Bottom Line
Hailing from the wilds of Norway, the Norrona Femund Flex1 is a high-performing pair of pants built for adventures in some of the world’s most rugged environments. Tested in the high alpine of the Sierra Nevada and the snowy summits of the Chugach Range, the Femund Flex1 is built to last with durable materials and high-class design. With its excellent breathability and adjustable sizing, the Femund Flex1 makes the list as one of our best hiking pants for men.
The Femund Flex1 is an extremely mobile pair of pants thanks to its nylon and elastane blend. Worn on a climbing trip in California’s Sierra Nevada, the Femund never felt restrictive during our high steps and balancing moves on precarious perches, thanks to the gusseted crotch. When we warmed up on the approach to the climb, venting the pants was quick and easy thanks to vertical zip vents on each leg. Thoughtful features like gaiter hooks, velcro waist adjustments, and zippered cuff expanders round out these well-crafted pants.
For as well-designed as these pants are, their pockets are too small to be functional for most items. The horizontal zippered hand pockets fit only half a hand, and a phone was uncomfortable to carry in them. This limited the amount of gear we were able to carry on the body but kept the pants streamlined without bulky pockets. Although their price is not as accessible as many hiking pants, the Norrona Femund Flex1 pant will reward those willing to spend the extra money with a long-lasting pair of pants that’s fit for any adventure.
How We Tested
Tested on a week-long trip in California’s high Sierra Nevada, we scraped the Norrona Femund Flex1 across coarse granite summits and wore them through thick brush to test their durability and mobility. We wore them on multiple hikes in Alaska’s Chugach range to test their weather resistance and features in wet alpine environments. Used repeatedly over the course of a month, our thorough testing brought these pants through a variety of conditions to find where they excelled and where they could use improvement.
Quick Specs
Men’s Norrona Femund Flex1 Pants
High Performance Pants with Zippered Vents
CleverHiker Rating: 4.6/5.0
Price: $189
Weight: 12 oz.
Fit: Technical
Fabric: 86% nylon, 14% elastane
Pros
- Lightweight
- Zippered leg vents
- Excellent mobility
- Durable
- Features
Cons
- Expensive
- Small hand pockets
Comfort & Mobility
Upon slipping on the Femund Flex1, it was immediately evident that these are highly elastic and mobile pants. With a blend of elastane and nylon, the material is stretchy and does not leave us feeling restricted in any way. When scrambling up high Sierra summits wearing these pants, we were thankful for the gusseted crotch and articulated knees to enhance our mobility with high steps and other awkward movements.
The Femund Flex1 is marketed as a technical fit, which is Norrona’s second-most slim cut. Translated to American fitting, we would say that this is a slim fit that fits slender legs the best. These pants are particularly slim through the thighs and calves, which can cut down on your mobility.
Breathability
The Femund Flex1 is a soft shell pant, so it allows moisture vapor to pass through while hiking at higher tempos. We never felt clammy or damp from sweat when working hard in these pants.
When testing them on a long uphill climb, we started to feel a little too warm in the sun with 70-degree temperatures. However, that was quickly fixed thanks to the vertical zippered vents on the outside of each leg. When hiking in temperatures above sixty degrees, we left these unzipped to increase airflow and to manage sweat. This is a great feature that allowed us to adjust for warmer and cooler temperatures.
Weather Resistance
The Flex1 material is a double-weave softshell that offers light weather resistance for passing exposure to precipitation. Treated with PFC-free durable water repellent, these pants offer enough protection from light rain but are not built to keep you dry in a downpour. Testing these in coastal Alaska’s cold and damp climate, they provided some weather resistance in light rain but wet through with more time in heavier precipitation.
Where these pants do shine is in their wind resistance. For a lightweight pant, it does an excellent job blocking the wind and is a great choice for blustery days.
Durability
Wearing these pants every day for a week of backpacking, climbing, and peak bagging in the high peaks of California’s Sierra Nevada, we fell in love with the Norrona Femund Flex1’s durability. During an ascent of Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park, we subjected these pants to frequent rubs and scrapes against rough granite, and they stood up to the challenge. Crashing through brush on an off-trail adventure left no sign of wear either. These are a pair of pants that will stand up to the test day after day – one we look forward to using for years to come.
Features
The Norrona Femund Flex1 pants come with an array of features, but some of the design choices left us scratching our heads. They come equipped with five pockets: two seat, two zippered hand, and one zippered thigh. However, these pockets are noticeably small and are uncomfortable to store anything larger than a wallet in. When crouching or bending over, items in the pockets pressed uncomfortably, and we resorted to not hiking with anything in them due to the discomfort.
The zippered hand pockets are horizontal rather than slanted like other brands, making putting hands in them awkward and less ergonomic. They also only fit about half a hand in and pressed uncomfortably on the waist when carrying a phone.
Features that we did like are the velcro waist adjusters and zippered cuff expanders. The velcro waist adjusters helped to make the pants fit more comfortably, and the vertical zippered cuff expanders allowed for a looser fit over larger calves or were enough to even fit over ski boots. The front of the pants comes equipped with gaiter hooks as well. As mentioned under breathability, the zippered vents are a standout feature that increases these pants’ warm-weather performance.
Should You Buy the Norrona Femund Flex1 Pants?
If the price is not a barrier, the Norrona Femund provides top-tier performance at a premium price point. Those willing to dish out the extra dough will not be disappointed by the high performance these pants pack. Best suited for slimmer legs, the Femund Flex1 is great for hikers who demand durable pants for frequent contact with brush or for scrambling up rocky summits. Those who like to store a lot of gear on their body may find the pockets on these pants to be slightly lacking in size, as they are too small to store anything larger than a wallet comfortably. However, the Norrona Femund Flex1 is a great option for anyone seeking a highly featured pair of pants that is flexible and comfortable for moving quickly in the mountains.
What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?
Check out our full lineup of men’s hiking pants for all our favorite choices.
Arc’teryx Gamma Review: At a similar price point, the Arc’teryx Gamma offers similar performance with high-quality construction and materials.
Mammut Runbold IV Review: If slim cut pants work best for you, the Runbold IV is another great option for slender legs.
Fjallraven Vidda Pro Review: Another superbly durable pair of pants, the Vidda Pro sets the standard for hiking pants that are durable enough to double as work pants.
