Arc'teryx Gamma Pant - Women's Review

The Arc'teryx Gamma pants are the only soft shell option we tested, a category between regular pants and hard shell rain pants. Whereas hard shells are waterproof but struggle to breathe well to release sweat buildup, softshells are more waterresistant than most hiking pants but are more breathable than hardshells. They're a great option for high-output activities, like climbing a mountain, where you want your sweat to escape but need more protection from unexpected weather. If you're going to be out for a while and need to stay dry, you'll want those hard shells.

The Gamma pants are made of recycled nylon. This pair comes in sizes 00 to 16 in regular length (30.5" to 32"), 0 to 10 in short (28.5" to 30"), and 6 to 12 in tall (33.5" to 35").

Performance Comparison

Comfort and Mobility

The Gamma pants are built for performance. Their comfort comes largely from their impressive mobility, which they owe to cleverly constructed stretch fabric and a smart cut. A recent redesign gave them a higher waist for a more precise fit and moved the belt buckle off to the side. The legs also have a slightly looser cut and the gusset has a slight redesign. The result fits our lead tester like a glove and works wonderfully under a harness or back strap. These pants shine during full days spent on the trail or mountain.

The redesign feels so specific, that it may not work as well for all body types and the higher rise may not be as comfortable for casual wear if it's not your typical style or if you have a shorter torso. Since the belt is now moved to the side, the top button sometimes unsnaps, usually when squatting and flexing your abs to down climb.

Otherwise, the pants seem very similar. The fabric is thin, swishes a bit when you move, and is pleasant in hand, especially the soft inner layer. It has more structure than some of the lightest weight hiking pants we tested, which we find more comfortable in rugged terrain. The pant's cut stays out of our way even with its wider redesign and offers plenty of room to wear even our thickest base layer underneath.

The recycled 88% Nylon and 12% elastane material offers enough stretch for any move you'd like to make. Articulated knees and a generous gusset in the crotch ensure you never feel restricted. Curved seams and three-dimensional paneling give your hips and booty space, too. The high rise keeps the pants from sagging at the waist, as does the sleek integrated belt. From deep telemark turns to high steps on rock or ice, these pants never hold us back.

Venting and Breathability

The Gammas are breathable, but they just hold in more heat than some summer-oriented pants in the test, earning a lower score as a result. If you hike in the Gamma pants in 80-degree weather, they'll let your sweat escape, but it takes a bit longer than the lightest options. Their sturdy windproof fabric also works against you here, blocking you from the sweet relief of a breeze.

Luckily, you can roll them up or slide them up your calves, using the cinch in the hem to hold them in place. This is our favorite option in warmer conditions. The mesh hand and side pockets also vent some heat when unzipped.

We wore these pants to play racquetball and climb the never-ending Mount Stair-Stepper at the local gym, allowing us to test breathability in a controlled environment. They kept us sweat-free during the stop-and-start sport but held onto moisture during the consistent climb. After we stopped, they released the buildup quickly, keeping us comfortable enough to head to lunch without a shower.

We found the same was true on a 12-mile hike in humid conditions in the mid-80s. They were warmer and less breathable than we'd like but managed moisture reasonably well.

Weather Resistance

Throughout months of testing, the Gamma pants proved to be one of the best options for protecting against adverse weather. They block wind well, including in frigid winter conditions. They are also impressively water resistant thanks to an FCO-DWR (aka fluorocarbon-free durable water repellent) coating.

DWR treatment encourages water to bead up and roll off your clothes instead of soaking into them. It works very well in this case, with water rolling off more readily than most of the options we tested. It kept our legs completely dry in the shower for about 30 seconds. Even then, only a few droplets worked through to our legs. After two full minutes, under a steady fall of water, our legs were damp, but the pants felt surprisingly dry to the touch.

If you're in a sustained rainstorm, though, the water will soak through. Usually, the areas where your rain jacket sheds water onto your pants will saturate first. Like most of the pants in the test, these dry quickly, in about 4.5 hours in our 70-degree dry weather test.

Construction Quality

These pants are impressively wrought with a three-dimensional shape they owe to smartly cut and placed panels. A gusseted crotch, with a slightly updated design, and articulated knees add to their sleek and functional features. Their excellent construction quality carries through to the sturdy nylon fabric and small, even seams.

The softshell material is highly abrasion-resistant. We found the fabric very difficult to puncture with the blunt tip of a paperclip. When it does punch through, the fibers immediately slide back into place. There are no concerning runs that might suggest that the fabric rips easily.

The zippers are reinforced, and the seams are double-stitched and are too small and tight to snag, a rarity that suggests they will stand the test of time. The snap button and hem cinches, which we'll discuss in more detail below, work well and have no obvious weaknesses.

The one concern we have is the new belt buckle. While we appreciate its compact size, lightweight, and tucked away functionality, it is small and plastic. In our experience, small, plastic gear can fall under pressure. Still, we didn't have any durability issues arise during our testing period, and, with the exception of the belt buckle, we don't expect to in the future.

Versatility and Features

The Gamma pants work well in a range of front-country and wilderness adventures and have a few well-designed and helpful features. Most of the hiking pants we've tested are best suited to the summer months and the warmer days of spring and fall. These do well in the warmer months, can handle the winter months, and shine during the cooler parts of fall and spring. They also handle short bouts of wet weather well.

Despite their technical nature, we also wear them to work in our casual office. They're equally versatile in the woods, handling rough hiking trails, backpacking trips, climbing, and alpine adventures. We don't even mind wearing them at the gym. We did get more compliments on the previous version of the pants, though we did have them in a more eye-catching color

The high waist and minimal belt avoid interfering with backpacking waist straps and climbing harnesses, a fact we greatly appreciate.

The pants offer streamlined features that all work well. The pockets are made of sturdy mesh fabric, helping them to breathe while lying flat against your legs. The front pockets are big enough for your hands, phone, or wallet and zip closed for security. They are a bit smaller than the original version though, and are now rounded instead of squared off. We appreciate this detail since dirt and debris always seem to collect in those little pinch points.

A large, zippered thigh pocket on the outside of the right leg easily and comfortably holds a phone or a snack. Small pull tabs now grace the tiny zippers, an attention to detail that we appreciate. A low-profile, high-quality belt is wrapped into the waistband itself.

The cuffs have a drawcord, allowing you to cinch the hems to hold in heat or keep out insects or wet weather. The two small grommet holes that allowed you to strap the pants to your boots in the previous version are now absent. We won't miss them.

Should You Buy the Arc'teryx Gamma Pant?

These excellent pants cost a pretty penny, over twice as much as many options in the review. If you're a casual hiker who isn't hard on clothes and who rarely spends more than a few hours at a time in areas close to shelter, these are probably overkill.

That said, if you go with this pair, they're likely to last. If you want hiking pants that will stick with you through thick and thin in backcountry environments all year long, these are an excellent option.

These pants are also made of 30% recycled content. They use a DWR coating that is free of toxic, forever PFC chemicals. That means they keep you and the Earth healthier.

What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?