ProView – Mountain Hardwear Women’s Chockstone Rock Tight

Throughout the spring climbing season, the weather varies like crazy. As a result, I found myself reaching for the Chockstone Rock Tights more than anything else because they perform well in a wide variety of conditions. The weather where I’m from, western North Carolina, can quickly go from sunny blue skies in the morning to cold thunderstorms in the afternoon. Getting caught in the rain is a way of life for a Carolina climber. The DWR finish helps to shed water initially from the leggings. After enough saturation, they do soak through. But! They dry faster than most pants I own which makes them a beneficial choice even if I expect to get a little wet. The DWR coating is PFC-free, which adds a nice touch of environmental sustainability.

Durability

The Chockstone™ Double Weave Softshell fabric itself is something I have a love-hate relationship with. Most leggings I have worn get holes in the knees from rock climbing and the abrasion that naturally comes with the sport. I find holes to be particularly annoying because they just grow bigger until they are almost unusable. These leggings are tough and don’t rip very easily, however they do acquire a different type of wear. I’m stoked that they don’t seem to rip as easily as other leggings, but they do gather pills quite easily. Personally, I don’t mind this as much because the pills can easily be removed with a razor (like shaving your legs… but shaving your leggings!). 

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Fit

As far as the fit goes, the fit of the Chockstone leggings is unmatched by any others I own. As a petite climber, I find most pants to be either too long and bunchy at the ankles or too baggy in the hips. These pants are neither! The fit is flattering throughout and the gusseted seat really helps them flow with your movement no matter what you’re doing. I have worn these for multiple sports – rock climbing, trail running, and yoga. All three sports require something a little different from you and these leggings really do keep up. One thing I have run into with other leggings is that they will slowly ride down after the waistband stretches out with lots of movement. These leggings have a layer of elastic stitching on the inside, about an inch wide at the top of the waist that holds them in place. The seams at the very top of the leggings are not stretchy, however, and popped here and there the first few times I pulled them over my hips. At first I was worried that these would start to ride down as a result of the seams popping but the layer of elastic stitching at the top seems to compensate for it well enough. 

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Features

“Pics or it didn’t happen!” Am I right?! One of my favorite things about these leggings is the zipper pocket on the side. As a climber and climbing instructor, I am always trying to snap good photos of my partners and clients. The pocket is positioned in the perfect spot so it doesn’t get in the way of my harness and it’s easy to slide in and out while maintaining a belay or moving up and down a fixed line. 

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The Final Word

Overall, the Mountain Hardwear Chockstone Rock Tights are a comfortable and durable go-to legging that can really do it all. The fabric, though can get pretty furry with pills, still performs well in a variety of conditions. The fit is great and they hold their shape well. The waistband holds the whole pant in place while engaging in high movement activities such as climbing and running. I have found that I can even run with a phone in the well-placed zipper pocket and the pants dont slide down like some pants might. These could be the perfect pair of leggings with just a little improvement here and there. Looking forward to more adventures in them!

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