — which involved plenty of bending, squatting, and encounters with water and stains.

They are available with straight or tapered legs. The length is not included in the sizing, which is why you’ll see rolled cuffs in these review photos. Maybe it’s the old skater in me, but I chose the straight leg for an extra roomy fit. Just because the pants stretch doesn’t mean I want to engage that quality every time I move.

And unlike many tight-fitting hikes and travel pants, items in the Wildwood Pants pockets don’t stand out like awkward, shrink-wrapped bulges.

I spent one day hiking in and out of canyons, usually 2 miles each, with drives in between. The hikes included scooting down steep rock, hopping streams, and other hiking movements you’d expect on more rugged trails. The pants never felt restrictive, and they breathed well.

However, one inseam started to make itself known. These seemed to be less of an issue on flatter, pea gravel outings and around town. Another small annoyance was the tack button coming undone at times.

Unlike Path’s hiking-oriented Boreas Field Pant, the Wildwood Pant has no water-resistant finish. I gave the pants several opportunities to pick up stains, and the only ones to stick around have been from bleach used at work and olive oil. Sandstone dust and rubbing against rocks have produced early signs of the pants looking “broken in” more than worn down but not thinning or fraying.

Material: Toray Warpknit Canvas

Path Projects, like many fitness and run brands, uses a few Toray fabrics in its active line for its mix of durable, breathable, and stretchable properties.

The Wildwood Pant uses Toray Warpknit Canvas, a construction that creates a durable and stretchy material, while the way it is knit aids in breathability. The main ingredient is an elastomultiester, a polyester alternative to elastane that’s more robust. But there’s a bit of elastane in the mix, too. Cotton makes up one-third of the material, which gives them their canvas feel.

The fabric does stretch four ways, though I seemed to notice the horizontal flex (to the sides) more than the vertical flex. While this may sound restrictive, it gives the pants some structure, so they fit more like jeans than joggers. You don’t have to worry about a wallet and keys pulling down your pants.

Unlike Path’s hiking-oriented Boreas Field Pant, the Wildwood Pant has no water-resistant finish. I gave the pants several opportunities to pick up stains, and the only ones to stick around have been from bleach used at work and olive oil. Sandstone dust and rubbing against rocks have produced early signs of the pants looking “broken in” more than worn down but not thinning or fraying.

Who They’re For

The Wildwood Pant’s all-around performance makes it a good fit for anyone who wants a comfortable and durable work pant without going with a full utility pant. Similarly, they may fit in at an office and be breathable and stretchy enough to enjoy when commuting by bike.

I’d also consider them a middleweight, wrinkle-resistant travel pant.

If they’re going to replace one item in your wardrobe, it’s probably a pair of jeans. The back-to-basic style of these pants may appeal to anyone who has grown tired of the tight fit or overly stretchy wear of performance pants that lean a little too athleisure.

Overall, I appreciate the style for everyday use and especially travel when you don’t want to look like you’ve just wandered in off a dusty trail. They are comfortable in a range of temperatures, which makes them a no-brainer for spring hikes and camping trips.

Conclusion

I think these are versatile, reliable canvas pants that make good use of the Toray Warpknit material. PATH Projects is onto something with this first foray into a more everyday/work pant that can play hard. I think these pants will be popular enough to stick around and see variations or a 2.0 with some tweaks.

One feature I’d love to see is a gusseted crotch. I think it would add function and comfort as a work or hike pant without upsetting its style. The added range of motion would likely improve the feel during bike commutes (or skateboarding), too.

Unlike Path’s hiking-oriented Boreas Field Pant, the Wildwood Pant has no water-resistant finish. I gave the pants several opportunities to pick up stains, and the only ones to stick around have been from bleach used at work and olive oil. Sandstone dust and rubbing against rocks have produced early signs of the pants looking “broken in” more than worn down but not thinning or fraying.

Since they are cotton pants without a DWR, they will get wet if the weather turns. Even then, they are made from enough polyester that they can wick away incidental water or a misty rain.

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