Columbia Royce Range Pants Review
Finding a pair of hiking pants can be a challenge especially since there are so many good pairs of hiking pants on the market. If you have been looking for a pair of budget hiking pants the Columbia Royce Range pants might be for you. In this article I am reviewing my experience with wearing Royce Range hiking pants.
Quick Summary: Columbia Royce Range Pants
MSRP: $65
Measured Weight: 10.8oz (size 32/30)
Fabric: 96% Nylon, 4 % Elastane
Pros
- Tapered stylish fit
- Breathability
- Great stretch for mobility
- Cost
Cons
- Minimal features
- Durability good for fairly groomed trails
Bottom Line
The Royce Range pants by Columbia are very lightweight hiking pants with a modern stylish fit. They are very comfortable and have good stretch ability allowing minimal restrictions for ascending up inclines or scrambling if needed to.
Fairly breathable while may not be the most durable pants work well for the majority of trails most people will be on. Features minimal features front, back pockets, and small coin or watch pocket for storage. Overall, the Royce Range is a pretty good budget pick and really works well for trail to town performance.
Performance: Columbia Royce Range Pants
When trying to find the best pair of hiking pants there are a lot of factors to consider. Depending on the season you will want either a lighter more breathable pair or a heavier and warmer pair of pants. Other things to consider are the features like belt loops, pockets, and attachment options. Most importantly is comfort and mobility, when heading out in the backcountry a pair of restrictive pants will just work against you.
Comfort & Mobility
When it comes to comfort these pants do fairly well. After wearing these pants for multiple hikes and camping trips. I find these pants to be super comfy and breathable and great for outdoor adventures to just casual wear. The pants offer great mobility and do not significantly restrict your movements during inclines, big steps, or declines. Overall, the Columbia Royce Range pants offer great comfortability and mobility at a good price range.
Versatility & Style
These pants are pretty dang versatile you can easily bring these pants off trail for a night in the town. And they can withstand the wear and tear of outdoor use. While I would not use these pants for aggressive outdoor trips that involve having to go through a lot of brush or a ton of scrambling.
The fit of the Columbia Royce Range Pants is a modern athletic tapered fit; they are a great choice for hiking, climbing, or just going from the trail to town. An excellent choice on summer days, fall, and/or spring.
Though the Royce Range hiking pants are pretty versatile hiking pants. They do not provide much protection for colder weather due to how lightweight and breathable the material is. Also, while the pants provide some cover against wind it is worth keeping a pair of rain pants handy for added protection.
These pants do well in hot conditions as well due to how lightweight and breathable they are. They unfortunately do not have a cinch cord at the ankle to cinch them up higher, but you can always roll up your pants occasionally needing to adjust.
Durability
The one area the Columbia Royce Range pants are a little weak in is durability. They are made with thinner and lighter material and do not have ripstop fabric. The four-way stretch does help these pants to prevent a snag but does not do much for general durability.
These pants are able to resist normal wear and tear on the trails that do not have a ton of coverage. But I would not go bushwhacking in these pants unless you want to have these pants look like you have gone through a paper shredder.
Breathability
In terms of breathability the Columbia Royce Range pants really excel. They offer great ventilation during those warmer days outdoors. I was pleasantly surprised by how fast they also dry in wet conditions. Only thing I wish they had was a cinch cord to cinch the pants in higher positions for added ventilation.
Weight
The Royce Range hiking pants come in at about 10.8 oz making it a very lightweight pair of hiking pants. Unfortunately, like most pants on the very light side these do give up a little bit on the durability. But they are still durable for the majority of conditions experienced and last a long time.
Weather Resistant
Columbia’s Royce Range hiking pants do a decent job at repelling water due to the DWR coating. I have worn these during multiple showers and the DWR does make the water bead up but with extended rain it does eventually make the fabric damp. However, these pants do dry relatively quickly when they are wet. The pants also come with a 50+ UPF rating, which means they only let 1/50th of the ultraviolet rays through and are effective for sun protection.
Features
These pants are very much on the minimalist side with simple features. There are five pockets in total; two front pockets, two back, one coin or watch pocket. All the pockets work well and are large enough to accommodate my six-inch phone.
The Columbia Royce Range pants do not include a belt or a drawstring but do have belt loops for adding a belt if needed. I found the belt loops to work well for the most part except I did have difficulty weaving it through the loop above the watch pocket. It appears this loop is a little smaller because they added a clip loop below it. I was able to get my belt through with extra time and finagling it around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you wash Columbia Royce Range pants? Columbia recommends machine wash college gently. Wash separately and do not bleach. Tumble dry on low. Remove and iron on low if need be. Do not use fabric softener and do not dry clean.
Are Columbia Royce Range pants true to size? Yes, these hiking pants stay pretty true to size. They are a more modern tapered fit so take in consider of that when trying them on
What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?
Columbia’s Royce Range is a great budget pick. For a pair of hiking the Royce Range works in various outdoor conditions and makes a good trail to town pants. But when it comes to hiking pants, it helps to have multiple pairs for different seasons and conditions. Other options that work well are the Outdoor Research Feriossi which tends to outperform the Royce Range pants in hotter condition. If you are looking for a pants that work better in the colder temperatures. I would go with the REI activator 3.0 or layer up with a thicker base layer.
Should You Buy the Columbia Royce Range Pants?
Overall, the Columbia Royce Range pants are a great budget hiking pant that offers a lot of versatility and will work in many conditions. It is comfortable and moves well with your body without any restriction. The modern tapered fit works well for transitioning from trail to town and it has many useful features that the top pants on the market have. Only real downsides are the few features the pants have, small belt loops, and decent durability.
