Prana Sage Convertible - Women's Review

The Prana Sage Convertible pants are made of a 95% Nylon/5% Spandex blend with a DWR finish. They are available in three inseam lengths (Short 30", Regular 32", and Tall 36") and convert into a 24" crop and 10" short. The sizing runs from 0-16 and the color choices are Cargo Green, Coal and Dark Khaki.

Performance Comparison

Comfort & Mobility

The material is on the soft side, but the ripstop nylon gives that swish, swish sound when you walk, which gets a bit annoying by the end of the day. The legs are cut fairly close, which is more flattering, but doesn't leave much room for the bulky convertible leg zipper. As such, we could constantly feel that area rubbing against our legs, (similar to the Marmot Lobo's but even worse), and when sitting down the pants felt very tight around our thighs. We even noticed it while scrambling around in the desert, and we did not have the same mobility in these pants as we did with the Prana Halle II - Women's. While this is more of an issue when sitting as opposed to hiking, you may find yourself driving some distance in your hiking pants to get to a trailhead, and you shouldn't have to be uncomfortable doing so. For a more comfortable pair, the Mountain Hardwear Dynama, our Top Pick for comfort, is hard to beat.

We did appreciate the inner drawstring, which lets us get the right fit without needing a belt, and the double snap button closure never popped open on us like the Kuhl Splash Roll Up Pant - Women's did. The material itself is stretchy, but didn't stretch out over the course of a hike, which was nice. But of all the convertible pants that we tested, this was our least favorite for this category. If you are looking for a convertible pant that gives unrestricted movement in both the pant and short length, the The North Face Paramount 2.0 is a great option. Those shorts have only a 5" inseam, and never felt too tight or uncomfortable.

Versatility

With a variety of length options these pants are versatile for changing weather during the day. They also ranked highest for breathability, and are a good option for warm weather hikes and summer backpacking trips. While they are very water resistant, they are slow to dry, making them a second best choice for water sports.

Breathability

As we mentioned above, the Prana Sage Convertible Pant ranked highest for breathability of all the pants in this review. The lightweight material vented well, and we never felt too sweaty on a hot day, even though the shorts on this model are fairly long (knee-length).

Durability

These pants received a good scored for Durability. They held up well during our testing, and are constructed with ripstop Nylon. This is a specific weaving pattern that reinforces the material in regular intervals and ensures that if snags do occur, they won't spread. While we didn't experience any snags during testing (a testament to the smooth-faced Nylon), these pants should have a long life. The front snaps are well-secured and not too difficult to pull apart, unlike the Columbia Saturday Trail Stretch - Women's, putting less strain on the fabric. They also showed no signs of pilling, unlike the Saturday Trail or the Prana Halle.

Weather Resistance

These pants have excellent water resistance. The DWR (durable water repellent) finish made water bead up and roll right off the material, and it took a lot of spraying and rubbing to get them to saturate through. However, they were much slower to dry than the Marmot Lobo's and The North Face Paramount 2.0 pants. Both those pairs dried out completely in about 20 minutes in full sun, and the Sages took over twice that long. As a result, we'd be worried about getting them wet on a backpacking trip, particularly if they were your only pair of pants or if you were expecting drizzly weather for several days in row. Being so thin, they didn't offer much in the way of wind protection, nor do they have a UPF rating.

Features

These pants are packed with features, from the inner drawstring to all the length options. The crop is secured with one strap and snap, which is welcomed, as the unstructured material does not stay rolled up on its own very well. The convertible zipper in easy to undo, and the pants will come off over hiking shoes, but not boots. We did prefer the color coded zippers on The North Face Paramount 2.0 pants though, as they made redoing the legs that much easier.

This pair has a ton of pockets, including two deep side cargo pockets that hold just about anything, including your phone or camera and an energy bar. The back pockets are secured with a hidden button on either side of the flap, which takes some getting used to. And the front pockets are not that deep, which is a bit of a pet peeve of ours. It's nice to be able to walk with your hands in your pockets on cold mornings or just to give your arms a break, and both Prana models in this review don't really accommodate that.

Best Applications

The Prana Sage Convertible pants are a great hiking pant for days that start out warm and plan on getting warmer. They're also a good option if you prefer longer Bermuda-length shorts over shorter ones.

Value

These pants cost $89, making them the most expensive pair that we tested. They do offer a lot of versatility and durability though, so if they fit you well it might be worth the extra money.

Conclusion