Reviews You Can Rely On

Prana Halle II Pant - Women's Review

The redesign of a longtime favorite introduces some wonderful fixes but loses a little of the old magic
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Prana Halle II Pant - Women's Review
Credit: Prana
Price:  $95 List
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Manufacturer:   Prana
By Clark Tate ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jul 1, 2022
72
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort and Mobility - 35% 8.0
  • Venting And Breathability - 20% 7.0
  • Weather Resistance - 15% 6.0
  • Features - 15% 7.0
  • Versatility - 15% 7.0

Our Verdict

The Prana Halle II is a redesign of a long-time hiking pant favorite. The new version has some definite improvements – stronger buttons, fabric that seems more breathable, deeper pockets, and a higher and more convenient rise. But there are other elements we're less sure of – the fabric may abraid more readily and the fit seems harder to nail. Thanks to their generous cut, they're still a wonderful pair of hiking pants. And the higher rise means they work better than ever under a backpack waist strap or climbing harness. We loved their predecessors for high abrasion hikes (think canyoneering or climbing) due to their thick and rugged fabric. These feel lighter. They breathe more than the originals, but show more wear and tear so far too. For now, these are great pants that are an excellent choice for day hikes and overnights alike.
REASONS TO BUY
Super comfy mid-rise
Breathes well
Usable pockets
Moves wonderfully
REASONS TO AVOID
Less flattering than originals
Fabric may be less durable

Our Analysis and Test Results

Made from a 95% recycled nylon and 5% elastane blend, the Halle II pants have a slightly flared or straight-leg fit. The popularity of these pants means that Prana offers you options like crazy. You can get these pants in a straight-leg cut and shorts. All three options come in plus sizes (18w to 22w), and the Halle II we tested comes in three inseam options. We love that you can wear them around town, and they are comfortable and technical enough for active pursuits like hiking, biking, and traveling.

Performance Comparison


prana halle ii pant for women - the new halle ii hiking pants have some improved technical details...
The new Halle II hiking pants have some improved technical details, like more breathable fabric and a higher waist that works better under pack straps.
Credit: Clark Tate

Comfort and Mobility


We love the flexibility and comfort we get from these, and they have a wonderfully pleasant mid-rise that is slightly higher than the originals. The hip and thigh size ratio has also improved in the new version. The waist fits snugly, and the legs aren't too tight. An integrated waist tie helps tailor the fit and account for bloating or weight changes during a longer adventure. There is some extra room in the hips for many of our testers, making them seem a little less flattering than the originals to some.

prana halle ii pant for women - as before, the fabric features limitless stretch. a more generous...
As before, the fabric features limitless stretch. A more generous cut and gusseted crotch only seem to add to the pant's comfort when you're on the go.
Credit: Clark Tate

The cut is very comfortable. The Halles are never restrictive, moving with us while hiking, climbing, or walking out to check the mail. The new version does include a gusseted crotch, which gives you more room to move. Articulated knees keep the pants flexible even in the middle of the most extreme high step. When we took these pants hiking or climbing, we never went for a move and felt like the pants held us back. The Halle II allows for full motion without any restriction. Our tested version has a slight bootcut flair, and the extra fabric isn't always welcome when the ground is wet or we need to roll them up.

prana halle ii pant for women - the slight bootcut flair at the hem can get soggy with rain or...
The slight bootcut flair at the hem can get soggy with rain or potentially get in the way of foot placements. Prana also makes a straight leg version.
Credit: Clark Tate

Venting and Breathability


While we find the Halles breathable, seemingly more so than the originals, they aren't the lightest, most breathable we've seen. We stayed comfortable when working up a sweat on warm days. They may not be the best option for blistering temps, though, but are thick enough to work well in temperate and chilly weather.

If you want to roll the legs up to get some air on your ankles and lower legs, the pants give you snaps for that, and they work well to keep air moving around your legs.

These pants, rather bizarrely, also include two vents in the crotch. They're just two rather small holes with thread sewn around to keep them from ripping. We were pleasantly surprised that we never felt them while wearing the pants. But we can't say that we noticed the additional ventilation either. These seem unnecessary.

prana halle ii pant for women - the halle ii's feature two snaps that hold your rolled hems in...
The Halle II's feature two snaps that hold your rolled hems in place. They force you to have a narrower roll than we're used to, which makes them bulkier than we'd like.
Credit: Clark Tate

Weather Resistance


The Halle pants use a DWR coating, which lets water droplets bead and roll off. It worked wonderfully to keep us dry during light rainstorms and mists during our testing period.

We put these pants through intentional (and some unintentional) water testing. We sprayed them with a water bottle, stood in the shower, and managed to get caught in the rain with these on. In every situation, the DWR shed water briefly before it started to soak the outer layers. Since the pants are thick, they take another couple of minutes to soak through to your legs.

prana halle ii pant for women - the halle iis kept us dry in an inconsistent drizzle.
The Halle IIs kept us dry in an inconsistent drizzle.
Credit: Clark Tate

These pants did take longer to dry than some of the more lightweight options we tested. This can be an issue when deep in the backcountry. While a bit thicker than many options in the test, these pants don't block out wind either. If you opt for these on a longer venture, you might bring a spare set of pants or be sure there is shelter nearby in case of heavier precipitation.

prana halle ii pant for women - when the drizzle stopped, we flicked the excess water off and the...
When the drizzle stopped, we flicked the excess water off and the pants were dry minutes later. (The wet spots are from running into wet brush.) When it really rains, they soak through and take longer to dry than other pants in the test.
Credit: Clark Tate

Features


The Halle II pants have features galore, including an internal waist tie, snaps to the secure roll-up cuff, and new and improved pockets. The hand pockets are an acceptable size, and we like the chapstick-size pouch on the left side.

The side pocket on the right thigh is big enough for a smartphone. But it's a close call, especially if you have a bulky case, which we need to keep our delicate devices alive. It works well for a small map, a key, or credit cards. The back pockets have snapped and are reasonably sized, but we don't particularly care to pack our back pockets full of things anyway.

prana halle ii pant for women - the new halle ii pants have bigger front pockets than the originals...
The new Halle II pants have bigger front pockets than the originals, which we definitely appreciate.
Credit: Clark Tate

There are belt loops, but we're not fans of wearing a belt with a pack or climbing harness, so we appreciate the internal drawstring as an additional waist cinch.

The Halle II now uses only snaps to secure your hems if you'd like to roll them. It's an original solution. The previous version (and most similar designs) have tabs inside the pants that snap to a button on the outside, effectively holding the fabric rolls in place. These pants just give you two snaps. One on the inside and one on the outside. It's clever and reduces bulk in the pants when they aren't rolled up.

Unfortunately, it increases bulk when you do roll them. You have to keep the roll quite narrow, about an inch tall, to fit between the two snaps. That means it's thick, and the two rolls can rub slightly when walking. We like the original tabs better.

Prana reinforced the waist closure buttons with a ribbon of webbing. We often lost buttons on the original version and don't anticipate having the same problem with these.

prana halle ii pant for women - while the higher rise is more comfortable than the originals, we...
While the higher rise is more comfortable than the originals, we don't think they look quite as sharp, at least not on our testers' body types. The loose fabric around the midsection left us feeling a little rumpled.
Credit: Clark Tate

Versatility


While we find these pants quite acceptable for everyday wear and technical hikes and climbs, they are not the best for the heat or the rain. With a longer drying time and thick fabric, they are not your friend if you're going to be in hot, muggy weather, though they are good at hindering mosquitos.

Although we like these pants and the way they look in general, we find the Halle II a bit unflattering, with extra material around the middle. Of course, everyone will have a slightly different look in them depending on their shape. And the higher the rise, the far more comfortable it is for our testers. We'll take that trade-off.

prana halle ii pant for women - we still think these are a good looking, high value pair of hiking...
We still think these are a good looking, high value pair of hiking pants.
Credit: Clark Tate

Value


The Halle pants are expensive, but if you are looking for a versatile pair of pants that can move from town to the trail, they may be worth it to you. While the older version of these pants, the original Halle pants, were highly durable, the jury's still out on the new Halle II. We'll let you know how things go as we continue our testing.

Conclusion


The Prana Halle marries form and function. Their comfort and mobility are hard to beat, especially with the higher rise. They have a great range of motion for activities like rock climbing and hiking. Though not our first choice for long stretches in the backcountry, they're great for day to day adventuring.

Clark Tate