Hiking Pants – Look for a fast drying pair of hiking pants other than a light khaki color. These pants will get dirty fast, so go for a darker color if possible. Some people opt for convertibles that unzip at the thigh and become shorts. You might not like how the zipper feels around your thigh, so try it on at the store and squat down in a pair to see.
Hiking Shorts – Look for super thin shorts (i.e., thinner than a dime) that will dry quickly if it gets wet. Old Navy sells inexpensive thin shorts that are perfect.
Lightweight Rain/Wind Pants – Some hikers forgo the rain pant and just get wet, but in the snow or extremely cold temperatures, it can be a lifesaver. Like the jacket, look for water resistant rather than waterproof so that you will not get too hot. It can also serve as an extra pair of pants at camp and in town when you are washing clothes. REI sells a lightweight and relatively inexpensive pair of rain pants. In the summer, swap the water resistant pants out for a super thin wind pant. It will be useful when it rains and you want to stay warm. Check out Go Lite’s “Whim” pants and also look at a running store’s selections in the summer.