I’ve been searching for the best men’s climbing pants for years. YEARS, I tell you! And I think I’ve finally found some that meet my standards. The 686 Magic Line Climbing Pants are it.
Designed by Lonnie Kauk, the 686 Magic Line pants are durable, performance-oriented, comfortable, and have some climbing-specific bells and whistles that make them my new go-to choice for climbing pants. Unlike most of the techy outdoor-geek-core pants that are billed as being built for climbers, these pants were obviously designed by someone who knows what they’re doing, and wants to look good while doing it. They can easily be worn in a civilian setting away from the crags, but under a harness or bouldering / training, these pants just excel for all climbing applications.
I like to wear loose-fitting clothing in general, which is perhaps why I have such an aversion to most of the “technical” fits and models that most companies seem to believe are necessary for rock climbers. I don’t want to walk around looking like a dweeb in an REI catalog just because I like rock climbing. The 686 Magic Line pants are really loose-fitting with a wide tapered design in the legs and thighs, which means there’s no resistance to stemming or high-stepping while climbing.
The elastic waist can be cinched down with a slider belt that doesn’t come loose, unlike most other pants attempting this kind of design. Pull the pants on, cinch the waist, and you’ve secured your fit for the day without further hassle.
The pants also discreetly have a whopping 8 pockets, and they manage this without looking like a pair of Old Navy cargos that you’d wear while online RPG gaming with a bunch of nerds. Two of the pockets are zippered on the thighs, and are perfect for storing an iPhone, a bar, or a topo in a spot that feels out of the way while climbing. The zippers on these pockets sit below the harness leg loops, so you don’t have to squeeze your hand between your harness to access your pocket contents. These pockets are really well designed for multi-pitch climbing.
The material is nylon / spandex blend that feels as cozy as sweat pants while performing like technical pants. They’re breathable and not too hot, so you can wear them throughout the day even when it’s sunny out. They also have some light DWR repelling characteristics, as well as robust UV protection.
The wide-tapered leg is also wide enough such that I can roll them up all the way to my thigh and put on a kneepad without having to change into shorts, which is nice if you’re knee barring in colder conditions.
The pants come in black (my favorite color) as well as bright white. I was sent a pair of both colors to try out, and I’ll be honest. I don’t think I climb hard enough to wear the white ones (yet), but I like to blend into the crowd, whenever possible. That said, I’m holding onto the white ones because, as bright as they are, they’re actually kinda badass if you can pull it off. Like Lonnie can.
Specs
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Belt Slider With Elastic Waist To Adjust Your Fit
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Two Longer Side Zipper Vent Pockets Designed To Be Worn With A Harness
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Stain Resistant Finish
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Breathable Fabric
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8 Pocket Design
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