Patagonia Quandary Review

When hiking a 14er in Colorado, your most significant concerns are going to be getting off the summit before thunderstorms arrive, avoiding a wicked sunburn, and being prepared in case a chill wind picks up. The Patagonia Quandary can help with all of these concerns. Although they can't speed you down to treeline when the thunder starts booming, they will do an excellent job of preventing massive water absorption if you get caught in the rain. They also give UPF 50 sun protection, a serious bonus at high altitudes, where the sun's rays can be pretty intense, and their tight nylon weave is simultaneously stretchy and mobile while cutting the wind nicely.

While they don't have a lot of vents for hot air to escape, we found their lightweight fabric to be more breathable and cooler feeling while working up a sweat than most, aided by an absorptive, moisture-wicking band around the waist. The truth is that these were the second highest scoring pants in our review, behind the best overall Prana Stretch Zion, and come at the lowest price, a great value.

Performance Comparison

The Quandary is our Best Bang for the Buck winner because they are affordable and super comfortable. We also like their simple look for wearing around town, and they are a fantastic hiking pant as well!

Comfort and Mobility

The Quandary pant is cut thin and features a slim fit that Patagonia recommends for lean-to-medium builds. We would agree with this recommendation, as we found them to be ever so slightly constrictive, in a noticeable but not annoying way, around the tops and outsides of our thighs where they meet the hip flexors and pelvis, as well as in the seat. For reference, our head tester is pretty darn skinny and has often been made fun of for his stick legs, so if you have cross-fit thighs or like competing in triathlons, we suggest you try these on before you purchase a year's supply.

We must point out that despite a narrower fit, these pants are supremely mobile. They have 6% spandex fibers blended into their nylon weave and stretch any which way that you do. They also have a stretchy drawstring, like on running shorts, recessed into their waistband that helps one find the perfect fit without a belt, even as your body weight and waistline fluctuates (as it does on all of us). While they didn't fit as perfect for us as the Prana Stretch Zion, they were more comfortable than the similarly slim fitting KUHL Kontra Air. We also loved the feel of the fabric against our skin, which was impressively soft for a synthetic material, and felt better than the Arc'teryx Perimeter Pant. 8 out of 10 points for comfort and mobility.

Made of recycled nylon combined with 6% spandex, these pants are seriously stretchy! While they were a bit trim fitting, their insane stretchiness, and therefore mobility, meant we never felt constricted while hiking in them.

Venting and Breathability

When it comes to venting features, this pant does not have a lot to offer. It has mesh lining half of the two front handwarmer pockets and tiny coin pocket, and a small piece of mesh on the inside of the right thigh pocket, but none on the back pockets. Likewise, there are no other features that accommodate venting, and it does not come in a separate version that is convertible into shorts.

Although venting is not a strong suit of this pant, we did find the super thin fabric to feel cooler and breathe better than most of the more substantial materials found on competing pants. It also has a moisture absorbing mesh liner around the waistband that is designed to wick away sweat, and even feels nice. The result is that we it performed equally to the KUHL Renegade Cargo Convertible and The North Face Paramount 3.0, two pants that had heavier fabric but more ventilation. 7 out of 10.

Testing the Quandary for breathability and venting while running up this steep hill in the hot sun. While they didn't have a lot of features to aid in venting, we found that their very thin, light fabric did a more effective job than most at breathing.

Versatility

The light, thin construction of the Quandary pant makes them a good choice for either warm or cold climates. However, they are perhaps a bit thin for frigid weather, and likewise, do not offer much ventilation for scorching temps. The fact that they do a good job repelling a light rain adds to their versatility.

Because of their thin fabric, we wouldn't choose to intentionally use these pants for work or any other activity that is especially abrasive, like rock climbing. We think the KUHL Renegade Cargo Convertible, or even the Prana Stretch Zion, are better suited to these purposes. Much like REI Co-op Screeline, we think they make an excellent pant for travel. 7 out of 10 points.

We couldn't help but test the versatility of the Quandary out at the local sport crag. While we loved their mobility, their thin, lightweight fabric likely won't hold up to too much rubbing against the rock. We loved them for hiking in all seasons, but wouldn't use them for highly abrasive activities, like climbing or yard work, very often.

Water Resistance

The Quandary Pant came with a surprisingly effective DWR treatment, and in our shower test, it was second only to the performance of our Top Pick for Wet Climates, the Arc'teryx Perimeter Pant.

Even after many days of wear and more than a couple of times in the washer, these pants caused a light rain or drizzle to bead up and drip off. In a solid downpour, they eventually ended up relatively soaked, and yet our legs stayed dry inside, which was more than we could say about our legs while wearing The North Face Paramount 3.0 pants. The nylon proved to be not very absorptive, and they also dried quickly and efficiently, even after a substantial soaking. As the second-best pant for this metric, we awarded them 9 out of 10 points for water resistance.

Before jumping in the shower, we tested the Quandary under a simulated light rain, and found that their DWR coating was quite effective at preventing moisture from soaking in, rather forcing it to run off. These were the second most effective pants for water resistance.

Features

The feature set on this pair of pants could be described as simple and effective. The most notable feature is a stretchy thin drawstring on the inside of the waist that works like a pair of running shorts. We thought it helped cinch up the fit slightly if it was too loose, and gives one the option of wearing these pants without a belt, a feature we prefer for hiking or backpacking with a pack.

Regarding pockets, it has two front handwarmer pockets with a tiny coin pocket, and two rear pockets, the left of which has a zipper. On the right thigh is a zippered storage pocket that is recessed inside the pant, rather than resting on the outside, cargo style.

The Quandary has a simple feature set with only one extra pocket in addition to the hand pockets and rear pockets. This recessed, zippered pocket lives high on the right thigh, and is plenty large enough to carry a phone, wallet, or other trail necessities.

With no other features to speak of, this pant projects elegant simplicity more than do-it-all functionality. We awarded it the same score as the very similarly designed North Face Paramount 3.0, as well as the Mountain Hardwear Men's Hardwear AP Pant. 6 out of 10.

A feature unique to the Quandary is this drawstring on the inside of the waist belt that helps make micro-tuned adjustments to the fit, and helps you avoid needing to wear a belt underneath a pack waist strap. You can also see the mesh wicking material inside the waist belt designed to allow sweat moisture to evaporate quicker.

Best Applications

As its name suggests, the Quandary pant is best suited to hikes where you are just as likely to want to stay cool as warm. Summertime alpine peak ascents, day hikes, and backpacking are all ideal pursuits for this pant. Likewise, it is a good choice for travel, camping, or use around town. It does well when facing a light rain, but like all hiking pants, won't keep you dry in a deluge. It would not be our first choice for outdoor work or rock climbing.

I think we lost the trail. The Quandary pant was a great choice for both hot and cold weather hiking, and was easily one of the most mobile, nimble, and comfortable choices that we tested.

Value

This pant retails for $79. Since it was the second highest overall scorer in this review and comes at the lowest price, it was an easy choice for our Best Bang for the Buck Award. Backed by the Patagonia Ironclad guarantee, there is no doubt that these pants present a great value.

Hiking on a trail in the San Juan Mountains, contemplating value. As the most affordable pants in this review, not to mention one of the top scorers, we felt the Quandary were the perfect hiking pant for our Best Bang for the Buck Award.

Conclusion

The Patagonia Quandary pants are a slim fitting but highly mobile pant that does a great job protecting from the sun, wind, or light rain, and look good enough to rock in town as well as on the trail. Due to their fit, they may not be the favorite of larger guys, but do a good job of offsetting their sleekness with stretchy fabrics. Despite being the most affordable hiking pant in this review, there is absolutely no compromise being made when selecting these pants, which we would happily recommend for all styles of hiking from day hikes to long treks.

One of the best parts of living in Ouray is the huge network of trails that surround town. Hiking in the evening in the comfortable Quandary Pant, it almost felt like going for a stroll in our pajamas.