8 Modern Downhill Pants Ridden & Rated

Gone are the days of heavy, tough, inflexible, and hot pants taken from our motocross cousins – the main reason I gave up wearing them and rode mostly in shorts for a decade. Pants are making a comeback, with plenty of MTB-specific options that are lightweight and cool, as well as stretchy and flexible in the right places for pedaling and wearing all day long.

Modern materials and technology have been integral in this; the pants here feature some interesting materials to help them fit well, protect from abrasion and even assist you in sliding when you hit the ground.

What benefits are gained from pants over shorts? Of course, they keep you warmer, which is especially useful on colder, wet days when puddle splashes can soak your lower legs and quickly cool down your feet. They keep your legs and kneepads cleaner which means one less thing to clean up after a ride. They also protect your skin from abrasions, sun, oily drivetrains, and as I managed with one pair featured here, burning yourself with your disc rotor.

Similar to the helmet roundup, I can't stress enough that fit is key, and heading to a local shop to get the right size is really important. I found there were differences between the sizing across the brands, and the quality of the waist belt adjustment makes a big difference to how well they fit. I'm just over 6' with a 32" (81cm) waist and 33" (84cm) inseam. So fairly tall and slim, but by no means an outlier.

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Troy Lee's Sprint pants are made from 90% polyester with 10% spandex throw into the mix to keep things flexible. The knee zone has been shaped to work around knee pads, and a tougher fabric is placed on the rear and back of the thighs, as well as on the knee and shin to help to prevent abrasion in a crash. They are one of the few pants here to use an MX-style mesh inner-liner, this stops below the knee.

There are mesh panels on the calves to keep things cool and a black 'sonic welded thermo skin' material is used inside the right ankle to protect against the chain. The fit is controlled by velcro adjusters and a zip and button fly. The fabric is also Bluesign approved, which promises that the material is ecologically sourced and hazardous chemicals and dyes have been avoided in its manufacture.



The TLD pants offer a great fit – they are slim but flexible and stretch in all the right places. The velcro waist adjusters fitted securely and two decent sized, zipped pockets mean you can get your phone and car keys secured in a safe place. Unfortunately, during a crash, my pedal tore straight through the shin and the 'sonic welded thermo skin' patch on the inside of the right ankle, but this would have likely torn every pant without an extra-tough fabric. Like nearly all the pants here, they could be a little longer; tailoring pants shorter is easy, extending them, not so much.

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The Vector pants from Alpinestars are easily the toughest and heaviest on test, but they also have the most tailored fit for riding. The majority of the pant is made from tough material that doesn't offer stretch, but it is divided by small stretch panels. They are not the most comfortable in general, but when in riding position they move in all the right places.



There is bonus foam in the knee and shin area to act as very light protection (but not in place of kneepads), and the widespread tough material offers the most generous protection for skin abrasions from any pant here. The heavyweight construction and inner mesh liner, which also helps to create a slip-plane between the two-layers to help with abrasions, also make the Vector one of the warmer pants tested.

The one pocket on the left thigh is big enough for a phone and some money, but there is also an internal mesh pocket that could take a couple of coins or a small key. The heavy-duty waist strap, along with some elastic sections and a strip of silicone offers secure adjustment. I used a size 32" which came up short in leg length, but the waist was spot on with the belt open. Next time I would go for the 34" to get a bit more length, knowing there is plenty of security from the fit around the waist to stay in place.

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The POC Resistance Pro was one of my previous favorite pants, which I reviewed two years ago. This new pair forgoes the 'Super Fabric' found on the previous version, but offer some alternative features. There is a panel made from a thicker material that runs from the hip, down the thigh, and over the knee which adds some amount of abrasion protection.



They are the only pants here that offer some adjustment at the ankle in the form of snaps if you need a tighter fit. Pop both of these snaps open to reveal a zip that reaches nearly to the knee, meaning you can take knee pads on or off without exposing yourself to the world or remove the pants without taking off your shoes.

There are two pockets on the thighs, one of which has an internal mesh pocket to secure your phone or money more easily. There is a third small pocket on the back of the waist which is handily sized for a lift ticket or bank card - especially useful for bike park riding to scan your lift ticket through the magnetic barriers.

I initially opted for the L size, which was far too baggy at the waist, with velcro adjustment that doesn't offer much range or security. I then tried an M-size, which was a much better fit, but came up very short in length. They are a super comfortable pant, that feels similar to the Dainese HG1, but thicker and warmer, so suited to cooler temperatures. They also feature internally taped seams above the knee and a waterproof coating to help keep your mid-section dry.

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Dainese is a company that is clearly performance over fashion-focused. These HG1 'High Gravity' pants come from their latest ranges, which have certainly had an update in the styling dept.

The HG1 feel more like a pair of leggings than pants; a very slim fit and stretchy material throughout make them the most comfortable on test. There are patches of 'Super Fabric' on the hips and knees, which is similar to a material used by POC. The material uses tiny dots of ceramic to help you slide along the ground, rather than grip to it.



There is no zip fly, with just a flap of material and a small snap instead. The waistband is adjusted using elasticated velcro flaps. This minimalist waist design is one of the reasons they are so comfortable, but also meant they were the worst on test for staying up. The velcro adjusters have a small range and stretch material all-around the waist meant they stretched, rather than staying put.

I tested the size large / 34" waist, but the waist was too big. Despite this, they still had a very tight fit around my muscle-free legs. Next time I would choose the medium, but I feel these could be really tight on the thighs.

The single pocket on the Dainese pants was a huge letdown. It is placed almost in the groin/top of the hip area and could take an iPhone sans-case on a good day. This meant there was no space for anything else and the phone sticking into my groin when riding was quite uncomfortable. These are the only pants made in Europe, which made me feel slightly better about my terrible carbon footprint.

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The 100% R-Core-X pants are built mostly from four-way stretch rip-stop material which is tough, yet flexible. The fit is very slim and clearly focused on racing, which is seconded by the styling and colorways.



The pants use laser-cut perforations to allow air in and out, similar to the Fox, and mesh panels near the groin and back of the calves for ventilation. A single big pocket on the left thigh can easily store a phone and more, but despite their racy-look, there is no extra pocket for a lift pass.

The waist is secured by a lightweight pull cord system, but could benefit from some silicone grippers for extra hold and to keep your shirt tucked in for race-runs. The 32" size fitted me perfectly, although, like nearly all the pants here, was too short for my lanky legs.

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Fox Racing is another brand that crossed over from the MX-world, initially simply taking MX pants and selling them to mountain bikers in the early days, but now a huge chunk of the brand is focused on MTB. It is clear that these Flexair pants have been designed from the ground up for MTB racing, but have taken some of their MX experience along for the ride.



These were probably the coolest pants on test, similar to the 100%, and the laser-cut perforations on the top of the thigh offer much-needed airflow to the nether regions on hot days. The Flexair offers nothing in the way of additional protection, or abrasion resistant materials, but they are incredibly light and comfortable. These are better suited to warmer summer days when you still want a full-length pant instead of shorts. The 'C6 Eco-friendly DWR' coating did add an element of water resistance, enough to ward off puddle splashes and light showers.

There are two useful hip pockets on each hip and a ratchet-style waist adjuster. To secure the fit there is a band of silicone that stretches all the way around the inside of the waist, which helps to keep them in place, and/or your shirt tucked in for aero-race runs.

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From an innovative beginning in the neck brace world, Leatt has expanded to offer a nearly complete line of riding equipment from head to toe. These DBX 4.0 pants are constructed from a similar material to the 100% pants, but this rip-stop style material offers much more stretch than the 100% version. They have a racy look, but the cut is generous enough to wear extra padding underneath. There is also an inner mesh liner that reaches down to the knee.



I opted for the size large, and this offered a good length, but still a great fit at the waist thanks to the velcro waist adjuster that gave the biggest range of any pant here. This is aided by five silicone strips that pass around the full circumference of the waist to help them stay up or your shirt tucked in.

There is one useful pocket on the right thigh, and another on the back of the waist, perfect for a lift pass to reach magnetic scanners that could be on either side.

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The Ion Scrub Select pants are made mostly from four-way stretch fabrics, except for the front of the knee and below the shin, so are superbly comfy in all situations. Thicker neoprene sections on the hips offer a little added protection, but also warmth. The water repellent coating also helped to keep off some spray and rain, but these are not a waterproof pant.



The Scrub pants had the baggiest fit and biggest waist, compared to the tightly cut race-fit of the other pants. Useful, for err, 'chunkier' riders or people wanting to use extra protection like padded undershorts.

There are two pockets, and the one on the right-hand side has an extra neoprene pouch inside to secure and protect your mobile. Ironically, I smashed my phone while wearing these pants, but when you crush a screen between your hip joint and a rock there is little hope.

I was in between sizes with the Scrub, so went for the 34", which had a decent leg length but the waist was baggy. Thankfully, there was just enough adjustment from the velcro waist belt to secure them.

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So which pant came out on top? A range of pants were tested, and all these pants were aimed at downhill and freeride, but some brands do offer other models in their lines that may suit different riding conditions and preferences.

My favorite? Despite everything I said above the Dainese HG1, they were my favorite. The pocket was useless and so was the waist adjustment, but they were super light, comfortable, stealthy, and their medium 'warmth' worked well in most conditions and deflected occasional puddles. The 'Super Fabric' was tough and survived a solid crash with hard-shell knee pads underneath. These pants are very race focussed, hence the lack of pockets, but adding a couple more and a better waistband would make them 'perfect' for me.

For colder, wetter, and harsher conditions, the POC and ION are on the warmer side, deflect some water, but are still supremely comfortable. They are not a full winter pant, but they should be ideal for all but the most extreme winter days, and downhill riding in up to low 20ºc heat.

The Alpinestars were the least comfortable, but are cut well enough with flexy panels that they do not limit movement, and they are still better than anything from ten years ago. The upside of this is they are easily the toughest pants here and will last many seasons, unlike some of the super light materials used on some of these products. Ideal for riders who wants products to last years, or parents that don't want to replace mini-shredders kit all the time.

For hot summer days in the bike parks or racing, the 100%, Fox, and Leatt pants offer the raciest styling and cut. The Fox were the coolest, followed by the 100% and the Leatt. There is little to choose between these three pairs, so opt for the ones that suit your local climate the best.

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Reviews and Tech Reviews Ridden And Rated Apparel Pants 100percent Alpinestars Dainese Fox Clothing Ion LEATT POC Troy Lee Designs