I picked up Prana’s Halle Jogger II a year ago on a whim, after falling madly in love with (and purchasing far too many of) the brand’s bestselling women’s Halle Pant. What started as a “sure, I might as well try these out” has since turned into a near obsession, and it’s safe to say that these are, hands down, my new favorite trouser for hiking, cycling and rock climbing. They’re durable, quick-drying, and packed with enough mindfully placed pockets for stowing my phone, snacks and a map or wallet.
This jogger-turned-hiking-pant trend has been accelerating in the outdoor industry for a couple of years now, with top brands like Patagonia and Outdoor Research jumping into the category. The idea is simple: Pair city-forward styling (think your favorite comfy jeans or cords) with functional stretch performance fabrics and secure pockets for stashing important on-the-go gear. The result? Bottoms that you can wear from the slopes to the streets with ease.
Made from sustainable, Fair Trade, UPF 50+ fabric, this update to the classic Halle Pant has a street-forward style that hikers, bikers and climbers will all flip for. Zippered back pockets and side phone pouches safely store your must-have trail gear, while a mid-rise cut and knit cuffs mean never tripping over your flares.
What we liked about it
As with most of Prana’s lineup, there’s a lot to love about the updated Halle Jogger II. Since the release of the original, discontinued Sky Canyon Jogger, the brand has taken user feedback to make a great pant even better, adding room to the upper thigh for a more relaxed fit, increasing pocket depth and stitching durable webbing reinforcement onto the front button closure. Prana has also upgraded the fabric to its proprietary ReZion blend, which is more lightweight, boasts a UPF 50+ sun protection rating and uses recycled nylon for a more earth-friendy approach.
Street style with trail fabrics
As I mentioned before, this is my favorite hiking pant for when I’m looking to boulder scramble in Joshua Tree or cruise up Mt. Baldy on an all-day romp and then grab dinner or a craft beer with friends afterward. Because of their wrinkle-resistant, quick-dry status, they’re also my favorite travel pants and are the first thing into my suitcase for an active vacation or work trip. The fabric is identical to Prana’s bestselling Halle Pant, which frequently makes lists of the best women’s hiking pants, but a shorter fit, roomier thighs and stretchy knit ankle cuffs make these pants just a touch comfier. They’re also ideal for multi-sport enthusiasts, like cyclists and rock climbers, who need hip mobility and feet and ankle zones free from cumbersome fabric.
Plus, the Halle Jogger comes in loads of fun colors, like vibrant Earthbound and more textural Charcoal Camo that are easy to pair with high-performing hiking tops you already own (I recommend the Chakara Crop Top and Alpenglow Short Sleeve) or with a strappy blouse for a post-hike night out.
Ample pockets
It’s rare that I have no notes when it comes to the pockets in women’s outdoor pants, but Prana has really listened to fan feedback with this latest design, and, apart from increasing pocket depth to more easily hold an iPhone, the brand has included trail-specific features like zippered back pockets and an “invisible” vertical zippered pouch on the wearer’s left side. The outer right thigh boasts a stretchy patch-style pocket for quick phone, snack or map access.
Sustainable and Fair Trade Certified
When Prana updated its top-selling pieces with ReZion fabric, it took many good things and made them truly great. The Halle Jogger is made with 95% recycled nylon and 5% elastane, for that just-right stretch. The company uses Bluesign-approved materials, meaning that chemicals of concern are kept out of the manufacturing process, increasing safety for factory workers while decreasing pollution. As if that wasn’t enough, these babies are made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, ensuring that industry employees along the production chain are paid fairly.
What we didn’t like about it
While this is a truly excellent adventure pant that I throw on to walk my dog around Boulder just as often as I button them up for a long day on the trail, there are a couple of considerations that thoughtful shoppers might want to know before dropping some cash.
It doesn’t come in men’s sizes
If I had a nickel for every time one of my male friends complimented these pants and said they wanted to buy a pair, I would have … a lot of nickels. My guess is that the slouchy, street-forward style (roomy thighs and knit ankle cuffs) makes the Halle Jogger appeal to both genders, but for now, boys, you’ll have to nab the Stretch Zion E-Waist Pant or Outdoor Research’s new Ferrosi Joggers.
No belt loops
While I’m not a big belts-on-the-trail kinda girl, I know a lot of hikers who want well-stitched belt loops in their trekking trousers, and you won’t find them here. You will, however, find an interior drawstring that sits behind the front button to help cinch the waist tightly when your pants start to sag.
How it compares
Like I mentioned before, there’s been a huge uptick in adventure joggers on the market in the last year, and Prana’s Halle Jogger is the best of the bunch when it comes to excellent pocket design and use of sustainable materials. Surprisingly, it also comes in at the lower end of normal pricing, at $95.
However, if you prefer a stretchy waistband with ultra-soft fabric and no-chafe design around the upper thighs, check out Patagonia’s similarly priced Happy Hike Studio Pants ($99). They truly saved me on my last week of hiking the John Muir Trail, after my thicker, more durable hikers gave my poor, sweaty skin a strange heat rash.
A sleek, nearly impossible-to-rip upscale option can be found in local Jackson Hole brand Stio’s Pinedale Jogger ($159), which is also designed with an elastic waistband, rather than a jeans-style button and zipper. Want a more wallet-friendly choice for comfy trail pants? Take a look at Eddie Bauer’s moisture-wicking Trail Tight Joggers ($110 from $90).
Bottom line
With phenomenal pocket design, cute trail-to-town styling and sustainable manufacturing, Prana’s Halle Jogger II is the ideal adventure pant for mountain mavens who like to tear it up on the singletrack, then hit a hip aprés destination without stopping to change. These trousers feature a jeans-style button closure up front and secure zippered back pockets for storing your most valuable trail essentials. Plus, with the recent addition of Prana’s bespoke ReZion fabric, they’re more earth-friendly than ever.
