The Best Convertible Pants Are One Zip Away From Freedom

The best convertible pants (a.k.a, zip-off pants) are proof that, even if gorp-core is on the come-down, fashion and function are still a magical menswear pairing. For the same reasons that a good fleece, hiking shoes, and utility vests all belong in your closet even if you don’t have a loyalty card for Yosemite, once-humble zip-off pants have started making their way into concrete canyons.

You know the ones: they unzip at the knees to become shorts at a moment’s notice. The originals arrived on the scene in the ’80s as a staple of hikers and campers who needed relief once the noonday sun showed up, but zip-offs also anchor the Y2K nostalgia pack. With a sling bag and some running-style sunglasses, you’re channeling peak Robin Williams or Even Steven-era Shia LaBeouf. That said, they're even more versatile style-wise than they are when it comes to leg length.

Not a whole lot has changed when it comes to clocking a great pair of zip-offs—you’re still looking at lightweight breathable fabrics (nylon or a nylon blend). Reinforced knees are nice, but an adjustable waistband is even nicer. And if you’re planning to actually make the pants-to-shorts transition, make sure the zippers work smoothly.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best convertible pants—from pairs that can summit peaks to swim-ready versions to styles from fashion labels bringing new vibes to the zip-off revival. Because in this economy? A 2-in-1 pair of pants just makes sense.

• The Best Overall Convertible Pants: Patagonia Quandary Convertible Pants, $129
• The Best Budget Convertible Pants: The North Face Paramount Convertible Pants, $90 $72
• The Best Convertible Pants for Hiking: Gramicci Creekmont Pant, $190
• The Best Convertible Pants for Hard Climbs: Nike ACG Smith Summit Cargo Pant $185 $148
• The Best Convertible Pants Upgrade: Aaron Levine Zip-Off Pant $448
• The Best Fashion-Forward Convertible Pants: Todd Snyder x Woolrich Long Zip Pant $428

It’s no surprise that Patagonia, the brand that lists Earth as its only shareholder, makes its Quandary Convertible Pants from recycled fishing nets. But they’re more than just a feel-good pair of pants.

Okay, actually: part of what makes Patagonia’s zip-offs great is that they feel good. The slim-straight fit is backed by just a little stretch in the fabric, so they stay comfy without making you like a yoga influencer.

An integrated carabiner loop (front-left pocket), and a built-in repair patch (front-right pocket) are reminders that Patagonia expects these pants to be put to work. Same goes for the water-repellant finish and UPF 40+ sun protection. The only caveat: the shorts have a 9” inseam, which can feel pretty long compared to an average 7” length.

After reviving one of its era-defining ’90s jackets, The North Face is now giving you the Swiss Army knife of pants. Its Paramount Convertible Pants are trail-tested, gym-approved, and ready for action—but as you might not have noticed, they’re also being sold (on sale!) by SSENSE, the Internet’s reigning fashion emporium.

That’s because, even with all the functionality, North Face’s Paramount pants will add an extra wrinkle—okay, zipper—to your fits. All black, crisp, and slim-straight in silhouette, you can sub them in for trousers if you’re looking to add a little gorp without going full -core.

And of course, if you want to take them for a stroll in the woods, The North Face’s FlashDry-XD fabric (as in “eXtreme Durability”) can resist snags, scrapes, and those prickly bushes you pushed through when nature called.

The Stonemasters were a crew of free-spirited climbers based in Yosemite who brought sex, drugs, and fun to free climbing in the ’70s. When Gramicci founder Mike Graham launched the brand over 40 years ago, he channeled some of that energy, creating gear that could handle Half Dome and feel chill around the fire pit.

Gramicci’s shorts go toe-to-toe with Patagonia’s Baggies and its Gadget Pants may be the brand’s defining piece, but the zip-off Creekmont Pants deserve a spot in your rotation. Reinforced knees and seat panels, Gramicci’s signature built-in belt, and enough utility pockets to rival a construction worker’s toolbelt, walk the walk (or, climb the climb). A pair of KEENs and a utility vest will take you from a cliff face to the bar comfortably.

Inspired by a trip to Oregon’s Smith Rock state park, the designers at Nike ACG whipped up these convertible cargo pants with a secret weapon: Cordura fabric. Known for resisting abrasions, rips, and scuffs (a.k.a, the perils of scrambling up and climbing rocks), it covers the knees for added protection and a cool colorblock effect. (Speaking of, that burgundy stands out nicely in a sea of khaki and olive.)

A built-in webbed belt and carabiner on the waistband loop work nicely on trail or off. And while the Smith Summit pants obviously convert into shorts, adjustable drawcords in the pant hems let you go for a breezy cropped-leg option for when zippers are too much work.

Whatever sauce designer Aaron Levine is cooking with, you won’t find it at your local grocer—but you will find it in his thermals, matching workwear sets, and now, zip-off pants. Crafted from Italian fabric and made in the USA, these aren’t your average trail-to-bar convertible cargos.

The pants have a tailored structure that dodges the dreaded gym teacher vibe, while the shorts clock have a 7" inseam, a universally flattering sweet spot. Keep them zipped and pair with some Danner boots for rugged refinement, or zip 'em off and hit the streets in Venetian loafers for a high-low flex.

This is what happens when reigning “elevated everyman” designer Todd Snyder takes over as creative director for Woolrich’s Black Label. By partnering with the legendary Italian mill Olmetex, he’s made ripstop pants that manage to be handsome, lightweight, and tougher than a $10 steak.

The oversize fit (blessedly) feels more style-forward than the usual slim-straight cuts. Also, we remain a sucker for stash spots. Cargo pockets at the hip, zippered hand pockets, and a snap cargo pocket offer more storage than the average Brooklyn apartment. And though we wouldn’t wear everything at once, the matching vest and jacket complete the gentleman-angler fantasy. Bonus points if you catch something besides compliments.

Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping GQ readers get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the best affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ expertise is built on decades of combined men’s fashion knowledge, years of hands-on experience with these brands and products, and an insider awareness of what’s happening in menswear.

So while GQ writers and editors can’t try on every single piece of clothing that we write about, the pieces we endorse are backed by first-hand knowledge of a brand’s strengths, bolstered by a deep understanding of the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing to craftsmanship and sustainability.

GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own experience with all the brands we select, review, and endorse, while also taking into account how a brand’s clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.

We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.

To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.

We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.

Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.