Gear Review – Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants

Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants

Hiking pants aren’t at the top of the list of ‘sexy’ backpacking gear. Some hikers just grab whatever bottoms they have handy and head out on the trail. But if you hike long enough you’ll come to appreciate a great pair of hiking pants. Something that’s light, comfortable, breathable, durable, dries quickly, and has plenty of pockets for storage. Oh, it doesn’t hurt if they look good too – for wearing around trail towns before and after a hike. I’ve tried many pants in the 13 years I’ve been backpacking and no hiking pant comes close to the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight hiking pants. Check them out on Railriders website here.

Tried many hiking pants before finding the Railriders VersaTac

It took a while to stumble upon the RailRiders VersaTac Ultralight pants. I have a bin with all the hiking clothes I’ve used since starting backpacking in the fall of 2010. There are many different pants in it. The first pants I used for a significant amount of time were Columbia Titanium convertible pants. ‘Convertible’ pants have zippered legs that allow you to make them into shorts. They were great. Sadly, Columbia doesn’t make that version anymore, and I don’t like any of their current pants. In 2016 and 2017, I used PrAna Zion convertible pants. I loved the PrAna’s, but they were heavy, and the material retained water. In addition, they began to smell bad after many days on the trail (likely due to staying wet longer).

Discovering the Railriders Versatac Ultralight pants

I’d love to share an exciting story about discovering Railrider pants. Perhaps finding a pair at the end of a rainbow on a beautiful Glacier trail. But it wasn’t nearly that interesting. After the 2017 Great Smoky Mountain National Park hike, I noticed the Columbia Titanium pants I had used had a big hole in the crotch. From prior research, I knew Columbia no longer offered the Titanium convertible pants. I started a search for something else to replace my Columbia’s. An outdoor gear store had sent me a marketing email with a discount code for Railriders pants. Even though they were pricey ($110), I decided to try them. Before I even tried them on, I knew I would love them. It was apparent they were extremely well constructed. The material was lightweight but had some mesh stitching throughout to add strength. It was love at first sight!

Materials, Features, Colors and Weight – VersaTac Ultralight

VersaTac Ultralight pockets are “The Best Pockets Around”

Railriders list one of the features on the VersaTac pants as “the best pocket around.” I’m unsure if they’re the best, but the pockets are undoubtedly the most complex. Two identical cargo pockets are on the front sides of the pants in the upper thigh area. There are also two pockets on the back in the upper butt area. All four of the pockets close using the same methods. They close with two buttons, velcro, or both. In addition to being used for sealing the pocket, the flap on each pocket also covers the pocket opening. The flap comes down about two inches to provide weather protection. Each of the pockets is quite large and allows for plenty of storage. The front pockets are the same size and slightly larger than the rear pockets.

Pockets inside of pockets – and zippers on the side of the pockets

VersaTac Ultralight Pants – Cost, Field Experience and Durability

As of this article (March 2023), the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants cost $120. I bought my first pair in June 2018. At that time the list price was $110 and I found a company (Thunder Adventure Company) offering a 10% discount. My final price was $99. I’ve owned a total of three pairs of VersaTac Ultralight Pants – two in loden and one in khaki. The first pair I bought in 2018 developed a tear in the front crotch area (in 2021). Railriders’ website doesn’t list a warranty return process or time limit. I probably could have worked with them to get it fixed or replaced, but I felt I had received a reasonable life. I simply bought another pair of the same pants. My experience has been that Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants have been extremely durable.

Conclusion – Railriders VersaTac Ultralight Pants

If you’re looking for hiking pants that are durable, lightweight, comfortable, versatile, and also look good, you should check out the Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants. I’ve used three different pair of VersaTac’s over the last five years of hiking and they have been perfect for me. Note that this review is for the VersaTac Ultralight pants, not the VersaTac Light pants. The two different pants look identical but the ‘light’ version is made from heavier material, and weighs four ounces more than the ultralight pants. Railriders also makes VersaTac Ultralight shorts which are also fantastic. I own two pairs of the shorts in addition to the pants. I highly recommend Railriders VersaTac Ultralight pants, and Railriders clothing in general.