Prana Stretch Zion Review

We wore the Prana Stretch Zion for a wide variety of activities to ensure it was thoroughly tested. While Prana has now created several spin-off versions of the Stretch Zion with different focuses, these original classics have stood the test of time for a reason.

Comfort and Mobility

These have a more relaxed fit that naturally affords a great range of motion. When also considering the stretch fabric construction, we placed the Prana Stretch Zion toward the front of the pack in our scoring against the other hiking pants in the review.

The Prana Stretch Zion is made with 97% nylon and 3% elastane, a somewhat classic blend of fabrics. However, these 2-way stretch pants don't offer as much elasticity as some of the competition that boasts 4-way stretch. The loose fit of the Stretch Zion fortunately provides a great range of motion to make up for this, and we suspect you'll be able to move however you need for your intended activities. We were.

If you want the softest-feeling pair of hiking pants against the skin, we might steer you away from the Prana Stretch Zion, but for most of our testing team, we concluded that these offer “good, not great” suppleness. This was a common trade-off we found with pants as durable as these.

Venting and Breathability

As a thicker pair of pants, the Prana Stretch Zion doesn't have the most breathable fabric construction. However, its venting features bumped it up to above average in the end.

On warm days or for high-heart-rate missions, the Prana Stretch Zion can be rolled up to the upper shin and secured with two plastic snaps on each leg, keeping the rolled fabric in place.

This convertibility and the venting in the upper thigh/crotch area made for decent airflow. With a more casual cut, the less breathable fabric wasn't a dealbreaker, though if you live in a hot climate, or know you tend to sweat a lot, there are other pants that shed heat more easily.

Versatility

These convertible pants can handle a wider range of seasons than many of their counterparts, putting them near the front of the pack. However, the durable fabrics made them less ideal for the height of summer, preventing them from being the absolute best in this metric.

The Prana Stretch Zion is great for a wide variety of outdoor recreation. We were happy in these for rock climbs, summit hikes, backpacking, casual evening strolls, and even felt good wearing them at casual social gatherings. The thicker build allowed us to wear them further into chillier seasons, and the roll-up feature plus thigh venting let's you push wear into warmer weather as well, making them an almost year-round pant, though be careful if you need the utmost breathability from your pants in super hot weather. The crotch vents and roll-up legs did, of course, make these more comfortable to wear at higher temperatures, but the Stretch Zion doesn't fully convert into traditional shorts.

Features

We loved the features offered by the Prana Stretch Zion. From the aforementioned roll-up capabilities of the lower leg to the webbing waist adjustments, these were among our top-performing models in this metric.

Zip-off pants can be polarizing for a number of reasons, from style concerns to some annoyance with having a zipper at your knee. However, the Prana Stretch Zion offers an alternative with a roll-up system that held up quite well throughout testing.

While they won't replace your shorts, the Stretch Zion can handle warmer temperatures better than similarly thick pants, and the vent holes at the upper thigh were unique amongst our review's lineup.

The webbing waist adjuster worked reliably and allowed us to avoid using a belt. These pants also offer some classic drop-in pockets in the front and back, with a thigh pocket that has two openings.

Durability

These are among the more durable models we've tested, with a thicker fabric making them noticeably more resilient against sharp rocks or branches than much of the competition.

The Prana Stretch Zion weighs in at 12.7 ounces, yet its durability is on par with pants that are noticeably heavier. As we've already shared, these pants are made with a classic blend of nylon and spandex, but Prana has simply chosen to use more of that fabric to make the Stretch Zion more resilient against fraying or tearing. We also never had any issues with the zippers or seams, and the plastic snaps that retain the rolled-up legs also held up. Just remember that the fabric of these pants isn't as breathable, making the Stretch Zion another example of a classic trade-off between ventilation and durability.

Should You Buy the Prana Stretch Zion?

If you want a pair of hiking pants that offer some convertibility and a healthy list of features, the Prana Stretch Zion belongs in your shopping cart. This classic pair of pants offers great versatility for outdoor enthusiasts looking to hike, backpack, climb, or even for casual strolling on their backyard trail. If you live in the American Southwest and do a lot of hiking in the heat of summer, the Stretch Zion might be too thick, but it offers better durability than many hiking pants on the market.

What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?