Merrell Lenaia Pant Review

by Shannon · Published May 12, 2010 , 8:24 am · Updated January 3, 2020 , 10:30 am

Merrell says, “Why pack more?” After testing out the Lenaia by Merrell, we couldn’t agree more. The Lenaia is an incredibly lightweight wonder that can fit in most gals’ purses but can provide up to 7 different options to keep your lower half covered. The Lenaia starts off as a pair of pants which can be quickly converted to a pair of capris thanks to a button tab closure that holds the rolled up pants in place. Zip off pant legs convert the pants into shorts that have approximately a 6″ inseam. Wearing the skirt over the pants or the skirt over the capris brings us up to 5 wearing options. The remaining options include wearing the skirt by itself or placing the skirt over the shorts to make a skort. The skirt attaches to the waistband of the pants via loops that snap around belt buckle loops. In the front of the pant, there are two button snaps, velcro, and a slit in the fabric to loop over the front button on the pants. Wow, what a mouth full. From the photos, it is hard to tell how this piece could ever work, but I can attest to its function after bringing only the Lenaia on a weekend camping trip.

The Lenaia is made from Merrell’s Opti-Wick fabric which is 100% nylon and quick drying, moves moisture, and lightweight. The fabric also has a slight checked texture to it that adds a little style, prevents the garment from looking wrinkled, and provides a tad more structure. The Opti-Wick fabric also has a UPF rating of 50! For testing, we had the Lenaia in granite, dark gray, in a size 4.

The Lenaia fit is more tailored than traditional zip off hiking pants. I could have used a size up, however, the fabric does stretch out as the day progresses. My favorite style to wear this garment in was the capri, skirt, and skort. The pants were a tad short on me, as I am 5’9″ this is nothing new for me. The capri was the perfect length and I loved the ease at which you can convert the pants into a capri. I wore the skirt as a cover up over a swim suit. The skirts was extremely easy to slip on and off thanks to the velcro and snap closure. I would not recommend wearing the skirt solo around town because the skirt does not overlap all that much in the front and large gusts of wind tend to open the flaps and show your “goods”. Wearing the shorts with the skirt, also known as a skort, eliminated the previous problem and adds a feminine feel to the shorts. I weigh 138 lbs and have pretty muscular quads, which is great for trail running and cycling. However, the shorts felt a tad tight in this area, hence my desire to size up. The waist ran true to size.

When the skirt is layered over the capri, pant, or shorts, it does not look like you have a lot of bulk underneath the skirt, which I think is a bonus. The flat waist band and flat zippered hip pockets on the pant reduce volume and keep a flat appearance. When wearing the skirt over top or by itself, you have a handy security pocket at the right hip for any small essentials.

The Lenaia is a handy piece for weekend trips, a backpacking trip overseas where each clothing item must serve multiple purposes, or for everyday use. For more information about this product, please check out Merrell.com

MSRP $89