Best Hiking Leggings for 2024

Some of the questions I get asked very often for women are:

• What are the best leggings to hike in?
• What leggings do I recommend for women hiking?
• Can you hike in Lululemon leggings?
• Are leggings ok for hiking?
• What are the best hiking leggings with pockets?
• Are leggings warm enough for hiking?
• What are the best hiking leggings for cold weather?

First off, why trust my opinion? I have been an avid hiker for 8 years, a climber for 2 years, and I’ve tested out countless leggings hiking, camping, climbing, traveling, and working out in gyms. I basically live in leggings.

A couple of things to keep in mind – not all brands and all styles are made equal. There are only particular styles I like of certain brands and quality matters. All of my leggings these days are high-waisted. & This is not a sponsored post but includes affiliate links (which means I may make a tiny commission off your purchases at no extra cost to you), so if you see something you like, support me and click that link 🙂

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Lululemon Leggings for Hiking

These are hands down my favorite leggings to hike in except there’s one main downside – no pockets!! The Lululemon Wunder Under leggings are my favorite and only Lululemon style I currently wear (prefer the luon/ non-luxtreme fabric); the fabric is thick enough that it holds you in all the right places, but it’s thin enough to be breathable and stretchy, providing mobility on the trails. & Let’s just be real honest and say they’re known to be booty-flattering. Yes, that’s a real thing because not all leggings are made equal in that sense. These are also great for daily loungewear, traveling, and they are one of the leggings that join me on all my trips.

Quick fix for leggings with no pockets when hiking: I just discovered this shoulder pocket that’s made hiking with my phone easily accessible! It conveniently attaches to the front of your backpack and fits the iPhone max and some snacks!

The Align leggings are another favorite I hear from everyone – I personally have not tried these but most people I see on IG who workout wear the Aligns. The main difference is in the material – this one is supposed to be more “buttery soft”, delicate, and has less compression… but I prefer the compression and slightly thicker material.

Lululemon apparel is slightly more expensive but 100% worth it in my opinion to own at least one pair. Quality over quantity. I bought my first pair in 2015 (now I own 3 of the same pair) and these have set the standards for all my leggings comparisons after.

Click here to shop Lululemon Leggings

Fjallraven Tights for Hiking, Scrambling, and Climbing❗

I’ve been eyeing the Fjallraven Abisko Trekking Tights/ Trousers for four years and finally pulled the trigger on buying a pair… my only regret is that I didn’t purchase it sooner. I absolutely LOVE these leggings for hiking but they’re even better for all the climbing and scrambling I do.

The polyamide fabric makes these leggings (tights) thinner than I expected them to be but I like that. It’s still thick overall and very durable – the knees and butt area have extra reinforcements for extra durability which is awesome when you’re constantly resting on the ground and rocks!! It’s still stretchy and fits like a glove! There’s also a large pocket, big enough to fit the iPhone pro max fully – it’s one of the best leggings pocket designs I’ve experienced. There’s a”lid” that flaps over the pocket but what I found to be really unique was I couldn’t even feel my phone in my pocket the whole time!

Can’t say enough good things about these Fjallraven Abisko leggings and highly recommend these if you trek long distances, scramble, or climb. They are a bit pricey but 100% worth it IMHO. I loved it so much I just bought a second pair (:
**DEAL ALERT – 30% off**

Click here to shop Fjallraven Leggings

Eddie Bauer Tights for Hiking

I’ve been wearing Eddie Bauer’s high-rise trail tight leggings and hybrid trail tight leggings for about two years now and love how comfortable and stretchy they are. Also, they have zippered pockets which makes them very convenient for your phone and trail snacks!! These are slightly thicker compared to my usual favorite leggings but the high rise sucks in your gut still. I do wish they made a size smaller though – my waist is smaller & the XS fits, but I prefer my leggings a bit snugger without extra fabric on me so I reserve these for my bloated days. It does not have the same next-to-skin feel as the other leggings I hike in, and I do like the hybrid tights more than the regular trail tights but they don’t always have that in stock.

Click here to shop Eddie Bauer Leggings

Glyder Sultry Legging

In terms of design and fit, these are the closest leggings I’ve found to resemble Lululemon’s Wunder Under which makes them a winner in my book. The fabric for Glyder’s Sultry has a little more stretch than the Lululemon which makes it easier/less compressive to move in sometimes.

Click here to shop Sultry Leggings

Glyder Social Legging

I love these leggings for warm-weather hiking! It is thin and very breathable with pockets. The leggings wick very well but the waistband… not so much. With my overnight pack on, the back of my waistband definitely sweats through, but I’ve also found that to be true of most leggings when there’s a pack pressed up against my back.

Click here to shop Social Leggings

Amazon Colorfulkoala Leggings

Affordable option: This is a Lululemon-dupe at a fraction of the price if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly pair of leggings. I have not tested these out yet (although I want to as soon as I need a new pair) but it’s highly recommended by bloggers and my sister got a pair and loves it!

Click here to shop Amazon Leggings

Aritzia TNA Butter

If you like the Lululemon align leggings, you will love the TNA Butter leggings! It feels… buttery soft! The is my favorite of the collection; although thin, the fabric is very flattering. While you might think the fabric is too soft and delicate for hiking, that’s primarily why I like it – it’s extremely comfortable and great for the travel moments in between.

Best Winter Hiking Leggings

Eddie Bauer’s Winter Trail Adventure High-Rise Leggings for Cold Weather Hiking

These are the winter, fleece-lined version of the Eddie Bauer Trail Tights mentioned above, but better. Overall, it just fits better on a slim person than the regular EB trail tights and it has three pockets which are better designed.

Overall, it’s my go-to winter hiking leggings. It’s warm enough on a sunny, non-windy day to hike in but leggings don’t stand a chance against hiking pants in the winter when it comes to full-on winter weather.

Click here to shop Eddie Bauer Winter Leggings

Athleta Rainier Tights: Warm Leggings

These leggings are very similar to the Eddie Bauer winter leggings above. The brushed fleece lining on the inside and pockets are very similar in design, but the EB leggings feel warmer instantly when you slip them on and I feel like the seams are personally more flattering for my body type.

Click here to shop Athleta Raininer Leggings

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The Wrap-Up: Top Leggings for Hiking

Ultimately, the style of leggings you purchase will depend on what your needs are. It’s really hard for me to recommend just one of these to you because it depends on what you are looking for, but I’d highly recommend owning at least one pair of Lululemon in your lifetime for normal daily use and the Fjallraven leggings are 100% the most durable of the bunch.

Also remember, when it comes to hiking leggings – QUALITY OVER QUANTITY. It’s worth the investment. You can wear the same thing every week and that is ok as long as you like it.

Other Gear Recommendations for Hiking:

Best Hiking Underwear for Women 2024
Best Hiking Shoe Recommendations in 2023
5 Must-Have Pack Items for Hiking in the Summer
Ultralight Backpacking Gear Guide: How to Pack Lighter to Move Faster
Tiff’s Personal Backpacking List

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to comment below what type of leggings you are looking for/ use and I’ll try my best to help you based off my experiences 🙂

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