Let’s face it – finding comfortable yet stylish outdoor women’s clothing can be tricky. Even after hours of searching, companies seem to think that the only colours us women want are black, pink or purple. Well not anymore! ACAI clothing is made by women, for women – with a whole host of beautiful colours for you to choose from.  I’ve been a big fan of ACAI since discovering them back in 2019 and invested in two pairs of their max stretch skinny, water resistant outdoor trousers and a pair of their shorts too. Now, they are all I wear on my outdoor adventures whether that’s a day hiking in the mountains, a stroll in my local woods or a filthy, muddy walk with the pooch.

Practicality

4-way stretch system
One of the features I love the most about these trousers is the 4-way stretch system. They are lightweight and fit comfortably over my hips and curves (without that pesky baggy bit at the back that usually comes with women’s trousers) and they are incredibly stretchy, which is useful for hiking or scrambling when stretching that little bit further than normal. The material is breathable which means they are suitable for a full day of adventuring – no more getting too hot or cold! 

Water resistance
This is probably the best feature of these trousers. They are made from a water repellent, softshell material so water literally just rolls off and doesn’t soak through to your skin. Mine have managed numerous days in the good old English drizzle but I stayed dry for the whole day, even after sitting on the wet rocks for lunch (no soggy bottom!). For those of you who might have a muddy dog that accompanies you on your walks, mud splats also just wipe straight off so no more worrying about muddy paw prints! 

Style

Due to the skinny trouser design, lightweight material and 4-way stretch, these are really flattering. They are true to size but if you are between sizes, I would definitely choose the smaller. I have seen a lot of companies offering “fashionable” outdoor trousers for women but they all strike me as being really bulky still and seem to offer much less freedom than the ACAI ones. Who says we can’t still look fashionable and feel nice in the mountains?

Sustainability

We all know about sustainability by now and the importance of reducing the throwaway, “fast fashion” society we seem to have developed for ourselves as well as having as little impact on the natural environment as possible and thankfully, ACAI is playing their part. Their clothing is made from sustainable fabrics including recycled coffee beans (yes really!) to make a type of yarn for their base layers, natural fibre merino wool and they are also committed to being plastic free. Your outdoor clothing will arrive in a mesh laundry bag and a fully recyclable cardboard box so you can be free in the knowledge that you won’t be left with a pile of plastic to worry about.