Women's Rock Climbing & Bouldering Trousers, Pants & Shorts

This kind of depends on what type of climbing you’re talking about: boulder gyms, climbing walls, single-pitch crags, multi-pitch climbs or wild alpine routes? Climbing is generally best in trousers made from tough, hardwearing fabrics, like outdoor trousers, hiking pants or good pants for outdoor work. For the climbing gym and summer rock climbing, lighter, thinner stretch fabrics make the best materials for climbing pants. You’ll also see that many women climbers prefer to climb in leggings – or shorts. For outdoor climbing, it’s good to have some protection against the wind or cooler temperatures. For sports climbing and bouldering in particular, climbing pants with low-profile elasticated waists or drawstring waistbands are very comfy. These designs work particularly well under a harness.

For alpine climbing, mixed winter routes or ice climbing, consider trousers with some insulation.

Softshell pants are a great choice here as they’re windproof, water resistant and are breathable (they let perspiration escape). Softshell pants also have additional elastane content that gives them stretch and flexibility.

Look for zipped pockets. They’re a good idea on women’s climbing pants. Ideally, you should still be able to get to them when you’re wearing your harness.

High stepping, high mantles and wide bridging – climbing pants should fit to offer maximum freedom of movement. When it comes to patterning, articulated knees and gusset inserts also give you additional freedom of movement. Adjustable leg ends are a further definite plus – they allow you to be more precise with your footwork because you see your feet better.  Avoid trousers that are too wide at the waist. Apart from slipping down, they might also bunch up and form uncomfortable wrinkles underneath your harness.

Tight trousers are generally best avoided. Unless they happen to be leggings. Or are made of elasticated/spandex fabric. Anything that restricts the freedom of movement you need while climbing is definitely out. Thankfully modern stretch performance textiles are ideal for making functional climbing gear. These days there are loads of options. Wild Country even makes jeans that are great to climb in.

Climbing shorts are great on hot, sunny summer days. They’re often made of the same functional fabrics and come with the same practical features as full pants. Their only disadvantage is that your knees are left unprotected and rock can do some serious scraping, especially if it’s gritstone. Full-length women’s climbing pants protect your knees from scrapes, three-quarter, capri climbing pants are a good option too. Look for styles made of abrasion-resistant material.

Good news: if you like wearing leggings, leggings are great for climbing in. They’re pretty much always comfortable under a harness, are super stretchy and come in tough fabrics that can deal with abrasive rock, although we wouldn’t recommend them for knee jams. Climbing and hiking leggings even come with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coatings. Another thing is that women’s rock climbing leggings are really versatile and work well underneath other pants or shorts in colder conditions – and they don’t take up much space in your pack.