prAna Cadence Cargo Pant Review

Cadence Cargo in Olive

prAna is known for making great travel and hiking friendly pants. That is why I had such high expectations for the Cadence Cargo Pant. Unfortunately, these pants did not live up to their predecessors in my book. It wasn’t the fabric or construction that bothered me, rather the fit. Before getting to the fit, let’s talk fabrics. The Cadence Cargo is incredibly light weight and dries super fast, which is a must when out on any adventure. These pants would be great for summer travel because of their weight and the fact that the pant can easily be converted into a capri when utilizing the side tab and button that are hidden inside the pant leg.

Rolled up with side tab

The fabric blend contains mostly rayon (68%) and cotton (30%) with a touch of spandex (2%). One would think that the pant would look perhaps shiny due to the vast majority being rayon. However, prAna has incorporated an enzyme wash which makes the pants look worn-in, which lends itself to more casual outings. My only concern with the the lightweight-stretchy nature of these pants is their durability over time; the fabric seems that it would not lend itself well to climbing due to the risk of tearing the fabric.

Past reviewers had commented that the Cadence Cargo stretched out all too quickly and which caused the pants to slip of their hips. For me, I found this to be only one of the problems. The Cadence Cargo Pant is available in sizes 0-14, with a size 4 having a 32″ inseam. I always wear a size 4 with prAna and I ordered my typical size in the color Coffee. I found the thighs to be tighter than normal, which makes the extra fabric within the pockets feel annoying. The inseam did no seem to be 32″ either, as I had plenty of room between the bottom of the cuff and my shoes. After wearing for a little bit, the thigh region did start to loosen up, as did the waist, which increased problems. Adding a belt helped some, but I am not a big fan of wearing belts while carrying a backpack, but this was a must to prevent them from exposing my behind! Because of the length issue, I have only been wearing these pants as capris.

We have touched base with some of the folks at prAna and have learned that we did receive a production pair of pants and that they had not recently changed the sizing of their garments, including these pants. They had, however, been told that different colors fit differently. Hmm? I have yet to go out and try on different colors of these pants to see if this is true, as the Cadence Cargo comes in black, gray blue, and olive, in addition to the coffee color that I tested. I would hope that a size 4 is a size 4, no matter the color. So, it is with great sadness that I have had my first negative prAna experience.

Capri