I got my favorite pair of pants so long ago I don’t even remember the details, though I’m fairly certain my Mom bought them for me as a birthday present. (Thanks, Mom!)
Back then, I wasn’t much of a GearJunkie. I wasn’t even much of an outdoorsman. I mostly just rock climbed, with some occasional light hiking. But since I was climbing just about every weekend back then, venturing out to Reimers Ranch outside of Austin, Texas, a pair of pants designed for climbing was all I really needed.
Fast-forward 14 years, and I still have the same pair: the prAna Stretch Zion Pant. In fact, they’re still the most reliable pair of pants for literally any outdoor activity — and these days, I do a whole lot more in the Great Outdoors than just climbing. The quality of these pants isn’t exactly breaking news: They’ve long topped GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Men’s Climbing Pants. But these pants have gone through so much with me beyond climbing; it’s time to give them their due.
In short: The prAna Stretch Zion Pant is a do-everything pant that has proven its worth over the long haul. I’ve never had to patch a tear or replace a button. They’ve lasted through multiday hikes and camping trips, kept me cool on day-long bike rides, and survived the sharp rocks of bouldering, sport climbing, and trad climbing. Comfy, functional, and (clearly) durable, there’s no piece of apparel I can recommend more highly than these pants.
Specifications
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Original Stretch Zion material has perfect blend of give and durability
- Wide size range available
- PFAS-free DWR finish
- Roomy fit doesn't constrict motion
Cons
- Pants will pill eventually with enough climbing
prAna Stretch Zion Pant Review
For a long time, I took these pants for granted. I wasn’t always as focused on the details of gear performance as I am now. If something worked, it worked, and I didn’t ponder the “why” for very long.
But after 4 years at GearJunkie, I’ve had the opportunity to test out more gear and apparel than ever before. That has opened my eyes to the quality and durability of the Stretch Zion Pants. Every single pair of pants I’ve received for testing at GearJunkie has suffered damage within months.
That doesn’t surprise me much, because I’ve always been hard on my gear. I don’t make choices based on anxiety over what I’m wearing. (This is why I once climbed a 14er in Chuck Taylors and blue jeans.) So, the result is that everything I wear ends up facing the elements at some point. So, when I kept coming back to the Stretch Zion, I realized the best pants in my closet were the ones I’d had all along.
Over a Decade of Testing
So where, exactly, have I used the Stretch Zion Pant? It’s a long list. In the beginning, I used them weekly for 2 years when I first became enamored of sport climbing back in the halcyon days of my mid-20s.
I lived in Austin, Texas, back then, so the fact that these pants were breathable as well as durable was a huge selling point that I didn’t fully understand until I’d worn them through a couple of Central Texas summers. Though mostly made from nylon, the addition of elastane makes these as flexible as any climber would want.
They also came with me on multiple trips to the infamously sharp rocks of Hueco Tanks, and endured the equally sharp granite of my first trad climbing forays at Enchanted Rock State Park. As I started venturing out more by myself, I fell in love with hiking jaunts through Colorado. On my first solo trip to Colorado, I hiked and climbed six Colorado 14ers in a week, including some technical routes like the Wetterhorn.
When I wrapped up the trip with the Keyhole Route on Longs Peak — still covered in snow and ice — the Stretch Zion Pants were what I wore on my risky (and arguably stupid) solo ascent. I can’t responsibly recommend the Stretch Zion Pant for snowy ascents like that (you’re better off with something waterproof and insulated).
But I still found that the Stretch Zion (made mostly of nylon) dried very quickly when it became wet from snow or rain on my 14er hikes. And when it came time to sleep in the mountains, I often paired them with a warmer base layer to keep me from freezing on frigid alpine nights.
A Reliable Globe-Trotter
How could I forget about international travel? The thirst for airport-specific apparel has exploded in recent years, but nothing I’ve tested beats the Stretch Zion. More than comfy, these old pants have a zipper pocket on the left thigh, ensuring that my passport was always available, but couldn’t accidentally fall out.
While I lived for 5 years in South America, these were the pants that came with me on my adventures in Peru, Colombia, Chile, and Ecuador. They were perfect for the international flights and buses that brought me to my destination, and still perfect when I embarked on hikes in the Peruvian Andes or Chile’s Patagonia.
Since coming back to the States, these pants have remained the sharpest arrow in my figurative quiver. After a new friend invited me to go spelunking and survey a cave in Alabama, I naturally grabbed my Stretch Zion Pant. (It turned out that I was tapped for this mission mainly for my ability to climb through muddy rock and reach an upper level of the cave.)
Comparison to the Competition
It’s not until I started trying a lot more outdoor pants (often from trusted brands) that I began to appreciate just how much prAna understood the assignment when they designed the Stretch Zion. Many other brands make outdoor pants that are equally durable, but don’t fit well. Or their pants are just as stretchy, but don’t hold up to abuse. In other cases, competitors will make truly baffling choices.
Perfect example: I was super-stoked to try out the Free Wall Climbing Kit that Patagonia released early this year. Tailor-made for multi-pitch climbing, it included a down parka, fleece hoodie, and a new pair of pants. While the first two are praiseworthy, the Free Wall Pants were a disappointment. They lack a crotch zipper and waist pockets, are baggy to the point of discomfort (at least for me), and the cinch waistband is the width of a shoelace and dangles down the side of the pants when tightened.
Though the Free Wall Pant does offer more insulation, I still prefer my Stretch Zion for any climbing mission. And if hiking is part of the equation, the Stretch Zion will also have the pockets and comfort I want.
Caveats & Conclusion
No piece of apparel can truly “do everything,” though the prAna Stretch Zion Pant definitely comes close. For starters, they’re not fully waterproof or insulated, opting for breathability and light weight instead. That makes them less than ideal for cold backcountry backpacking missions where losing dryness (and therefore body temperature) can be fatal. (I worked around this in Colorado, but I’ve since come to understand the benefit of cold-weather-specific pants.)
I’ve also noticed that the cinch waistband has lost its tension over time, so I have to frequently retighten it to prevent it from slipping too much down my waist. The flipside of that problem is that I’ve never had to replace the button on these pants, likely because the cinch prevents too much tension on the button. Since the button has popped off of pretty much every other pair of pants I’ve ever owned, that’s no small thing for me.
After 14 years, the only signs of wear are some discoloration around the knees and a bit of stitching coming undone on the back pockets. So it might finally be time to replace these with a new pair. Even so, these trusty ol’ pants still have life in them, and I have no doubt they’ll keep me comfy on more adventures to come.
