At first glance the Brion Pants are essentially stretchy nylon/spandex jeans. But Prana have made them from their wildly popular Stretch Zion material - beloved of climbers - which adds wrinkle resistance, water resistant DWR and quick drying properties, not to mention great freedom of movement.
So Prana are coming at this from the casual-styled angle, but have they added enough tech for us actives? Imagine your favourite pair of jeans, crossed with a pair of pyjamas. They're that comfortable. On a plane or train, that Stretch Zion material is a godsend, and the wrinkle resistance makes sure you come out the other end looking un-flustered. (It also means you didn't have to iron them in the first place..!)
On the hill they work great; the stretch and lightness of the material mean a seamless transition from town to trail, and the DWR is as effective as most specialist lightweight hiking pants.
Where they fall down slightly is in the little details which have been abandoned for the casual look; there is no ankle adjustment or kick patches or articulation in the knee (the latter is not needed given the material moulds to the wearer). Most significantly though, there are no pocket closures which could be an issue for anyone prone to losing things, whether to pickpockets or gravity!
But the active/travel crossover niche is a sliding scale; if you consider casual wear as part of that scale (as we do) then these are the most versatile pants in this category, and at £77 are our best budget pick.
