Our reviews are 100% organic. We do not accept payment for reviews or bundle with advertising budgets. In most cases, the brand is providing the product to our reviewers free of charge. Running tights seem get most of the attention in winter gear reviews, but there’s a subsection of runners who don’t like the look, fit or feel. For those folks, looser fitting running pants are a great alternative to provide the same insulation and performance qualities of tights, without the snug fit. Here are a few we’ve tested so far this winter.
Men’s Tracksmith Session
Tracksmith Session ($125)
*Inseam: 32.25” men’s, 29.5” women’s
Tracksmith’s Session collection is designed with tough interval days in mind, and these pants have the silhouette of a classic track suit on the top half, with a mid-rise waist and adjustable drawcord, but taper into a slim fit through the zippered lower legs so excess fabric doesn’t impede your stride. Their overall fabric construction is relatively thin compared to other winter layers, making Session pants great for high-intensity activity, but the material also insulates remarkably well when temps drop below freezing. The fabric is a high-stretch blend of tencel, polyester, nylon and spandex that combine for an extremely soft skin feel, and the nylon utilizes Nilit cooling technology for enhanced moisture wicking and thermoregulation. A small secure zipper pocket on the right hip can hold a key, card or gel, and two drop-in hand pockets on either side provide more storage for casual use. Thanks to remarkable overall comfort, Session pants are the most likely to be worn for the rest of the day after a workout or just thrown on for a day of lounging around the house. Available at www.tracksmith.com.
Women’s Tracksmith Bislett
Tracksmith Bislett ($200)
Inseam: 30.25” men’s, 28” women’s
Old school runners will recall the ubiquity of stirrup pants in the 80s and 90s, which at the time, were the only alternatives to running tights on the market. Conjuring its vintage ethos, Tracksmith named its own stirrup pants after a similar style made by Bislett Sports International in the New England area, which were renowned for their ruggedness and long-term durability. This modern version features a few functional tweaks, plus an innovative Swiss-made dryskin fabric that has four-way stretch capability. While soft on the interior surface, the exterior fabric isn’t nearly as plush as the Session pants, but it is fully abrasion resistant and provides strong wind and weather resistance. The exterior fabric is almost completely waterproof, repelling rain droplets easily, and even when the rain eventually sticks, the fabric doesn’t get saturated or feel heavy. Stirrups at the ankles aren’t just a gimmick; they anchor the pants over the socks and into the shoe, improving protection in harsh conditions. Functional updates to today’s Bislett include zippered ankles, and a small side-seam pocket that holds a phone securely. Men have three color options, but women can add some color flair with seven options. All are available at www.tracksmith.com.
Path Projects Killam PX
Path Projects Killam PX ($98)
Inseam: 29.5” (men’s only)
Path Projects first introduced their Toray Primeflex fabric in their running shorts and have expanded their use to include a jacket as well as pants for winter running. Spiral yarn gives the fabric a built-in mechanical stretch that provides full range of motion at high speeds and recovers its shape in a similar manner as spandex, but is more moisture wicking. The lightweight material feels very soft, has excellent moisture transfer and breathability, and a DWR finish treatment for water resistance. The fit is relaxed through the upper and tapers into the lower leg, with an anti-microbial Tripure nano fiber at the waistband and external drawstring waistband that is easy to manipulate with gloves. Killam PX pants have the best storage capacity of any in our test group, with five zipper pockets of various sizes including two at the rear hips, two hand pockets and a large center rear pocket that holds large phones. These are the most multi-functional pants we’ve tested, but they also have the shortest inseam of any of the men’s pants in this group, so we’d love to see longer versions of them offered for taller runners. Available at www.pathprojects.com.
Craft Pro Trail SubZ
Craft PRO Trail SubZ ($150)
Inseam: 32.5” (men’s only)
The most rugged pants in this lineup come from Craft and are best suited for big and/or tall runners. Their overall fit throughout the leg is relatively loose (a regular fit compared to slim fit) that accommodates larger body sizes or allows you to wear another insulating layer underneath for extremely frigid days. They also have the longest inseam among this group with noticeably more coverage at the ankles for full insulation. However, they don’t feel baggy when worn as a single layer, and the fabric never feels excessive or bulky when running at pace. Material construction predominantly consists of recycled polyester, plus a generous 8% spandex content to provide four-way stretch capacity. The interior surface moves softly, and the exterior surface provides strong wind and weather resistance that we were comfortable wearing for temps in the 20s. Convenient storage options include concealed front zip pockets, three stretch mesh compartments across the back side, and a mesh storage pouch on the right lateral thigh. One inventory drawback for this model is that Craft doesn’t make a direct women’s equivalent; the closest comparable items are ADV SubZ Tights that provide the same degree of insulation in a classic tight style, or ADV Essence Training Pants that have a looser fit but less weather resistance. Craft products are available at www.craftsports.us.
Women’s Patagonia Terrebonne
Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers ($99)
Inseam: 30” men’s, 28” women’s
Patagonia are long-established leaders in combining high performance with lightweight construction, and the Terrebonne Joggers are a perfect example. They are comparable to the company’s Houdini products in terms of their minimalist feel but constructed from recycled polyester material that is plush and has great stretch capacity. Along with the Tracksmith Session pants, the fabric has the most stretch in our test group and this model adds articulated shaping at the knees for even further range of motion. These pants could just as easily be used for yoga. The polyester fabric is bluesign approved, certified by OceanCycle while sourced from coastal communities and treated with a DWR finish that is made without PFC/PFA chemicals. Storage space is provided in two drop-in hand pockets, plus a smaller hidden zipper pocket that’s adjacent to the right-side hand pocket to secure smaller items. Although the Terrebonne model is less robust and performance-oriented than Patagonia’s Wind Shield pants, we found them to have impressive insulating capacity for their weight, as we were comfortable wearing them in the 30-degree range. They are ideal for areas where winter isn’t terribly severe, and a great three-season option for unpredictable weather. Available at www.patagonia.com.
* Inseam length listed throughout this review is from product size charts for men’s size large and women’s size medium garments.