Patagonia Pack Out - Women's Review

The Pack Out stole our hearts with their silky feel, flawless cut, and perfectly placed pockets. These pants are excellent for daily life, but they also inspire us to hit the trail for short hikes. They come in sizes XS through XXL with a 31" to 32" inseam. Their broad and comfy waistband sits just below your belly button, offering plenty of coverage. The 87% polyester and 13% spandex blend is heaven.

Performance Comparison

Comfort and Mobility

When we first pulled the Pack Out out of the bag, we couldn't believe how soft they feel. Our lead tester is not a tights person, and it's hard to get her out of them. So that's saying something. Softness aside, the Pack Out offers infinite stretch, and moving around without restriction is our favorite form of comfort.

The Pack Out has a perfectly sized waistband that stays in place, keeping us comfortable and confident. The wide and high band hits high enough to avoid cutting you off in the middle and pressing in on your sides. The placement also keeps the pants from sagging or bunching. They maintain their shape even after days of wear. Though a little long and slightly large around the calves and knees, these pants fit true-to-size without much excess fabric. We roll the hems a bit to tighten them up in warm weather.

Venting and Breathability

Tights are inherently breathable, but the Pack Out is made out of thicker material than most. So while they still breathe, they also insulate your legs and hold in heat when you're working hard. You can roll them up enough to vent your ankles, but that's about it. All told, they don't work well in the heat of summer.

On the other hand, the thicker material makes the pants more durable, less see-through, and warmer for cool shoulder seasons.

Weather Resistance

The Pack Out falls short when it comes to weather resistance. While none of the hiking tights tested excel in this category, these were the first to absorb water and the last to dry. These are not our favorite hikers in wet weather.

Because of their thickness, the wind doesn't cut right through these tights. They don't provide much protection in blustery weather, though. They also don't have an official UPF sun protection rating. All clothing blocks UV rays to some extent, and the thicker the fabric the better. We can't be sure how much sun is getting through these. Many of the pants we tested do have a UPF of 50 (meaning only 1/50 of the UV hits your legs). So look for those in the specs chart if this is a concern.

Features

We're sticklers for pockets in women's pants. What good is a pocket if it can't carry anything? What we love about the Pack Out's pockets is that they keep your valuables close at hand. You can quickly grab your phone for a photo or munch on a small snack on the go.

The Pack Out has one zipped side pocket that sits near the fullest part of your hip. You can fit a variety of things in there, including a hand or a phone, which we greatly appreciate. Lower along each side is a super-deep, stretchy pocket that is perfectly sized for a smartphone or snack. It's also ideally placed for your hand to easily access.

Some online reviewers complained that these stretch out over time, making valuables like your phone less secure. One tester has owned these tights for over two years, though, and hasn't lost any confidence in stowing her phone in this pocket.

Versatility

You can do anything in these tights. Wear them to yoga, lounge around the campsite (or house), use them as a base layer under ski pants, take a run, go for a hike — do whatever you want. They are so cozy you won't mind sleeping in them either.

We had our doubts when we took them climbing since soft pants tend to be less durable, but they tackled abrasive sandstone with ease. While these hiker tights have a distinctly athletic look, if you pair them with the right shirt, you can pull off a casual look around town. Their lack of breathability and weather resistance keeps us from picking them for longterm backpacking missions. For those, every piece of gear must be ready to keep us warm and dry in a range of conditions. Our testers have worn these pants constantly since we purchased them for testing, even more for casual use than trails.

Value

The Pack Out isn't exactly a budget-friendly option. But if you are looking for high-quality hiker tights well suited for a variety of activities, these might be the tights for you. And they're likely to last you quite a while. We wore these pants for months and took them out on a multi-pitch climbing adventure in the desert. We encountered zero signs of wear and tear as we beat them up on abrasive sandstone. Patagonia has managed to make these pants soft and durable, and we can't get enough.

These pants are also Fair Trade Certified sewn, and the fabric is bluesign approved. Meeting high social and environmental standards is often expensive, and some of that cost trickles down to the consumer.

Conclusion