Patagonia Quandary Pants Review

Although they can't speed you down to treeline when the thunder starts booming, the Patagonia Quandary will do an excellent job of limiting how soaked you get if you are out in the rain. They also offer UPF 50 sun protection, a serious bonus at high altitudes, where the sun's rays can be pretty intense, and the nylon fabric's tight weave is both stretchy and cuts the wind well. While they don't have a lot of vents for air to escape, we found their lightweight fabric to be more breathable and more cooling feeling while working up a sweat than most, assisted by an absorptive, moisture-wicking band around the waist. The truth is that these high-scoring scoring pants offer excellent value.

Performance Comparison

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 slightly restrictive around the tops and outsides of the thighs where they meet the hip flexors and pelvis, as well as in the seat. If you have cross-fit thighs or like competing in triathlons, we suggest you try these on before you purchase a pair.

Despite a narrower fit, these pants are supremely mobile. They have 6% spandex blended into their nylon weave, allowing them to stretch any way that you do. They also have a stretchy drawstring recessed into the waistband, which facilitates a perfect fit without a belt, even as your body weight and waistline fluctuate. While they didn't fit as well for our testers as some other models, we love the feel of the fabric against the skin, which is impressively soft for a synthetic material.

Venting and Breathability

When it comes to venting features, these pants do not have a ton to offer. It has mesh lining on half of the two front handwarmer pockets as well as the 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 strength of this model, we did find that the super-thin fabric feels cooler and breathes better than most of the more substantial materials found on competing pants. This pair also has a moisture-absorbing mesh liner around the waistband that is designed to wick away sweat and even feels nice.

Weather Resistance

The Quandary comes with decent but not sensational DWR treatment. Water beads nicely at first, but pants quickly become saturated. However, even after many days of wear and more than a couple of times in the washer, these pants still repelled light rain well. In a solid downpour, these pants will eventually end up soaked. However, they also dry quickly, even after a substantial soaking, so they still possess a huge amount of upside for wet weather conditions.

Features

The feature set on this pair of pants is simple and effective. The most notable feature is a stretchy, thin drawstring on the inside of the waist that works similarly to the ones you would find on a pair of running shorts. We think it helps cinch up the fit slightly if it is 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.

In terms of pockets, it has two front hand-warmer 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, recessed inside the pants rather than resting on the outside. With no other features to speak of, these pants project elegant simplicity more than do-it-all functionality.

Versatility

The light, thin construction of the Quandary pants makes them a good choice for either warm or cold climates. However, they are a bit thin for cooler weather and do not offer much ventilation for scorching temperatures. 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 heavy outdoor work or other activities, like rock climbing, that offer ample opportunity for abrasion.

Should You Buy the Patagonia Quandary?

As a top scorer, these pants are worth it, especially for peak-bagging. They do a great job protecting from the sun, wind, and light rain and look good enough to rock in town as well as on the trail. Though their fit may not be ideal for larger adults, they do a good job of offsetting their sleekness with stretchy fabrics. Despite their price point, there is little compromise when it comes to the quality of these pants, which we would happily recommend for all styles of hiking, from day hikes to long treks and everyday wear.

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