HikingThe North FaceWalking Trousers

The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers review: versatile, comfortable, pricey

High-quality convertible walking trousers for year-round hiking and mountaineering adventures.

✓  RecommendedTNF Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers Fabric90% poly/10% elastaneStyleConvertiblePrice£160 The good✓  Very comfortable
✓  Excellent versatility — trousers and shorts
✓  Smooth zips on all pockets
✓  Wind resistant and good in light rain
✓  Great breathability
✓  Excellent mobility (knee darts, stretch fabric)
✓  No hip-belt pressure points
The not-so-good✗  Very pricey for what you get
✗  Don’t look great worn as shorts
✗  No belt loops
✗  Luminous yellow zips divide opinion
Check price at The North Face →

At a glance

Buy the Stolemberg Trousers at The North Face →

Overview

If you have ever headed out on a lumpy late-spring walk in a pair of Levi’s, only to feel the crippling grip of sweaty denim tightening itself over your thighs as you trudge up another hill, you will know the importance of a purpose-built pair of hiking trousers. And being comfortable, breathable, and resistant to wind and rain all while looking pretty good to boot — that is exactly how we would describe The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers: purpose-built.

Cleverly designed and built for purpose, The North Face clearly put some thought into these trousers. And while that should not necessarily be a surprise — The North Face are one of the biggest brands in the business for good reason — we feel like TNF’s sharp turn into the fashion world over the last several years has really knocked their reputation in the outdoor space (for us, at least). Truthfully, even though the brand is one of the most notable out there, it is not a name we would instantly think of if we were on the market for a new pair of hiking trousers. But following a series of product tests on other The North Face lines, that is beginning to change. The North Face are proving themselves to still be a true heavyweight in the space, delivering kit that is not only well-considered and expertly designed but beautiful to look at as well. And the Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Slim Tapered Trousers are no exception.

Created from 90% polyester and 10% elastane, the Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers are soft and stretchy. They come with two regular zipped trouser pockets, and feature an additional zipped pocket panel on the left leg — just about big enough to carry a small phone or keys. The trousers also come with knee darts (which allow the trousers to move more naturally around your knee when bending, sitting or walking) and feature thicker polyester panels around the ankle and rear to reduce wear and tear.

Being convertible, the bottom half of the trousers can be unzipped and removed on warmer days and easily reattached when the temperature drops. The ankles also feature a drawcord so you can cinch them tight over boots, and there is a zipper along the backside for rapid heat dumping when needed.

One thing to bear in mind: these do not come with any belt loops. Instead, a tacky ‘Never Stop Exploring’ lining on the inside of the waistband keeps the trousers sitting snuggly. If you do not get the perfect size, you may struggle to keep them in place — with few alternatives aside from removable braces. At £160, that makes fit even more critical. We would highly recommend trying these on in a TNF store before buying your usual size online.

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How we tested

To test the North Face Stolemberg Alpine Trousers, we took them on numerous hikes and walks around the UK through both summer and autumn. We walked with them through driving wind and smatterings of rain on a multi-day walk across Dartmoor, we wore them on a sweaty summer’s hike across the Brecon Beacons, on numerous low-level meanders through the Chiltern Hills, and even had them on a few rambles in the Swiss Alps. All in all, we really enjoyed wearing them.

Features and performance

Fit and comfort

The stretchy fabric affords excellent mobility, allowing you to move completely freely when trekking over uneven ground or scrambling up the side of a mountain. The pockets are strong, stretchy and easy to open or close, and the drawcords around the ankles allow you to cinch everything tight to stop the trousers riding up when scrambling.

The tight fit means these trousers do not flap about in the wind at all. They follow the contours of your legs and feel less affected by the wind than other trousers we have tried in this class. When walking across a blustery ridgeline — such as the Beacons Way or Crib Goch — this was something we were thankful for, as we never felt like we were going to lose our footing due to the Stolemberg trousers getting swept up in driving wind.

The breathability was also very impressive, especially when considering how well they keep wind off your skin. When it got hot, we never felt clammy in these things, and the numerous means of creating extra ventilation — opening the zip around the knee or ankle — meant we never felt the need to convert them into shorts.

The waistline design also proved its worth. Initially we were sceptical — removing all belt loops means that if they do not fit perfectly, you simply cannot wear them. But having worn them on long days under a pack, the comfort is unbeatable: no pressure points anywhere along your hips, nothing pressing uncomfortably against your waistline when wearing a hip belt.

“Purpose-built. The stretchy fabric, smart pockets and tight fit mean these trousers outperform rivals in almost every meaningful metric — except perhaps price.”

The not-so-good

When it comes to criticisms, the main thing we did not like was the look of the shorts. While the trousers look great in their complete form (albeit hyper technical), the shorts are not the best look, in our opinion. They extend below the knee which, whilst continuing to provide some extra protection, is a little too long and we simply did not enjoy wearing them like this. Naturally, this should not matter all that much when you are out on a hike in the middle of nowhere. But at this price point, we do believe that the Stolemberg Alpine Trousers should make you feel comfortable however you wear them.

The bold luminous yellow zips were also something we had to get used to. We really disliked these at the beginning, although they grew on us the more we wore the trousers. And whilst we would still change these to blend in with the rest of the Stolemberg’s colour palette were we to redesign them, there is something to be said for easily finding a zipper when you are descending a mountain in the dark with nothing but a headtorch for illumination.

Buy the Stolemberg Trousers at The North Face →

Our verdictExcellent hiking trousers — but £160 is a stretch when rivals offer more for less.The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Slim Tapered Trousers are a well-designed and super comfortable pair of walking trousers from one of the biggest brands in the business. Featuring a ton of smart design choices to increase comfort on a hike, they allow for maximum mobility and good protection from wind and light rain. Being fully convertible, you can easily turn them into shorts on warmer days, or wear them over baselayers for use on Scottish winter mountaineering trips.When compared to other trousers offering a similar feature set, however, the Stolembergs are clearly the priciest out there. And while the design considerations, comfort and big-brand feel of these trousers is arguably category-leading, we think £160 is a high price tag for what you get. Bought on sale, however, they are an excellent buy.Buy the Stolemberg Trousers at The North Face →

FAQs

How warm are The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers?The 90% polyester / 10% elastane fabric is thin and stretchy but not warm in itself. Wear baselayers underneath when using them in sub-zero temperatures.

How waterproof are The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers?Not waterproof — water-resistant, and they hold up well in very light rain. Made using TNF’s FLASHDRY technology, they are quick drying and highly breathable.

Are The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers worth the high price tag?At £160, they are on the top end for dedicated hiking trousers. Compared with equivalent models from other brands, it is hard to justify the number at full price — but bought on sale or at a reduced price, they are a great buy that will put up with years of outdoor abuse.

How durable are The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers?Very. Despite being thin and stretchy, the polyester and elastane blend makes for a durable softshell-like material that is both pleasing to wear and very difficult to snag or damage. Ours still look like new despite numerous scrambles and miles of bracken-bashing.