For the past few years, I hike more and more. Therefore, I also started to demand more of my hiking gear, especially my hiking pants. With our thru-hike of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path coming up, I needed a new pair of trekking tights for curvy women. After much deliberation, I bought the Fjällräven Abisko trekking tights for women and absolutely love them! Here is my review of the perfect legging for hiking.
I paid for everything in full myself. I was not paid or sponsored. All my opinions and experiences are my own.
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Why I love Fjällräven Abisko Trekking Tights for Women
Hiking as a bigger woman
Walking is good for my back issues, it clears my mind, keeps me mindful and it is an exercise my bigger body can handle well. It helps me to burn calories and stay active. As I travel a lot, walking and hiking are integrated into my travel routine and being fitter helps me enjoy those strenuous days better.
The nice thing about hiking is that you can do it almost anywhere and it is cheap! But, as a bigger woman, with curves and an actual belly and in my case, huge caves, chafing is an ever-present problem. I cannot go hiking in jeans or the stretch pants that I normally wear, because they cannot handle the friction of long-distance hikes.
Challenges for trekking pants for curvy women
In normal life, I already have problems finding the right size pants. Common problems are:
- too loose fit on your upper thighs
- way too tight for your belly
- too skinny for my calves/knees/thighs
- too tiny for my booty to fit
- they don’t stay on when I sit down
Or they itch, pinch or stretch too much after 1 day of wearing them. Can you imagine my fear to find trekking pants?
The problem with hiking pants is that they look chunky and bulky as they are made for men and come in ugly colors. Or they make your ass look the size of a side table and make your waistline disappear. We all know what kind of pants I’m talking about.
And that awful ‘woosh woosh’ sound they make when you stride in pure and pristine nature and you can feel the rubbing and chafing happening.
Legging for hiking: pro’s and con’s
I found the answer: leggings! Yes, they can look very 1980’s but they always seem to fit, they make my legs look skinnier and they come in all kinds of fancy colors and patterns.
But did I dare to steer away from traditional trekking pants and go for a legging for hiking? Here were my thoughts on the pros and cons of trekking tights:
Pros of leggings for hiking:
- snug fit that prevents chafing, pinching or indents on your skin
- no ‘whoosh whoosh sounds’
- easy to wash, quick to dry
- lightweight
- good fit for my body type
- I can tuck in my belly without making my waist disappear
Cons for trekking tights:
- no pockets or places to store your stuff
- thin, so they are not windproof or rainproof
- not durable due to the thin material
Fjällräven Abisko Trekking Tights W
With the above pros and especially the cons in my mind, I did an orientational shopping round on the internet. I couldn’t find any hiking pants that are long enough in my size. Until I stumbled upon the new hiking tights for women by Fjällräven: the Abisko trekking tights.
I was immediately smitten with it. Not only did it have pockets on the side that you can easily access and close with a zipper, but they also solved the durability issue that regular leggings have!
The Abisko clothing range is made for lightweight trekking and warmer hikes. As I’m always worried I will be too hot on our hikes, this seemed perfect for my purpose. It also didn’t hurt that Fjällräven is a highly respected company, known for its long record of producing outstanding clothing and working on their sustainability.
The Abisko trekking tights by Fjällräven have inserted sturdy material on the knees and the bottom area to prevent wear and tear on your trek in nature. I knew right away, this was the hiking legging I was looking for!
But that price tag. Oih! It gave me a mild heart attack. It was € 180 (roughly 175$) and I had to refrain my enthusiasm. That was a lot of money!
Trying on the Abisko trekking tights for women
But, like all things you set your mind (and heart) to, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I decided to head to the store and see if their XXL size would even fit me. If it didn’t, I could move on with my life and continue my quest for the best legging for hiking.
But I didn’t have to. At my local store, they had the navy, deep blue, black, grey, ruby red (dark garnet) and bright blue and glacier green trekking tights on the rack. Not all sizes were available in all colors, but I first tried on their XXL.
It fitted like a glove. The soft fabric caressed my skin like a baby kitten. I could easily fit into them and they were long enough to cover my legs (I’m 1.80m tall – I’m 5.11). Once I pulled a little on the kneepads, they were positions correctly and I felt great! I discovered the tights have an extra-wide waistband to hold in all of my glorious tummy and you can adjust it if needed.
Finding the right fit
I jumped out of the fitting booth, making lunges, turned in front of the mirror, and checking my booty. I put my thumbs behind the waistband to see if it pinched my stomach: it didn’t. Needless to say: I absolutely loved them.
But the dark blue didn’t really look that good on me. The color was really intense and it seems like there is a glossy sparkle in there too. But it made my tights look huge. As the black trekking tights wasn’t available in XXL, I decided to give the XL a try.
I think I cried a little. Not only did I find the perfect hiking legging, in the right color but it also fitted my curvy body to perfection. And I didn’t even need the biggest size!
Needless to say: I bought them without thinking again and I have not regretted it once in the past 4 months.
Alternative for the Fjällräven Trekking Tights
After fitting on the Fjällräven Abisko trekking tights, I made my mind up: this was the legging for hiking I was going to buy. But for good measure, I decided to browse around the shop some more and check out the other Fjällräven pants and other possible leggings for hiking.
I tried on several brands and different types of hiking pants for women and men. All seemed to have too short legs or not provide the same level of comfort as the Abisko trekking tights. Other leggings looked either like a base layer or underwear, fitted very snug which meant I couldn’t fit their largest size or they slipped down after a small stroll through the store.
No, I went to the check-out counter and purchased my black Fjällräven Abisko trekking tights in size XL.
Fjällräven Trail Tights
It really seems like the Fjällräven Abisko trekking tights for women are a newer model of the older Fjällräven trail tights. 25 bucks cheaper, the trail tights look the same but lack the nifty features that make the trekking tights so unique. The trail tights don’t have sturdy inlays on the knees and bottom to prevent damaging your hiking leggings. They also don’t have an adjustable cord in the waistband. For me it was crystal clear: I wanted the Absiko trekking tights.
Fjällräven Trekking Tights for women ¾
If you’re mostly hiking in warmer climates, the normal trekking tights might be a bit too hot. If you like the Abisko but want to cool your legs a bit, the Abisko trekking tights also comes in a ¾ variant. It doesn’t have the sturdy knee pads, but it does have the inlay on the bottom, keeping your bottom dry if you sit down in the damp grass.
Shop your ¾ Abisko Trekking Tights for women here.
Testing the Fjällräven trekking tights
I couldn’t wait for our next long hike. We went out on the weekend and hiked 42 km (26 miles) over the weekend and I was absolutely loving it. Not only did I feel excited about the freedom to move, but I also felt beautiful and comfortable in them.
It was a warm weekend, with loads of sunshine but the Abisko trekking tights didn’t feel too warm. When I sat down in the damp morning grass, I didn’t get a cold or wet bum.
I was happy and confident to wear them on our thru-hike in Wales.
Before that, I took them with me to Lebanon and discovered they still sit comfortably when you wear a base layer under them. It was much colder in Lebanon than I anticipated, so I wore my normal legging and the Fjällräven Abisko tights and it didn’t feel odd at all. Just much warmer.
2 weeks hiking in Wales
I bought the trekking tights from Fjällräven for our 2 weeks of hiking in Wales. We walked the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in its entire length. Although we stayed in bed and breakfast accommodation, we didn’t really have much time to wash and dry our clothes. That is why I packed 2 pair of hiking pants: one normal hiking pants for women and my Abisko trekking tights.
In the end, I only wore the other hiking pants for one day. The trekking tights were just so much more comfortable. They were soft, form-fitting and I just couldn’t hike comfortably without them.
When it rained, I could easily put my rain pants over them and the combination remained breathable. The Fjällräven trekking tights were extremely moisture-wicking and sitting down on rocks or grass was no problem due to the enforced patches. I carried my phone in one leg pocket, tissues and other items in the other. When I got mud on the legs, I could quickly dip them in some water and they dried almost instantly.
My final judgment of the Fjällräven Abisko Trekking Tights W
After two weeks of intense use, I have to conclude that these are THE hiking pants for me. I don’t think I’ll ever want anything else. I absolutely love them and although they come at a hefty price tag, I think they are 100% worth it. I’d wear them every day if I could.
Are you curvy like me? Do you have trouble finding good hiking pants as a bigger woman? Do you think trekking tights are not durable enough for your needs? I recommend to try on the Fjällräven Abisko trekking tights and see what you think. For me, they are the ultimate solution and I love them.
