So maybe you read my review of the Women’s Progressor Pant by the North Face. Perhaps, you too want a pant that fits well but also boasts durability. Perhaps your proportions are not perfectly suited to the shape of the Progressor. And perhaps you’ve worn your favorite leggings down to a thin, see-through pair of nothingness. If you nodded “yes” to any of the above, I come bearing good news: the Progressor Hybrid Tight. This tight blends the durability of the Progressor with the comfort and versatility of a tight.
The North Face Progressor Hybrid Tight Features
- Abrasion-resistant panels on the seat, thigh, and lower leg
- Open hip pockets
- Soft stretch-knit material (nylon and elastane)
- Wide waistband
- MSRP: $85.00
Loving the form and function of these pants on a trip in the North Cascades.
Durability meets comfort meets style
I’m not sure where to begin with this pant. The softness of the knit? The durability of the panels? The overall comfort that allowed me to happily wear it for days on end? I loved testing these pants throughout the Olympics and North Cascades.
The Progressor Hybrid Tight is designed to blend both comfort and durability, and they do so by fusing two different materials. Now, let’s talk about fabrics for a minute.
Fabrics can be divided into two different categories: knit or woven. Knit fabrics are comprised of a strand that is repeatedly looped, creating an interconnected material. Knit fabrics are especially known for the all-over stretch they provide, as well as the way they unravel instead of fray. Woven fabrics are made by interlacing the yarns of a fabric, like a basket. The result is a material with less stretch but higher durability.
Notice the different panels of fabric. Purple is the woven material, black is the knit.
On the Progressor Hybrid Tight, the waistband, sides, and back of the calf is a soft stretch-knit material. This material offers compression, but without the feeling of uncomfortable binding or tightness. The material was surprisingly warm. It performed phenomenally during an early summer approach in the mountains of the North Cascades, keeping my legs warm but not overheated as I hiked above treeline.
While the comfort of the knit is worth raving about, it unfortunately will show its wear long before the woven panels. In the Progressor Hybrid Tight, the soft knit fabric pilled rather significantly by the end of my testing.
Instead of using this soft synthetic knit for the entire garment, The North Face integrated areas of a durable woven material on the seat and thighs. This material is similar to the body fabric of the Women’s Progressor Pant. While not as abrasion resistant as the rip-stop sections of the Progressor Pant, the panels of the Progressor Hybrid Tight are a balance of just enough durability combined with the perfect amount of stretch and the comfort of a legging. After a rigorous testing period, these panels still look spiffy, other than a couple small snag spots. This was an interesting contrast to the wear of the knit material, that developed wear (read: pilling) considerably faster than the panels.
Woven panels looking fresh, and the knit looking a little less fresh and a little more pilled.
Now the dual material is one of my favorite aspects of the Progressor Hybrid Tight. It offers both comfort and durability to a flattering, functional tight. However, I believe it is also the primary contributor to it’s biggest flaw. The materials are fused together in two ways: an adhesive bond (above and below the woven knee panel) and stitched seams (everywhere else). The fabrics are bonded through particular means in specific areas to reduce chafing. While I never noticed chafing (good!), I did notice the seams’ propensity to unravel (not good). In this case, the unraveling was especially evident where the woven material meets the knit.
My assumption is that the different amounts of stretch offered by both fabrics, coupled with the high-mobility activities I used these pants for, strained an already present point of weakness. I am concerned for the longevity of these pants, but I’m so sold on the comfort and durability that I am committed to wearing them until they fall apart. That being said, it is worthwhile to keep the overall longevity in mind if you are considering purchasing these.
Not a good sign, especially when I want to use them to hike/jump/stretch/climb.
Another aspect I liked about the Progressor Hybrid Tight was the fit. I personally love it when a tight’s waistline is right around my bellybutton. I find pants with that fit offer the most comfort, regardless of the activity I’m doing. There’s nothing that can ruin a hike faster than realizing a half mile in that your leggings will be sliding down toward your bum the whole time. I never had this issue with the Progressor Hybrid Tight. I was free to spend my time thinking about my hikes or climbs — not my pants. Granted, after days and days in these tights, they were certainly roomier at the end than they were at the beginning. But I can’t imagine how a pant couldn’t stretch after that much work.
The Progressor Hybrid Tight is, overall, a functional pant with streamlined features. It is, after all, a tight. This includes a low-profile waistline, sleek seams (more on that later), and also subtle pockets. I was a huge fan of the open pockets on the thigh. These pockets fit my phone with ease, and remained totally accessible regardless of the activity. No trapping your phone/knife/energy gels beneath your hipbelt, like I often would in a regular hand pocket. Because these pockets are situated mid-thigh instead of hip, I could reach into them anytime. And because they lay flat and have no zippers, there is nothing cumbersome that you need to fiddle with (just don’t do handstands while your phone is tucked in one of the pockets).
The Good
- Durable woven panels in necessary areas
- The knit material is so soft
- Open-pocket on the thighs
- Comfortable tight that is capable of outdoor abuse
The Bad
- Knit material pilled
- Seams unraveled at places where the two different materials were joined
The Bottom Line: The North Face Progressor Hybrid Tights
These pants provided comfort and abrasion-resistance that performed rather well throughout my testing. While the Progressor Hybrid Tights are exceptional in a lot of ways (those pockets! The softness! The fit!), they did succumb to a fair amount of wear in areas. I’m a bit concerned about the unraveling seams. Regardless, I found these pants to be one of my go-to items during my adventuring, and would recommend them to someone who maybe struggles to find a good pair of hiking pants. These tights blend the durability of the hiking pant with the easy fit of a legging, and I loved testing them.
Buy Now: Available at REI
