Going on a sheep hunt. While not the toughest hikes in the world, I would like to wear something a little better than the BDU bottoms
and Cabelas Microtex 6 pocket pants I usually wear.

I would like to get a couple of recommendations for useful mountain style pants please. Likely something with a little stretch.

Thanks in advance,
Gary

I get hot when I run mountains... Lots of times I just wear shorts and layer on top.

Cabelas Microtex 6 pocket pants and a waterproof shell.

I use Sitka Gear top and bottom with an Arcteryx Gortex/Nylon shell.

I've only done a couple of mountain hunts for elk, but light weight looser fitting overalls do not restrict mobility and leg movement. Climbing over blowdowns and working around/over rocks and boulders, the overalls were much more comfortable and forgiving than any of the pants that I tried. In cold weather I wore fleece pants underneath, and it worked out well for me.

Pants for the Backcountry

good, no-nonsense reviews here

I'm a big fan of the kuiu attack pants.

Another vote for the attack pants.

I am constantly amazed at how Carhartt nailed the knife pocket years ago and nobody else seems to understand it. The review above just underscores that.

Kuiu attack are very nice pants. I like them enough that I wear them as every day causal pants.

I bought a set of FirstLite Kanab 2.0's earlier this year during their tag soup sale. They are far and away the most comfortable hunting pants (maybe any pants) I've ever owned.

For comfort in most "normal" hunting conditions, for me, it is a toss-up between prAna Zions and FirstLite Kanab 2.0's but, durability goes to the Zions. A close second to the Zions IMO are Cabela's Trekking pants. Any one of these pants do well with medium to heavy-weight merino wool base layers even in colder weather. Also, they are all pretty quick drying should they become wet.

In really cold weather my favorites are fleece lined, Mountain Hardware Yumalino pants, or my old school, heavy wool pants made by Big Bill (Codet's) out of Canada. The latter are probably too heavy if much hiking or stalking is involved. I've used both of these pants in really cold weather and, again with merino wool base layers, I find I stay warm, even when setting/glassing in very cold weather. It never hurts to be prepared for whatever weather conditions you might encounter, if possible. Good luck!

Also check out the military soft shell pants made by Patagonia- a very nice weight fabric (light to mid weight) that stretches some, breathes well, has a very good DWR finish and are extremely durable (they are military pants after all :)). They have built in suspenders that really work.

These have been my go to mountain pants for the fall- if it's warmer I just wear a thin pair of of merino boxers, cooler a thin lower base layer, cold a thicker lower base layer.

Not cheap ( but not terribly expensive either), but good mountain pants aren't going to be cheap.

Worth a look.

FirstLite Kanab 2.0s for warmer weather & their corrugate for later.

I've yet to find better than Mammut Champs, but most cross country ski pants work great. You either need stretch or pre built bend to keep the pants from crawling on you in constant up hill climbing.

What's wayyyyy cooler than the Kuiu Attack? I roast in them.

Actually, I think you answered your own question. Try Sitka Mountain Pants. Love mine for elk hunting and are bulletproof.

I like the kanabs I bought this summer

have used weathertec pants from RailRiders,,,,,not your conventional hunting pant (not camoflauge) but worked well for me in the brooks range and elsewhere,,,,,,,,

https://www.railriders.com/men-bushwacker-weatherpants-p-1028.html?cPath=104_110

My favourite mountain pants are the Sporthill Expedition for colder weather, and the Kuiu Attack for warmer weather.

Thanks for all the information.

I went with some First Lite Obsidian Merino Pants. They were in stock and the Kanab 2.0's were not. I also bought two pairs of Cabela's Trekker pants for colder weather and KUIU rain pants, jackets and misc.

I should have this sheep up to where it will cost me around $100.00 a pound if I get one.

If you haven't shelled out the money for the higher $$$ hunting pants take a look at the zip-off leg fishing pants offer by several makers. They are all about the same. They are very light, reasonably tough, and very comfy; I have probably 6-7 seasons in 2 pairs and they are still going strong. Since they are so light you can pack in an extra pair. I wear one hiking in/around camp and then use the other pair when hunting. It nice to have a cleaner pair after one gets really soiled or blood on it. You can add layers of wool long johns as needed if it get colder much easier than the tighter fitting pants.

Just a thought.

I used to wear the Cabela's microtex pants and I thought they were great. I wasn't aware how much better a 4 way stretch pant was until I bought a pair of Sitka pants. The seams kept coming apart on them so I bought Kuiu Attack pants with the thigh zips. I have four pairs now, they are fantastic. The thigh zips are a great invention for ventialtion

I recently picked up a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge cargo pants for warm weather. I've spent 16-18 hours in the mountains wearing them and I like most things about them. But they're not really quiet and burs and sweet cicely seeds stick pretty bad.

first lite kanabs or kuiu attack if temps drop


microtex for the money is a good alternative

I can highly recommend Kuiu Attack pants.

microtex, if it starting to be cold microtex insulated works well too.

I really like my microtex, just picked these up too.

https://www.wrangler.com/shop/mens-...amp;sma=sm.00012myoih1e76e5hrejfjpon8rwe

They have more stretch, dry fast and have water repellent finish. For that price I pulled the trigger. They are not as tough as microtex but man are they nice to hike/climb in. Throw some under armor underneath and I'd be ready for the cold too.

MM

If Prana Zions had knee pad insert pockets and came in camo they would be the most popular early season mountain hunting pants on the market, hands down. The integrated belt they have is so convenient for pack usage.

I wore the Zions on my elk hunt this year and will do so again. The Mud color blends well for a solid color.

Kuiu Attack are about as comfortable as the Zions, but thicker and better suited to cooler weather.

Picked these up this weekend at Marshalls

https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/mens-ua-storm-covert-tactical-pants/pid1262480-923


Gotta say some of my favorite pants ever worn, stretch, toughness and water repellent.

I don't think you'd go wrong with the Sitka Timberlines for a burley mountain pant with stretch, and gortex knees and butt. Love my Kuiu attack pants as well, but I wouldn't do a whole week in them hunting in the mountains. I use my Timberline pants for that.

I bought two pair of the wranglers to try out and they are awesome for the 22.99 price tag. Obviously not as good as my Kuiu or Sitka but I will be using them this fall and testing durability. I'm impressed honestly

I'll add my 2 cents worth, figured with free shipping and free returns, lets try them....

Like them alot, Hunting, Hiking, Fishing, whatever....... Cargo pocket is smallish, cell phone size or so..

Maybe not has comfy has Sitka mountain pants, but close, and about half the price.........

Arborwear Tech II or Cabela Microtex

Arborwear also had a Tech Lite which for some reason they discontinued. I bought three pairs when they closed them out. Terrific pants.

I also like the Tech II but Arborwear seems to be drifting to the slim leg hipster fit which is a deal killer for me.

The Corrugate Guide pants from First Lite are my faves by far. I've tried most of the others mentioned and keep loving the CGs. I do replace the waist button with a velcro tab, however.

I just tried the Under Armor Storm pant on thats talked about in some post above.

$79.99 at Accadamy Sports

The Under Armor pant is very thin with not much for pockets.....my Kuiu Attacks cost more but I'll stick with them.

Just for grins, I took a flyer on these based on your feedback. After trial, I ordered one in every color.

Not quite as comfy as, say, the Kuiu Attack or FirstLite CG, but for knocking around, they're a steal and one can buy 5 or 6 of them for the price of one of the previously mentioned.

Thanks for head's up!

Best, inexpensive mountain pants EVER. I wear them almost daily. Wore them to work on Friday and packed a bull out of the mountains in a semi-stop em wearing them on Sunday.

Dave

actually found they have them at the local Walmart. Like skane said, buying one in every color.

MM

I just bought a pair hopefully these work as a cheap comfortable all around pant. I'll wear my standard wool pants from LL Bean, some First lites or a Kuiu Alpine pant after elk this year.

Recently got back from hunting in BC and was reminded how much I like my SportHill pants. The 15% spandex really makes them comfortable for up and downhill climbs. Wore my Mammut Champs in goat country though.

Just found those Wranglers at the local Walmart and had to get a few pair. Gotta say, I'm impressed for $21.80. Super comfortable. We'll see how they hold up to abuse.

Just rocked the Wranglers for a hunt in the hills.

They are great. Lots of climbing and crawling over rocks, ridges, and blow downs. Was shocked they held up, but held up they did. Very comfy, not terribly wind resistant, but with 2 pair of long skivies(lightweight wool under lightish weight poly) I stayed warm glassing in a high teens/low 20's morning. They fit better than the Cabelas Microtex I've worn the last couple three years to boot.

Call me a fan.

Arcteryx Beta AR (hard shell) fulll side-zip pants fit and articulate so well and are versatile,
roping a rock wall, skiing, or just hiking, etc......but price can make some people drop...

they look rather smart too if one plans to also wear them in an urban environment.

I'd rather look stupid in the Wranglers.......

I think I have killed more elk (many in sheep country) wearing wranglers than everything else combined...though when the snow is more than ankle deep or so I do break out the Filson wool, and sometimes some relatively inexpensive UnderArmor pants I picked up somewhere on sale. I have had various Kuiu and some Sitka gear, as well as other synthetics, and they worked well until a hole got poked or wore into them (which wasn't hard to do), then they were useless.

I honestly see no need for the expensive synthetics, though they do seem to have a loyal following.

Wranglers and wool for me. For an expensive sheep hunt wayyyy back in the bush, I would look into some merino wool or the upper echelon Kuiu pants.

Has the OP gone on the hunt yet?

There's a party in my pants.

That is a MOUNTAIN of a party.

I just wear brown carhart pants that have been washed a lot ,these pants are just dang tuff in the mountains

I don't wear mountain pants in the mountains. I wear my big boy pants.

What are mountain pants?I live in the Rockies and have always worn wool

I'm considering a pair of Sitka Acsent pants for early elk bowhunting. If any of you here have tried the latest offerings I'd like to ask how they fit compared to other pants you wear. I wear 36w 34l wrangler pro rodeos everyday to work. Would the 36R fit, are they cut skinny or relaxed?

Their sizing page shows I would need 38's, don't want them falling down or squeezing my thighs either. Usually don't wear base layers under my pants hunting early Sept., even on cold mornings.

I'm wearing them right now on my hunt and loving the wrangler and my Kuiu chinooks

This year I’ve become huge fan of Mountain Hardwear’s Piero, both the 5-pocket and their utility pants. They are a stretch nylon canvas, articulated/reinforced knees. Super comfortable, dry fast, proven durable. I grabbed a couple pair this summer for cooler mountain hikes and hunting season. Loved them so much, grabbed a couple more pairs and use as my casual work days, weekends of yard work and excursions.

Best part, they are super cheap through REI’s Garage—around $60 unless there is an additional sale/discount.

Has the OP gone on the hunt yet?[/quote]

Yes, I have. I got a 160 7/8 ram, 6.5 yrs old. Shot at 80 yards, four feet in the air, one shot. Kimber 84L Montana, 2.5-8x36 Leupold, 180 grain NPT at 80 yards.

I wore the LW First Lite Pants. It was hot. Tore them up on the hunt coming out. For most hunts I would prefer the Corrugate Guides. I am wearing Attack pants now that it is cooler.

Hunt report with pictures? Id love to hear more about it

Took a small slide down a hillside, mostly grass and loose dirt but some rocks. Tore a decent hole in my Kuiu Attack pants over the knee. Kind of surprised me how weak they seemed as this was not a massive tumble down a granite rock slide.

This is my second season with them. I like the pants, just not sure about the durability. My OL will stitch them up, we'll see how they do going forward.

Up for more suggestions.

Looks like I'll have to order a pair of the Wranglers. I checked several Walmart's and all they had were cotton blend pants, none of the Outdoor cargo pants I'd hoped to try.

My Walmart did not have them either. Bought a couple pair at Target though.

Love them.

Bought a pair of the wrangler pants from Target and love them. Used them for a 30 mile backpacking trip in November and was pleasantly surprised with the stretch and breathability. Comfortable enough to wear laying around the house.

Prana Zion. Done.

Edit: day late, dollar short.

wool whipcord pants when it’s cold (I adjust my lower base layer based on how cold)- the extreme tight weave does a good job with wind and lighter precip

cool weather I like the new military softshell pants made by Patagonia- built in suspenders, nice cargo pockets, fabric breathes well but still blocks wind and light precip effectively

These?

https://store.glennsarmysurplus.com/pcu-gen-ii-level-5-soft-shell-patagonia-p992.aspx

yup Level 5 softshell, if you shop around eBay you can sometimes find them for about half that

If you aren’t needing serious warmth the Eddie Bauer Guide Pro pants are the schit! They are all synthetic, dry fast and are made of a stretchy material that makes climbing less restrictive. They can be had on sale pretty regularly.

http://www.eddiebauer.com/product/mens-guide-pro-pants/12951063

I like the Sitka Ascent pants. They are light, stop the wind, and stretch.

^ I thought I read somewhere that they changed the fit of the Ascents to a trimmer fit- that would be a no go for me if true; I prefer my hunting pants cut a little roomy

Don’t know about that. But I will say that I wear poly long or silk long underwear under them and have plenty of room. And I’m not skinny by any means! Mine are my normal waist size regular length.

I've got several pairs of the Guide Pros and find that they are a slimmer fit than some of the other Bauer pants. My biggest gripe is that they only have 5 belt loops. That said, they are everything AlaskaCub said, a great pant for the money!

Kuiu attack pants are great for early to late season for me just by layering underneath. Can be a bit warm in early season if putting on a lot of miles, but thigh zips help dump the heat. I can layer up with merino underneath and they can take me into late season if temps conditions aren’t too bad... if that happens I go to my woolrich wool pants or throw a Kuiu Chugah NX pant over the Attacks. Pricey set up for sure, but pretty bulletproof and light weight, especially for a sheep hunt where you’re counting ounces. I have a 32 waist for early season, and a 34 waist for when I need to start layering merino underneath.

Prana Zion Winter pants are quite nice. A fairly athletic cut but plenty stretchy. These would be great cooler weather travel pants also.

I've been wearing the Sitka Timberline pants for the past three seasons on mid-late season elk and deer hunts in central/ south central and south-western MT. I tend to put on a lot of miles so comfort is a must. The kneepads have been a godsend in the rugged area I hunt. The waterproof/ reinforced knee and seat areas have been great when kneeling or sitting in the snow or damp, wet dirt, grass etc; no leaks. I was a little skeptical about the durability when I bought them but after three full seasons and a lot of miles with the occasional scrambling up/ down and over rocky terrain and deadfall, in good and bad weather, they have held up great and would not wear anything else.

Hey, Pdx boy here's your pants.... "Sitka Timberline in Optifade Open Country". Last year I made the change after 25 years plus hunting military m65 pants to Sitka. I bought 3 pairs after trying my first Timberlines..Very tough pants, beyond comfortable, lightweight yet warm. If you're not afraid of the price. I predict these will be yours.

Jordan: I see a lot of guides in AK wearing KUIU. My Sitka clothing seems to be similar. You agree? or is there something one has over the other.

Yeah, quite similar in function and design, and individual preference in features, fit, and camo are really the only things that set them apart, IMO.

I ended up with KUIU Attack pants for cooler weather and First Lites for warmer weather. I agree the Sitkas are good too. They all seem to cost about the same. They are very comfortable.

Based on this thread I picked up a pair of the Wranglers at an outlet store near here for $19.99. I'll get another pair.

Appreciate the assist J, thought I may need a Guide CDS Jacket.

Good choices too.

I love mine. Easily one of my most used pieces of backpacking clothing.

Guide DCS in Verde 2.0 purchased! Thanks!

I hope you bought one size too large....they tend to fit a bit small.

Yeah, I assumed the fit would be similar to Sitka which runs small too. XXL will do it.

Another vote for Prana Zion pants. Very versatile pants. I could hunt, hike, lounge around the house, wear them out to dinner, travel, whatever. Probably some better purpose built hunting pants out there, but I am not sure I will ever find out.

MARMOT Scree.

Mountain Hardwear Returnia for wetter, rougher conditions.

MH bibs are another option.

Thank me later.

Kuiu alpine pants are really nice, roomier and lighter than attacks with vents for hotter climbing or hiking good with a base layer down to the teens pretty easily. I like them better than the Kanabs which are also quite comfortable.

^^^^ These Pants for the mountains. Maybe on the spendy side in the category - but IMO can't beat 'em.... 3 or 4 years of use now and still in good shape. We do 1.5 week trips in Idaho and Wyoming Rockies, Sept - Oct (mostly mid Oct) ... a lot of backpacking for Mulies, good variety of weather. Wear them all week+ -- kinda stinky at the end as would be with any pants.

Attack pants if cool, guide pants if cold. Layer as needed. Prions are good but cut for the youthful.
You might want to check out Duluth Trading dry on the fly and etc. Wear these everyday in spring - early fall and have pairs that are least 3 years old and in good shape.

Or 2 sizes if you layer much