REASONS TO BUY
Deep pockets
Comfortable waistband
REASONS TO AVOID
Pants stretch out
Inner drawstring pulled out
Royal Robbins Jammer II Review
Best for fall and spring hikes or not so warm days
Royal Robbins Jammer II
Credit: Royal Robbins
Price: $80 List
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 14, 2018
RELATED: Best Hiking Pants for Women
Our Verdict
The Royal Robbins Jammer II is a pretty standard hiking pant — no new ground is being broken here — but if you want a slightly warmer than average pair of pants these are a good choice. The material is comfortable, and the pants have good mobility, though they did sag on us and stretch out during the day. They don't offer a lot of water resistance, and weren't as breathable as some lighter weight options, nor can you convert them to shorts. If that's what you're looking for, check out our Editors' Choice winner, the Marmot Lobo's Convertible. We also aren't a huge fan of the scrunch ties on either side and prefer a standard roll cuff when trying to shorten the pant legs a little.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Royal Robbins Jammer II is made with a 95% Nylon / 5% Spandex blend. This fabric has a 50+ UPF rating. The Jammer is available in sizes 2 — 20, and three inseam lengths (29", 32" and 34") in all sizes. This is probably the most options we've seen in a hiking pant, which should help most people find a good fit in this pair. It also comes in a capri, skirt, short, and skort, should you love the material but want something other than a pant.
Performance Comparison
This basic pair of hiking pants starts out flattering but sagged on us after a few hours. They also feel slightly warm and aren't the best option for hot days.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Comfort & Mobility
The Jammer II received a good score for comfort and mobility. The material isn't too abrasive and has a decent amount of stretch to it. The knees are articulated, and we never felt confined in this pair. We liked the drawstring closure to help cinch things up a bit, but it came out in the wash, and it's not going to get threaded back in there easily. Since the pair is so saggy, we found ourselves wanting to wear a belt with it, but that's not a good option either. If you're looking for a very comfortable pair, consider The North Face Aphrodite 2.0, or the Mountain Hardwear Dynama.
Versatility
This pair isn't quite as versatile as an option that converts into shorts. However, they are fairly non-descript looking and can double as a travel pant, making them more versatile than a pair of tights like the REI Screeline or The North Face Progressor. We also didn't love the dangling cords that help cinch up the bottoms of the pant and found ourselves rolling them up instead more often than not.
If you're feeling hot in this pair you can cinch up the bottoms and tie them off, though we often found it easier to just roll them instead.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Breathability
This pair is slightly thicker than some of the others that we tested and as a result kept us a little warmer, impacting the breathability a bit. The plus side to this is that if you are looking for something that can handle slightly cooler temps, the Jammer is a good start.
Early spring hikes at elevation are a great use for this pant. Hotter days down low, not so much.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Durability
We used this pair on rough sandstone hikes and climbs and in a sharp desert landscape and didn't have any durability issues with the material, As we mentioned though, the inner drawstring did come out in the wash, and frankly, we don't have the patience to get it back in there. The Prana Halle pants also have a drawstring, but the ends are substantially thicker than the holes and even after dozens of washes we've never had one pull out. The Jammer lost its drawstring on one side on the third or fourth wash, and then it came out completely the next time.
We lost one end of the drawstring into the pant, and the next time we washed it the whole thing came out.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Weather Resistance
This pant has similar water resistance to the Patagonia Quandary. Water beads up on it for a minute or two, but then quickly soaks right into it. They dried in about an hour in full sun, though the soft waist was still a little damp. If you tend to hike in damp climates but don't like wearing rain pants over your hiking pants, check out the soft-shell Arc'teryx Gamma, our Top Pick for Wet Weather instead.
The first sprays of our water bottle bead up, but then it quickly soaks into the material. These pants then took about an hour to dry after getting fulling soaked.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Features
We did like the deep hand pockets on the Jammer, which can also fit a phone, as can the zippered side pocket. The flat elastic waistband is a nice feature for under a backpack, but it stretches out too much. As we mentioned above, we also weren't fans of the cinching system, and score this one a little lower for its features.
Best Applications
The Royal Robbins Jammer II is a good option for day hikes in slightly cooler spring and fall temps. They may feel a little warm during peak summer days, and can't convert into shorts.
The cinch detailing is cute, but there are always little dangling strings hanging out of the bottom of the pants when not cinched up.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Value
The Jammers retail for a little less than some other models, particularly the convertible ones. However, they scored close to and are only a little bit more expensive than our Best Buy winner, the Columbia Saturday Trail, so if you are looking for a good value but don't like those, this might be the next best option to check out.
Conclusion
The Royal Robbins Jammer II gets the job done but didn't stand out in any one category or application. If you're looking for a decent all-around pair that doesn't break your budget, they could be a good option for you.
—
Cam McKenzie Ring
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