When Athleta offered to send me some new pieces from its Hike & Explore collection, including the updated Trekkie North Jogger, I hesitated—didn’t I have enough outdoorsy pants already? But I’d heard enough good things about Athleta’s hiking gear that my interest was piqued (friends of mine have worn the brand’s pants for everything from rock climbing day trips to safaris with zero complaints). So I accepted their generous offer, and I’m so glad I did.
How the Trekkie North Jogger feels
The first thing I noticed was the pants’ fabric, which struck me as unique right out of the bag. It’s lightweight but not flimsy, with a tight yet flexible weave. The wide waistband is made of a stretchier material, like a pair of leggings, and it hits comfortably high on the waist (a big plus in my book).
I’d previously thought of Athleta as a studio fitness brand, with pieces primarily suited for indoor use, so I was impressed by the technical aspects of this jogger: It’s made for movement, but also offers some amount of protection—that tight weave helps it resist abrasions and it’s made to shed water quickly too. You never know when you’re going to run into some rain or trip over a fallen branch in the great outdoors, so those more practical features were a welcome addition.
In terms of fit, the Trekkie North tapers like a standard jogger, but still leaves room to move, especially around the knee and ankle. That’s a really happy medium for me as I like looser clothes but don’t want to deal with excess fabric or too-long pant legs when I’m active. Its waistband has a closed-loop drawstring that you can adjust to your liking, though I’ve found it can be difficult to undo the knot if you tie it too tight.
Courtesy of author
How it performs
I received Athleta’s package at the start of the Northeast’s pitifully short spring season for climbing (my favorite outdoor activity), but I still managed to test out the jogger on several excursions. Since I spend my climbing days sitting on, bumping into, and hoisting my body up rough, pebbly rocks, I always accept that I may come home with a hole or two in my clothes. But even after a couple of wears, the Trekkie North Jogger felt like new. The fabric didn’t catch on anything, didn’t rip, and, most importantly, didn’t inhibit my movement while I climbed.