The fit of riding pants is super important, especially ones that are designed to keep the mud and water at bay. We like to see pants that sit high up the back, which means there’s extra coverage against the clart and the higher waistband helps keep your lower back warm on colder days. If you want to wear a pair of the best knee pads for mountain biking you’ll also have to make sure there’s enough room to get them on underneath, especially if you’re going to be wearing heavy-hitting downhill-style pads on uplift days. The leg also needs to be slim enough to ensure there’s no drivetrain interference and the length needs to hit the sweet spot to make sure ankles are covered but without any excess bunching.
All the pants listed here fit well but we always recommend trying them on before you buy, as one may fit your body proportions and armor choice better than another. Look out for pants with articulated knees too as they fit much better on the bike as they’re pre-molded to the attack position.