The Ultimate Adventure Pants (Prana Stretch Zion)

As a strength coach, I need to be able to physically perform any task while at the same time maintaining a level of professionalism. This is partly accomplished by wearing the right gear. And while there are plenty of fitness “influencers” out there who like to give tips without wearing a shirt, most industry professionals know that you don’t need to be half naked to get your point across (however it’ll definitely boost your Instagram views).

Prana Stretch Zion Review

Personally, I’ve never been much of a “jogger pant” type of guy. I know that people in the fitness world love them and they’re super comfy. Side note, I own one pair of Lululemon joggers that are indeed amazing. However, as great as they are for the gym, that’s about the only place I wear them.

As an adventure athlete, coach, and business owner, I need a versatile pant. I need a pant that I can wear hiking in the morning, coach a class in the afternoon, and still be able to go out to eat at a nice restaurant in the evening.

This has led me into the niche of what I refer to as “Adventure pants”. This style of pants are durable, form fitting, and just a little bit stretchy. They’re often made from a combination of nylons, rayon, and spandex. They usually come in earth tones (greens, grays, blacks, and khakis). Thankfully, there are now several companies working to fill this niche.

I’ve experimented with a lot of pants and while I have a select few that make it into the rotation, there is one particular brand and style that I consider to be the absolute best in the “Adventure Pants” category.

Known and marketed as “The Ultimate Climbing Pants”, I actually consider the Prana Stretch Zion Pant to be the “Ultimate ADVENTURE Pants”.

The Prana Stretch Zion is hands down the most versatile pant I’ve ever worn. I’ve owned three pairs of them for over six years and they’ve become my work uniform (meaning I’ve coached thousands of hours in them). I’ve worn them to climb 14K peaks in Colorado and Mexico. I’ve worn them to rappel canyons in Utah. I’ve worn them to ride bikes, I’ve worn them during complete workouts in both the summer and winter, inside and outside. When I forget my belt, it’s a non-issue because of their built-in waist strap. If I’m walking through shallow water, no worries, I’ll can just roll up (and button) the bottoms.

In nearly 15 years as a coach, I’ve tried my share of “adventure-type” pants and while the others were just fine, none of them hold a candle to the versatility of the Prana Zion.

The material combination doesn’t seem particularly special (97% Nylon and 3% “Elastane, also known as Spandex or Lycra). However, just looking at what a product is made of won’t tell you about how it fits, how it feels, and how it holds up. The stitching, the ventilation, the pockets, and the overall attention to detail put them at the top of my list. This fabric combination is pretty typical with these types of pants, but just a slight adjustment can apparently make big differences.

For example, I have a couple pairs of Wrangler ATG (All Terrain Gear) and while the price tag is fairly low ($49.99), the ratio (96% Nylon and 4% Spandex) just isn’t the same. In fact, after just a couple months of wearing the ATGs the crotch region started “pilling” up and they don’t look like they’ll be around for much longer. The stitching is also coming undone. This could also be due to the….moisture in that region not being able to escape. Another reason the Pranas reign supreme is that they have three small (intentional) holes at the top of each leg in the same region allowing for airflow. Again, the attention to detail is solid.

I decided to write this review because after six years I finally bought another pair. I didn’t actually need them but I found them on sale at a little mountain store in Buena Vista and I couldn’t pass them up.

Most of the time at Engearment we work directly with the companies when they want to showcase a specific new product. Although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of the new products I’ve been able to test (otherwise I wouldn’t write a review on them), I’ve not written anything on a product that I’ve had for multiple years and thousands of uses.

So Prana, I just want to say THANK YOU for making The Ultimate Adventure Pant!

Ryan Humphries

Growing up in southeast Missouri, Ryan spent most of his days playing in the woods, swimming in creeks, capturing wildlife, and dreaming of adventure. His asthma kept him from playing a lot of sports as a kid, but it didn’t stop him from achieving the ranks of both Eagle Scout and a Black Belt in Taekwondo by the age of 16.