Product Review: KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants

Lindsey and I recently received an opportunity to each test out a pair of KÜHL hiking pants. We jumped at the opportunity as we have both heard so many great things about this brand yet had never actually owned any KÜHL clothing ourselves. I (Keith) chose to test a pair of KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants and I couldn't have been happier with my choice.

Product Overview

The KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants are casual enough for everyday wear yet durable enough to withstand the demands of long days on the hiking trails. These lightweight pants are comfortable and breathable which makes them a great choice for your next outdoor adventure. They also provide plenty of storage options to ensure that you can easily carry all of your everyday essentials (e.g. phone, keys, wallet, small snacks, etc.).

KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants

• KÜHL’s RENEGADE^™ Men’s Pant provides superior comfort and performance with our exclusive DURALUX^™ fabric.
• This easy-care material is soft to the touch while remaining strong and breathable.
• With excellent anti-abrasion and quick-drying properties, the RENEGADE^™ also delivers premium sun protection (UPF 50+).
• Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch allow for freedom of movement.
• Eight pockets provide plenty of storage.

Buy on KÜHL.com

Initial impressions of the pants

I have been looking for a good pair of hiking pants for some time now but with so many options out there I wasn't sure where to start. A few of my friends have told me that KÜHL makes high-quality outdoor wear so I was excited to receive these pants in the mail. Note: The chocolate bar and sticker packs that I received with the pants were a nice touch! 😁

The pants are surprisingly lightweight yet the material has a high-quality, durable feel. The material also offers a slight amount of flex/stretch which further increases comfort. I ordered the pants in my typical sizing (32" waist / 34" length) and they fit true to size. I was relieved as this was the first time that I have tried on KÜHL pants. 😅 I was also very pleased with the "Koal" color I chose. It is one of those perfect colors that complement the other clothes you are wearing; casual, outdoorsy, or otherwise.

I really like the various pockets that adorn the pants. There are several well-placed pockets that perfectly fit my iPhone 13 Pro. This will allow me to store my phone where it is most convenient for me at any given time. It is important for me to have my phone within easy reach so that I can capture moments while out on the trail. I also appreciate the security of the hook-and-loop closure on the rear pockets. I keep my wallet in my rear pocket so it is nice to know that my wallet won't accidentally fall out of my pocket while I am out in the backcountry.

Comfortable and durable for long hikes

I tested the KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants on one of my favorite trails; Grove Creek Canyon in Pleasant Grove, UT. This trail is beautiful but also quite demanding as its gains over 2500 ft of elevation in roughly 3 miles. 😅 I typically wear my mountain biking shorts/pants when I hike so I was very excited to see how these new pants would work out.

As Lindsey and I started up the trail, I was checking for any sort of comfort or mobility concerns with the pants. The pants do offer some stretch but it is a very slight amount; a little less than I am used to. I was concerned that this may cause some difficulty when ascending the steeper sections of the trail. Thankfully, my concerns were quickly diminished. The pants felt very comfortable as I climbed up one of the punchy trail sections. The built-in stretch allowed me to easily navigate the loose and steep entrance to the trail.

The air temperature during the hike was somewhere around 80 degrees (F). This raised my concern that the pants would be too warm to wear. I am typically always hot so testing out new pants on the first warm day of the year seemed like a potentially bad idea. Surprisingly, the pants did not cause me any sort of heat-related issues. My legs and core stayed cool throughout the hike even as my heart rate began to climb. I was very impressed with the temperature-regulating capabilities of these pants.

As I made my way up the trail I kept finding myself forgetting to think about the pants. At first, I was unsure why this was the case but then it hit me... the pants are just that comfortable! 😀 I had expected to find some fitment, material, or other concerns during the hike. However, the longer that I hiked the more comfortable the pants became. One thing that I especially appreciated was that the pants stayed in place and didn't cause my underwear to ride up. Often when I hike, my outer layers cause my inner layers to shift which can lead to chafing and general comfort issues. However, these pants did not exhibit this sort of issue at all.

Unfortunately, my hike was cut a bit short thanks to this stubborn mountain goat that we encountered. It was exciting to finally see a mountain goat on this trail though. Overall, I really enjoyed hiking in these pants. They are by far the nicest and most comfortable hiking pants that I have ever worn.

Casual and stylish for everyday wear

I also chose to wear the KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants to the annual North Fork Fire Department pancake breakfast at Sundance Mountain Resort. I specifically wanted to wear these pants to this event to see how I felt in them when I was at a more upscale venue. KÜHL is known for making durable, comfortable, and stylish clothing so I felt that this would be the perfect event to test the "stylish" aspect.

As I expected, the style and color of the pants worked perfectly. I didn't feel like I was wearing hiking pants to the event. I just felt like I was wearing a nice pair of pants. The pancake breakfast is far from being a formal event but it is held at a location known for being a bit upscale. So, it was nice to know that these pants could serve double-duty as my primary hiking pants and an option to wear on date night or other less outdoorsy activities.

This event also allowed me to test the warmth of these pants since the air temperature was a brisk 40 degrees (F) that day. Lindsey and I spent about an hour walking around the grounds at Sundance enjoying the rustic buildings and spectacular mountain views. During this time, I never once felt like I was getting cold. The pants kept my legs and core nice and warm without feeling stuffy. Once again, I was thoroughly impressed with the temperature-regulating capabilities of these pants.

Final thoughts on the KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants

Do I like how the pants look and fit? YES! ✅
Do I plan to wear these pants hiking again? ABSOLUTELY! ✅
Would I wear these pants out to other non-outdoorsy casual events? YOU BET! ✅

KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants

• KÜHL’s RENEGADE^™ Men’s Pant provides superior comfort and performance with our exclusive DURALUX^™ fabric.
• This easy-care material is soft to the touch while remaining strong and breathable.
• With excellent anti-abrasion and quick-drying properties, the RENEGADE^™ also delivers premium sun protection (UPF 50+).
• Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch allow for freedom of movement.
• Eight pockets provide plenty of storage.

Buy on KÜHL.com

If I had to make a critique, the only thing that I can think of is that the pants legs seemed a little longer than expected. I didn't notice this when I was wearing the pants though. As I previously stated, I thought the pants fit true to size. However, after looking back through some of the photos I started to notice that the pant legs seemed to bunch up around my shoes. This could just be the way that the pants fit my slender legs or it could be that the pant legs were a little long for me. Either way, it is a very minor critique and definitely wouldn't stop me from purchasing another pair.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the KÜHL RENEGADE™ Pants. I don't typically splurge on higher-end outdoor wear such as this. However, now that I know just how comfortable a quality pair of KÜHL pants can be, I might just have to head out shopping to pick up another pair or two. 🤑

So, what did you think of these hiking pants? Do you own any KÜHL products? I would love to hear your opinion on them. Let us know all about it in the comments section below. 👇 💬