prAna Stretch Zion Convertible Pant Review
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The ever popular Zion Stretch pants has an offspring this year and its name is… drum roll… Stretch Zion Convertible Pant. I’ve had a pair of the old Stretch Zion Pants and they have gotten to the point where I have clothes pins holding the pants together because I have worn them so much and I also wore out a few seems through cayoneering. I keep on using them because they have an amazing fit and they perform like a rock star.
While I like hiking pants for their performance qualities, they can often look a little odd/dorky off the trail. For some reason, the designers at prAna have been able to make a hiking pant that performs great and looks good. For performance, the Stretch Zion Convertible Pants are made out of a stretch nylon that is coated with a DWR finish. I recently took these pants on a 2 week trip where I was camping, hiking, backpacking, kayaking, boating, and playing the site seeing tourist. While hiking in these pants, I ended up getting caught in a few rain storms. To my surprise, these pants kept me completely dry and shed the water like a champ. I am assuming this property will eventually wear off through a number of washes, but at that point, all you have to do is wash them with a DWR detergent like the one Granger has and you will be all set. For traveling, they are pretty compactable and they don’t wrinkle too easy.
One thing I like to see in a pant is for the cuff to cover my shoes or boots. For some reason, I can’t stand a cuff that is tapered. Since I have size 12 shoes, finding a cuff that will be wide enough to go over my shoes can be challenging. The cuff on the Stretch Zion Convertible Pants did just fine, and for those not wanting the convertible pants, the regular ones do a nice job as well. This helps with style and it also keeps debris from getting in your socks and shoes. To help with ventilation, there are 3 holes on each side of the crotch that give you a little air flow and help prevent moisture from building up. This helps when you are in warm climates or are exerting a lot of energy.
These pants retail for $75 and I have rarely seen them go on sale, but if there is something worth paying retail for, it’s the Stretch Zion regular or convertible pants. For more information on the Stretch Zion Convertible Pant and other prAna products, please visit www.prAna.com or www.amazon.com/prAna.
