Making a good hiking pant is tough. It has to be light but durable and fit well. Traveler Stretch Pant from Royal Robbins has met those and then some. I’ll dive into the specs and my experience with the Traveler Stretch Pant in this article but won’t touch on much of the history of Royal Robbins. I’ve done that in the MerinoLux 1/4 Zip Review if you want to know more.
Specs
The Traveller Stretch Pants features are simple. They fit well and are durable. Here’s the specs:
- Discovery Stretch Nylon (96% nylon, 4% spandex)
- Tricot lined waistband
- Machine wash and dry
- Fast drying
- UPF 50+
- Zipper back pocket on right, Velcro back pocket on left.
- Open front pockets with small velcro stack pocket on front right
- Zipper stash pocket on right leg big enough for a large phone or GPS
- Snap on the waist with with additional button
- Burro (light brown) and Charcoal for colours
The sizing is pretty accurate. I’m a 32 (31 on a good day) and the 32 fits well. The 32 inseam is a touch long for me but I’ve got short legs so that’s to be expected. There are 30, 32 and 34 available for inseam lengths. The nylon is softer than other nylon pants I’ve got. It’s nice to not swish swish swish as much everywhere you go. It’s now a hiking alarm for my dog. When the swishy pants come out its hiking time.I couldn’t find the weight of them on Royal Robbins website. I will update this post when I found out. Their thickness is between my North Face and GoLite pants so probably around average for weight.
Good fit and comfortable
Good fit on me, could even be a bit snugger down the legs. I’ve got thick legs so if you’ve got skinny legs they might be a big big. Nice for airflow though.The fit is pretty standard for a hiking pant, like my other North Face and GoLite pants.I don’t find them constricting anywhere and the waist is tight enough but isn’t too tight. This will just be a sizing thing though.I’ve only hiked in mine but they would be great for spending days of travel in. The UPF 50+ would keep you covered in hot sunny areas and if you’re caught in a rainstorm, they’ll dry quickly for you.
They don’t sag
One of the things I’ve found with these when they get wet or sweaty is they don’t sag much. Other nylon pants I’ve had, albeit thicker ones, get wet and sag, then end up dragging on the ground if they’re too long. The spandex in these gives some stretch but don’t sag much. Great combo for hiking with long pants in rainy or sweaty conditions.
Durable
The Discovery Stretch Nylon has been very durable. I often end up bushwhacking trying to find trails or get to viewpoints I’ve spotted and there is no sign of wear after many hikes.The stretch is going to help durability here. Stiff pants will snag and tear whereas stretchy ones will move with the snag and hopefully just bounce back instead of breaking the threads and tearing.
Side pocket gets behind knee
I love side pockets to put my phone or GPS into for easy access (I can’t be without my electronics!). But the side pocket on the right leg is low and too far around the side. Anything I put it there ends up around behind my knee while I’m walking. After one hike with my phone there, I haven’t used it much for anything. Keys or anything pointy would not be comfortable.
90 out of 100 for the Traveller Stretch Pant
The Royal Robbins Traveler Stretch Pant is a great travelling and hiking pant. The soft, stretchy nylon is really comfortable and moves easily for hiking or just lounging around. I found them quieter than my other nylon pants which is nice for not screaming “HIKER HIKER HIKER!”
The deep pockets hold everything I need to like phones and GPS and with the extra zipper on the back right pocket, adds a little bit of security.
I’d like to see the side zipper on the leg moved so the contents don’t end up behind your knee when walking but it’s a good option if you need to stuff more in your pockets.
For numbers I’d give the Traveller Stretch Pant a 90 out of 100 with it’s fit, durability and comfort.
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