Prana Halle - Women's Review

These pants are flattering enough to wear around town and comfortable enough for active pursuits like hiking, climbing, biking, and traveling. They are made with a 97% nylon and 3% spandex blend and have a slightly flared or straight leg fit. The popularity of the Halle pant means that Prana offers you options up the wazoo. You can get the pants in plus sizes (18 to 22). You can also buy a straight leg cut. Then you have the convertible version that zips off below the knee. Sizes 0-16 come in three inseam options — short (30"), regular (32") and tall (36").

Performance Comparison

Comfort and Mobility

These pants are among the most comfortable and flexible that we've reviewed. The material is soft and stretchy, and the pants have an agreeable mid-waist rise. The thighs are a little tight and the waist a bit wide for some active women, but an integrated waist tie helps remedy the issue. They are thick, which helps with durability but adds weight. They are one of the heaviest pairs of pants we tested.

These pants are never restrictive, moving with us while hiking, climbing, or just walking out to check the mail. They don't have a gusseted crotch but stretch well enough that we didn't miss it. The articulated knees keep the pants flexible even in the middle of the most extremely high step. We never went for a move or threw a heel hook and felt like the pants held us back. The Halle allows for full-motion without any restriction.

The version we tested has a slight bootcut flair, and the extra fabric isn't always welcome. There is a straight cut version that would be more convenient if the pants are soggy with rain or when you need to watch your foot placements. We just roll these up, and we're good to go.

Venting and Breathability

These pants are breathable and work well in temperate and chilly weather. They do not breathe as well as many lighter-weight options we tested, however. Once the temps warm-up, they are a little too thick to keep us cool if we are working hard. They are an excellent option for spring and fall, and higher elevation summer wear.

The version we tested includes tabs to hold up hem rolls. When rolled, they convert to a 24" crop. The crop gets some air on your ankles and lets some flow up around your knees. If you like zip-off pants, Prana does make the Halle in a version that zips off below the knee. It doesn't make the pants much shorter than rolling them does, but it does eliminate the bulk of the rolled fabric. We'd rather fold the pants up than deal with the zippers and two loose pieces of fabric, but we appreciate that Prana provides the option.

Weather Resistance

These pants have a bit of water resistance. The DWR (durable water repellent) coating beads and sloughs splashes, but rain quickly works into the fabric.

We put the Halle through three water tests. The third was accidental. We sprayed the pants a water bottle, stood in the shower for 5 minutes, and got caught out in a storm when the rain was coming in sideways. In every situation, the DWR shed water for a moment before it started to soak the outer layers. Since the pants are thick, it takes another couple of minutes for them to soak through to your legs.

Once wet, they take a long time to dry, longer than the lightweight pants we tested. As such, they aren't the best option for the deep backcountry, where getting and staying wet can have serious consequences. But if you have a change of pants or a place to duck out of the storm or dry off, they're fine.

Features

The Halle pants have two useful features, an internal waist tie and snap tabs to secure roll-up cuffs. Then there are its disappointing pockets.

One pocket is reasonably useful, though a little uncomfortable to use. Placed on the right thigh, the side pocket is big enough to hold some phones. But not if you have a bulky case, which we need to keep our delicate devices alive. It does work well for a small map, keys, or credit cards. We call it nearly useful. The front hand pockets, not so much. They don't even successfully hold your hands. They're too shallow to trust with anything valuable. The back pockets have snapped and are reasonably sized, but there's only so much you want to shove in your pant seat.

The internal drawstring helps hold the pants in place as they stretch throughout the day, or you lose weight throughout your adventures. The pants also have belt loops, but we hate wearing one with a backpack or climbing harness.

Internal tabs snap the roll-up hems in place. Though the material is stiff enough to hold a roll on its own most of the time (not always the case with hiking pants), the tabs are super useful if the pants are wet. While these snaps seem bombproof, the front buttons are not.

The large disks are sewn into what amounts to a single point, increasing stress on the thread. Expect to lose one at some point. We've lost one, and online reviews suggest that many others have too. Luckily there are two buttons, a zipper, and an internal tie, so they won't fall off you regardless. This strikes us as an overly complicated system. But it works.

Versatility

From your 10 am meeting to your 5:30 hike to the local crag, these pants flow from one task to the next. They score well for their day-to-day versatility. They are durable enough for scrambling and climbing, fashionable enough to wear around town, and warm enough for even chilly climbing days.

While they work for a variety of activities, they aren't breathable enough to keep us comfortable on hot days or thru-hikes. They also don't handle rain well enough or dry quickly enough to inspire confidence on long backcountry missions. The thick fabric does a good job fending off blood-sucking mosquitoes, though, and we love them for almost any outdoor day-trip we can dream up.

Value

These pants are expensive. But if you are looking for a pair of climbing pants that can take a lot of wear and tear, the longterm value is there. That's especially true if you know how to sew buttons back on. If you don't, YouTube it. It's incredibly easy. We have older versions of this pant in our closet that are still looking great even after years of use.

Conclusion

The Prana Halle marries form and function. We love their style, their roll-up hems, and their comfort and mobility are hard to beat. They are our favorite hiking pants to climb in, and you can count on them for unimpeded movement on the rock and trail. They are not the best option for long-term, backcountry use but are an excellent choice for brisk adventures where you don't plan on getting wet.