Wild Rye Freyah Pants Review
The Women’s Wild Rye Freyah pants review is the feature of August’s in-depth mtb gear and clothing discussion. Wild Rye designs are stylish and functional MTB pants for women of all sizes. Three of us at Women’s MTB Network have worn and ridden in the Wild Rye Freyah Pants: Mia size 14, Beka size 10, and Lauren size 2. The pros and cons of the Freyah pants are discussed, including Beka’s take on the Freyah + Pivot collab below.
Words by Beka:
Off the bat, I felt the sizing for Wild Rye’s Freyah pants run big compared to what I’m used to in terms of women’s mtb pants, where I’m usually a size Large or numeric 12. The size 12 in Wild Rye were so big I couldn’t make them work in any capacity as they literally hung off my waist and hips (unheard of for me, since I have a narrow waist with Viking-era hips and thick thighs), so I exchanged them for a 10. Even those felt slightly roomy but are still my go-to size compared to the other pair of Freyahs I own in size 8.
I’ve been riding in the same pair of Freyahs for over a year now and can safely say they’re some of my favorite do-it-all mtb pants. When I’m riding local trails but don’t want to ride in shorts, the Freyahs are my go-to. I can easily pedal in them with a shammy and knee pads without feeling like my movement is compromised. They’re also lightweight and comfortable for all-day trail rides, so they don’t feel cumbersome or bulky. The Freyahs are also the first to meet my need for mtb pants to reach my natural waist – even slightly too high-waisted, which is something I’ve never encountered. The disadvantage to this is that at times, during long pedal days, the ultra-high waist felt slightly restrictive along my lower ribs and upper abdomen. However, they’re also incredibly comfortable for all-day laps at the bike park, paired with my heavy-duty park knee pads that easily fit under them. I’ve taken quite a few washouts and bike park spills in them, and have yet to notice any fabric tears, shreds, breakdown, etc. This surprised me, since initially I wasn’t convinced the fabric was substantial enough.
And THE POCKETS – seriously, mtb pants need all the pockets they can get. They have two large pockets on the side of either hip that are very generous and easily fit my big iPhone. I do wish they’d develop a third rear thigh pocket since one crash in the Freyahs resulted in a shattered iphone – which was perfectly aligned with a hip impact to a rock. I think adding a third rear leg pocket would be the perfect addition. They also have Velcro cuffed bottoms that allow for easy fit over any shoes and accommodate any height. I’m 5’7” so I was able to wear them without changing the cuffs. Plus, the overall fabric choices and styling of the pants is super cute, but not overly obnoxiously “girly” – you truly get the feel that these pants were designed by women, for women. I’ll definitely continue to shred in them!
Freyah Pants are Mia’s First Choice:
The Wild Rye Freyah pants are my go-to pants anytime I’m riding on rough, chunky terrain because I know those pants will not rip. I have tested them in different terrains, like bike parks, and Sedona chunk: not once did they rip or tear.
The knee area is very well protected with double layers inside the pants to protect the knee, and the material also goes a little further down to the calf.
As Beka said above, I feel they run a little big, as the 14 fits me well, but is a little loose on the waist-which I don’t mind.
I also like the pant cuff near the ankles which allows you to open fully and put knee pads on and take them off with ease.
Lauren’s Take on the Freyah Pants:
The one con is that the pants come up really high on the waist, which for her, makes it uncomfortable when climbing for long periods of time. But other than that, the pants are very comfortable.
The Freyah Pants on Trail: All three of us have ridden these mtb pants over the last year on various types of trails, and each time, the pants were conformable to ride in:
- Cross country
- Sedona Chunk
- East Coast Chunk
- Various bike parks across the country
Our recommendation: If you want a durable pair of pants, that’s easy to pedal in and don’t mind the high waist, then these pants are highly recommended.
Wild Rye designed the Freyah pants in various colors, some of which are on sale at the moment.
For any questions about the Freyah pants, feel free to reach out to us via email or DM on Instagram:
[email protected], [email protected] or www.instagram.com/womensmtbnetwork
Pants Pros:
- Easy to pedal in long rides
- Knee pads fit well
- Light and durable
- Protects from elements
- High waist (although that was a con for Lauren)
- Good size pockets
- Velcro pant cuff
Pants Cons:
- Price- Between $140-$199
- High waist (for Lauren)
- High waist feels restrictive on longer rides