Gear Review: Women's Prana Halle Pants

As a 5'1" female, I have trouble finding pants that fit in general.  Many companies have gotten better about offering short or petite sizes, but when you are dealing with niche items like trail pants, it's a lot like looking for a needle in a haystack.  So when I saw the Prana Halle pants at REI last year in short lengths, I was pretty pumped.

Prior to that moment, I would wear yoga or workout pants while hiking in cooler weather.  While they are super comfortable and easy to wear, they lack things like pockets, wind and water repellency (is that a word? it is now), and protection from thorny brush. Over the years, I had tried a few variations of trail pants, Columbia and Royal Robbins come to mind, but none ever truly felt good to wear.

I've had the Prana Halle pants now for over a year, I actually have two pair. So far, I have been super happy with them. They fit my short legs better than any other pants I've tried. They are slightly stretchy, but not in a clingy way. They are truly comfortable, and they are the pants I reach for when I am traveling as they look nice and feel better than anything else I own. They have button pockets on the back, which are flattering and accentuate your booty in a good way. The material is water repellent and doesn't get caught on brush. They have lots of pockets. They also have tabs so that you can roll them up and wear them as capris, which is great in hotter weather or when hiking in wet conditions. They are flattering and are as at home on the trail as they are running errands around town. I actually get more use out of them as regular pants than trail pants. I have worn them to work many times and always received compliments on them. They wash and dry perfectly and seem impervious to wrinkles. For someone who has a strong aversion to ironing, that quality alone makes them worth their weight in gold. These seem to have a slightly generous fit, I am 5'1" and 125lbs and wear a size 2, but a 0 would have probably worked better for me due to the stretch of these pants.

There are really only two things I would change to make these go from almost perfect to perfect.

• Pocket size- as I stated, they have lots of pockets, but the front ones (including the hidden pocket on the thigh) are too small for my phone or any other items bigger than a business card.
• Internal belt- they have a drawstring, but an integrated internal belt like I have on my snowboarding pants would work much better. When I tie the drawstring, it sticks up above the pants and is uncomfortable and looks goofy. Fortunately the pants have belt loops, so I usually just wear a belt, but an better internal belt would be amazing.

These pants are available in short, regular, and long lengths, so there's a size out there for everyone. At $79, they aren't the cheapest option, but they are also not the most expensive. I would rather spend a little more on something I love than buying multiple things that are just "okay", which ends up costing more anyway.

I recently found out that they have a lined version of these pants for cold weather. I look forward to checking them out and can almost guarantee they will become a part of my wardrobe very soon. I hope Prana keeps making these pants for a long time, because my search is over and I won't even look at other pants anymore.

If any men out there have tried the men's version, we would love to hear your opinion!

Keep Hiking Forward!

​Melanie