When it comes to early-season hunting pants, there are a few requirements. Almost no pant checks them all. When it comes to women’s hunting pants, you have a whole new ball of yarn to unravel. We need them to breathe yet be durable. They have to move and flex with us, yet keep the sharp stuff out. They have to conform to an unlimited configuration of female sizes and shapes, which is almost impossible.
The women’s version of the Sitka Ascent Pants is what most of the women I know have been asking for. They move, stretch, conform, and breathe. They are stupid comfortable. If yoga pants met hunting pants, fell in love, and had a baby, the Women’s Ascent Pants would be born.
There is a men’s version of the pants, so keep in mind, this review looks at the women’s version, which is completely different. We’ll have the men’s review updated soon.
Disclaimer: This is a very early review/first look at Sitka’s new Ascent Pants. I am wearing them as I write this, and I will wear them tomorrow and likely the next day. I may wear them most days for the rest of my life. Typically, I never review a product this quickly, but these pants are groundbreaking in the world of women’s hunting gear. Once I try to rip these things up in some brutal country, this review/first look will be updated.
In short: Women spoke, and Sitka listened. The Ascent Pants ($199) seem to be everything we wanted in a comfortable, breathable, stretchy early-season hunting pant. Pending further hardcore testing, these things are flippin’ sweet … if you can handle a bit of audible swoosh.
Sitka Women’s Ascent Pants
Specs
- CORDURA nylon construction
- Low-profile waistband with integrated belt
- Pull-on, no-fly front
- Mesh knee-pad pockets
- Low-profile zippered cargo pockets
- Singular, right-side butt pocket
- Dedicated knife ocket
Pros
- Comfortable
- Breathable
- No constricting buttons or clips
- Stretchy
Cons
- Noisier than I'd like
Sitka Ascent Pant First Look/Review
I spend most of the early season scouting and hunting in anything but hunting pants. You’re more likely to find me in fishing or hiking pants. When temps start tip-toeing into the triple digits, I’d rather slice my leg open on a Hawthorne bush than spend the day trudging along with trench tush. I said what I said. The cooler I can stay, the longer I can glass.
When the Women’s Ascent Pants first arrived, I took a quick peek at them and went about my day. It wasn’t until I pulled them out of the box and slipped them on that I realized how different these pants were.
The women’s Ascent pants are completely their own. They are not just a shrunken-down version of the men’s pants. I haven’t been quiet about how much I disdain products marketed to women that are clearly just shrunken men’s versions. The biggest notable difference that makes these pants stand out is the band.
Big Comfort With a Simple Upgrade
Gone are buttons, flies, and all the other waistband accessories that tend to bite, pinch, and get in the way. Think of your favorite pair of yoga pants. That top band is exactly what these have. Sitka integrated an interior stretchy belt that can be cinched if needed, but otherwise, all you have is a comfortable, stretchy, conforming band that just happens to be attached to hunting pants.
See? This is not just a shrink it and pink it situation. These pants were designed with women in mind.
Side zip pockets, a singular right-side butt pocket, and a dedicated knife pocket round out the bulk of the storage options, with sleeves for knee pads if you need/want them.
With All the Good, We Have a Flaw Right Out of the Box
As I’ve said before, I haven’t worn these in the field or on any hunts yet, but right out of the package, I did notice something that tends to make hunters scoff. The Ascent Pants certainly aren’t the quietest pants I’ve worn. There’s some noise to this material that I think feels amplified because they’re so thin. With all that lightweight, breathable stretch comes a bit of audible swoosh-swoosh.
It’s not a deal breaker, but it’s worth noting. Once I have them in the brush, I’ll be sure to update my thoughts on this.
First Impressions of the Women’s Sitka Ascent Pants
This is a very early first impression, but so far, I think these pants will be a hit. Sitka hasn’t made any huge leaps in women’s gear in a long time. This is one of the first products I’ve seen in years that is a huge improvement on their lineup, specifically for women.
As I sit here in a pair of Subalpine Ascent Pants writing this review, I have a few pairs in solid colors (deep lichen) in the mail. As comfortable and breathable as these pants are, I have no doubt they will become a regular for early-season scouting, days on the boat, meetings, tradeshows, and even the grocery store.
As for the noisiness, I’ll have to reevaluate when I get them some serious field time. I’ll update this review as time goes on, and I try to destroy them in the brush.
