Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers review

The Revolution Race Nordwand hiking trousers are feature-rich and well-designed trousers that do an amazing job of keeping you comfortable on varied UK adventures. Reasonably priced and a joy to wear, we think they could be some of the best trousers on the market right now — but how do they perform in the real world?

Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers

Ideal for: almost any 4-season UK hiking trip, wildcamping, backpacking, thru-hiking, general wear

Not suitable for: Running and cycling, very hot summer days

The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers are rugged, reasonably priced and versatile trousers that are ideal for our changing UK conditions. Water and wind-resistant, super durable and great to look at (in our opinion), we think the Nordwand Pro could be the only pair of hiking trousers you’ll ever need for 4-season UK adventuring.

The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers review

Hiking trousers are one of those pieces of gear that you don’t think you need until you try them. They’re just trousers after all, right? How different can they be versus a pair of joggers, work trousers or a pair of denim jeans? Well, the second you drape a pair of purpose-built pants over your legs and head out in the mountains in the changing conditions we get here in the UK, you’ll ask yourself why you waited so long to take the plunge. A good pair can make challenging work way more enjoyable, whereas getting caught in a rainstorm in a pair of skinny-fitting Levi’s can make for the worst walk of your life – if not the most dangerous.

It’s this brief that the folks at Revolution Race tried to deliver when designing the Nordwand Pro hiking trousers. They wanted to design a pair of trousers that add to your outdoor experience, not detract from it; trousers that deliver all of the features you want in a pair of hiking pants and none of the features you don’t. Including the features you didn’t even know you wanted. And all while not breaking the bank.

Which brings us on to price: When ordered directly from Revolution Race, the Nordwand Pro trousers will set you back £109. Which, despite feeling a little pricey at first, is actually decidedly competitive. Take The North Face Stolemberg Alpine Convertible Trousers, for example: Even though these are a little lighter, they’re slightly less feature-rich and, in our opinion, offer less value for money. And they cost £51 more when bought directly through The North Face. Or take the Keb range from Fjallraven: These trousers are remarkably similar to the Nordwand Pros, yet cost more than £100 more at £215. Therefore, if you’re new to the hiking trousers market, don’t gasp at £109 just yet, as we think they’re a phenomenal buy. So let’s take a look at why.

New to Revolution Race?

If you’ve not heard of Revolution Race before, don’t worry. Hailing from Sweden, the brand has become somewhat of an outdoor industry darling overnight: Their considered approach to product design has resulted in them producing some beautifully purpose-built pieces of kit over the years, ranging from reliable waterproofs, beloved boots and — the product the brand started with — some of the best hiking pants on the market today. A part of the great ‘Scandinavian invasion’ in the outdoor space, they have quickly become one of the Nordic’s most well-known outdoor brands alongside other disruptors like Nortent – and have started to rival more established players in the space, such as Fjallraven, Klattermussen and more.

Our experience using the Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers

To test the Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers, we used them on a ton of different walks, wildcamps and bushcrafting trips through the winter of ‘23 and ‘24. Most notably, we also took them on a 3-day wildcamping trip through Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park in January to see how they would do in varied conditions over multiple days. On this trip, we walked through rain showers, driving wind and over snow; we wore them over baselayers and on their own, paired them with waterproof overtrousers, and really got to put each of the Nordwand Pro’s features to the test in very British, very real conditions. So, what do we think?

The answer to that question is simple: We love them. We knew going into this test that these trousers were hyped, and we are happy to have come away from our tests understanding why (we’re now firmly on the bandwagon). They are breathable enough that you can wear them on practically any UK adventure (aside from, perhaps, the hottest summer days), they’re water resistant enough that you don’t need to worry about them in light showers, and they’re so well built that whatever you need when wearing the trousers, it’s there. Enhanced mobility and gusseted seams around the knees for added comfort during steep ascents? Check. Enough pockets for storing everything you might want to hand on a day hike? Check. Rugged zips that are easy to operate with thick winter gloves on? Check. Pit zip-style openings along the side of the trousers to let out heat when mountaineering. Check. Reinforced panelling for keeping the trousers snag-free when wearing crampons? Check. Lace loops for holding the trousers down over your boots? Check. Seriously, the list goes on, and if you take anything away from that clunky list of notable features, it’s that these trousers are phenomenally fit for purpose.

Waterproofness, wind resistance and breathability

Now, before you go thinking the Nordwand Pros are waterproof, it’s important to understand that they’re not — intentionally so. The Nordwand Pros are water resistant meaning they won’t get soaked through immediately. For us, this is a solid decision, as it means they remain breathable as you climb steep mountains or walk on warmer days, yet still prevent you from getting uncomfortably wet the minute the heavens open. In fact, on day one of our Scottish mountaineering trip, we walked in the Nordwand Pros through a light rain shower for about 90 minutes and remained completely dry underneath. What’s more, due to the lightweight materials the trousers are made from, they dried out remarkably quickly.

What’s more, the trousers are also very adept at keeping off the wind. In fact, on the same trip, we scaled Cairn Gorm in gusts of up to 70 mp/h and never once felt the wind penetrate the pants. The windproofness of the Nordwand Pros is very impressive, performing on par with something like a pair of waterproof overtrousers or mountaineering bib pants, with the only area where we felt any cold whatsoever being when the wind drove into the elastane panel covering the rear of the trousers.

In regards to their breathability, the trousers are also much more breathable than you’d expect from looking at them. In fact, we used them on a couple of uncharacteristically warm winter walks where the temperature hovered around 12-15° Celsius and found that they remained perfectly comfortable, even when our heart rate rose on steep inclines.

The fit

Another thing we really appreciate about the Revolution Race Nordwand Pros is their fit. They’re athletic enough that they don’t blow around in the wind, yet these things are far from skinny jeans. They taper down towards your boot to keep everything in place as you walk, and as the ankle cuffs are fully adjustable, you can just as easily wear them with big winter mountaineering boots as you can with lightweight trail runners.

When it comes to the waist, this is the only area we think Revolution Race could improve the trousers. Here, the brand has instituted belt loops so you can adjust the size to fit your waist. Here, however, we’d love to see velcro tightening straps or the means to tighten the waist built into the trousers. This would remove the need to carry/buy an extra belt which, for us, would make these trousers perfect.

Durability

The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers are constructed from a 65/35 polyester/cotton mix, with the elastic gussets comprising 94% polyamid and 6% elastane. This makes them incredibly durable, and they’re more than capable of making easy work of everything from gorse and thorny brush through to sharp rocks during scrambles.

The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers FAQs

Revolution Race’s Nordwand Pro hiking trousers are remarkably warm for a pair of durable hiking trousers. Despite being void of any form of fleece or internal lining, the trousers are so wind resistant that we didn’t need to wear any baselayers underneath these even when on a windy winter ascent of Cairn Gorm. Somehow, however, the breathability of the trousers also means they’re just as comfortable on early spring/autumn outings, as was our experience wearing them up Pen y Fan in temperatures of around 16°-18° Celsius. Due to the thickness of the material, you may want to avoid them on the hottest summer days, but otherwise, they’re a phenomenal all-rounder that we’re happy to wear on a huge variety of trips.
The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers are manufactured with Revolution Races Hypershell material, as well as coming pre-coated in DWR. This makes them reasonably water-resistant, and easily capable of keeping you dry in a light shower. In a move that optimises breathability, the trousers are not fully waterproof, however, so will need to be paired with a pair of overtrousers in a downpour.
Yes. Costing £109 when bought directly through Revolution Race, the Nordwand Pro trousers sit at the middle of the cost spectrum when it comes to trousers of this type. Due to the quality of the constructions and the functionality they provide, we think they’re solidly worth this price, however, easily rivalling more expensive lines.
The Revolution Race Nordwand Pro are some of the most durable hiking trousers we’ve ever tried. Comprising 65% polyester, they are appropriately rugged and can easily cope with any adventure, be that moving through sharp bracken or brush, scrambling, bushcraft or more. Moreover, the zips, the buttons and the stitching is of such a solid quality that we’re confident these trousers will last you many years — whatever you throw at them on the trail.

Conclusion

Overall, we really rate the Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers and think these might be the best-value hiking trousers on the market right now. The consideration that’s going into the design tangibly improves your experience of the outdoors, even when hiking in less-than-ideal conditions, and the price point at which they’re available (£109) means they deliver some of the best bang for your buck out there. What’s more, due to the flattering cut, the slew of extra features and the durability of the material they’re constructed from, the Nordwand Pros will almost certainly become your go-to rugged work pants for everything from hiking and mountaineering to wildcamping and even gardening.

Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers review

Revolution Race Nordwand Pro hiking trousers

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