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Womens Petite Hiking Pants Review
From Hiking For Her

By Diane Spicer

Looking for a womens petite hiking pants review with lots of details?

This review offers you a thorough look at a pair of REI Co-op zip off hiking pants that are surprisingly versatile in terms of length, size and features.

And wonder of wonders, they come in a petite length that hits just right.


A few disclosures in this womens petite hiking pants review

Hiking For Her received a pair of these pants in exchange for a fair, honest and unpaid review. If you've seen other HFH reviews, you already know that's the only kind of reviews on this website!

Hiking For Her is an REI Co-op affiliate, and will receive a small commission if you purchase through the links on this website. It's the only way HFH remains on the web, so your support is welcome.

All photos are courtesy of REI, all comments and opinions are based on HFH's experience hiking in these pants.

Now let's get to it!

What are we looking at in this
womens petite hiking pants review?

This pair of convertible hiking pants in Army Cot Green, size small, petite length.

Technical specifications and features in this
womens petite hiking pants review

It's important to note the type of fabric used in hiking pants, because any hiker worth her salt wants to wear pants that dry off fast and have plenty of room for leg movements.

These pants are made of 88% nylon/12% spandex (bluesign approved).

See that high percentage of spandex? That makes these pants stretchy, and extra forgiving of large leg movements (stepping over an obstacle) as well as small movements (crouching down to retrieve a pair of sunglasses from your backpack).

These pants weigh a bit over 14 ounces, nice and lightweight on your body or riding in your backpack.

Hikers also want the durable water repellent (DWR) finish these pants have, to allow precipitation to bead up and evaporate easily.

This review focuses on petite length: 26.5 in. inseam with 3.5 in. shorts inseam.

Sizing on these pants runs from XS - 3X.

These pants are also available in regular length: 29 in. inseam (4.25 in. convertible shorts inseam) and tall length: 32 in. inseam (5.25 in. shorts inseam).

And there are nice features galore on these pants.

  • 5 pockets, including two drop-ins on the thighs, two back patch pockets, and a zip pocket on the right thigh.
  • Elastic waistband with interior drawcord for fine tuning the fit
  • Hidden color coded zippers on each thigh to make removing the pants leg easy


What I liked about these pants

First thing to crow about is the faux fly. These pants glide up and down easily, no zippers or buttons to fiddle with when your hands are cold and your bladder is full.

These pants are so comfortable! They followed every movement, rather than opposing movement as some zippered hiking pants are known to do.
a pair of green women's REI Sahara convertible hiking pants converted to shortsPhoto courtesy of REI Co-op
a pair of green women's REI Sahara convertible hiking pantsPhoto courtesy of REI Co-op


Next thing that deserves a shout out: the back-of-cuff elastic on the leg.

This keeps the fabric snug around your ankles.

Trail debris doesn't migrate into your boots and you can keep the hems clean(er) on a muddy trail.



And finally, I loved the soft waistband material. There are enough things riding at my waist already (camera bag, backpack waist belt, sometimes another belt to keep my pants on).

I want freedom of movement, and plenty of room to expand a bit after a big lunch. In other words, a forgiving and comfortable waist band than doesn't sag.

I'd consider these pants a mid-rise fit, if you're looking for that detail. If you really wanted to, you could yank them up a bit higher and they'd stay put!

Versatility of these pants

a pair of green women's REI Sahara convertible hiking pants showing thigh zippersPhoto courtesy of REI Co-op

Of course we can't overlook the versatility of these pants. They're long pants, they're shorts, they're both!

That really makes my little hiking heart happy: getting more than one use out of a piece of hiking gear. Lightens the load, too.

And please, consider your hiking clothing as gear rather than apparel. Everything you wear needs to be well designed, made of appropriate materials, durable and useful and easy to wear!

Like these pants :)

A note about how these convertible hiking pants look

I have been mocked for wearing zip off hiking pants labeled as dorky or awkward looking.

I agree, some zip offs are not the most stylish pants but boy! are they useful!

And for me, that triumphs over looks any day of the week.

Please note: These pants have a more tapered leg cut, so they look like joggers.

I really like the way they look.

And I'm guessing that the mid thigh hidden zippers will go unnoticed by most non-hikers and non-observant hikers. (Thus sparing you any mocking smirks, which strong hiking women love to ignore anyway.)

In other words, wear these pants everywhere with impunity.


Conclusions in this womens petite hiking pants review

These pants are super comfortable, look good and I'm going to be wearing them not just for summer hikes but for three season outdoor adventures.

They are better IMHO than pants with zippers, and much better than packing long pants and shorts when space in my backpack or carry on is tight.

Rain pants will glide on easily over them, keeping things really simple when Mother Nature turns surly. (You may need these tips for hiking in rain, including the best hiking rain pants.)

And when the weather is cool or damp, hiking tights will be easily accommodated by their forgiving fit.

Love these hiking pants!

Thanks for reading this review, I appreciate your visit to this website.


Hiking For Her womens petite hiking pants review of REI Co-op Sahara convertible pants


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REI Women's Petite Hiking Pants Review


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