Men’s KUHL Renegade Pant Review| CleverHiker

Bottom Line

The KUHL Renegade pant is a top pick for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who value comfort, durability, and versatility.  With KUHL’s unique Duralux softshell fabric, these pants balance rugged durability and lightweight stretch. The material offers excellent abrasion resistance while remaining soft to the touch, making them ideal for rugged trails and work wear alike. Their durability makes them one of our best hiking pants.

Thoughtful design features, like articulated knees and a gusseted crotch, enhance mobility, and multiple zippered pockets keep essentials secure. The Renegade Pant is also quick-drying and moderately breathable, ensuring comfort during high-output activities.

However, we found the fit to be slightly puzzling with roomier legs but a tighter-fitting waistline. The material is not as elastic as others we tested, but it is still enough for most activities. The Renegade is durable and is a great crossover pant for doing chores and then hitting the trail.

How We Tested

Gear analyst Miles Knotek tested the Renegade on Alaskan trails, hikes, and peaks across the span of multiple months. Every pair of pants we test has been out in a variety of weather and we are sure to take each pair out for as many miles on trail as possible during that time.

Comfort & Mobility

The Renegade is a well-designed pant with great mobility and articulation, thanks to its gusseted crotch and articulated design. Kneeling, climbing, and crouching in these pants never felt uncomfortable thanks to their articulation. This was especially noticeable when we crouched -we did not notice the common problem of pants bunching behind our knees when we wore the Renegade on our test hikes.

However, we did find the fit of these pants puzzling. Compared with other KUHL pants, the waist was noticeably smaller – feeling almost a whole size slimmer. We suggest sizing up to get the waist size correct. The legs were much more roomy and spacious than similar pants which gave them a more relaxed feel outside the waistline. Though not an athletic-cut pant, the Renegade still offers enough mobility for most activities.

Breathability

The Renegade is marketed as a soft-shell pant but eschews much of the thickness and weight associated with traditional soft-shells. Constructed with KUHL’s DURALUX fabric, the Renegade feels more like a normal hiking pant than a technical soft shell. We found that this makes them more breathable than we previously anticipated. However, without any vents or way to secure the pants when rolled up, their breathability only goes so far. These are not our top choice for hot days but are enough for cooler days at most activity levels.

Weather Resistance

Testing these pants on hikes with exposure to light rain and moisture, we found them to have moderate weather resistance. There’s enough protection for most outings where we may encounter light rain. While they initially do bead light moisture, don’t count on these to keep you dry in a rainstorm. We found these pants’ weather resistance to be middle of the road in our lineup. The biggest thing they have going for them is that they dry quickly, making them a great choice for moving in and out of the rain.

Durability

So far in our testing, we have been impressed with the durability of the KUHL Renegade. Labeled as abrasion-resistant, we tested these pants by rubbing them against rocks and walking through brush. They held up great. Our test pair has shown no signs of wear or rubbing and have held up continually during our tests. We even used these for light yard work, like carrying firewood, and they have withstood kneeling in bark and gravel as well as having pieces of wood impact and scrape them. It’s not only a durable trail pant but also light work pant.

Features

We love the Renegades because they pack eight pockets while still looking sleek and trim. Two zippered pockets on the side of either thigh are great for keeping items secure, and drop-in phone pockets are an excellent feature for quick access to electronics. The pants are rated UPF 50 to protect you on sunny days. The Renegade has the carrying capacity of cargo pants with the sleek look of modern athletic pants. This makes them versatile and functional.

Should You Buy the KUHL Renegade Pant?

The KUHL Renegade blurs the boundaries between work pants and hiking pants. Tough and versatile, it has top-notch durability, and we did not find any weaknesses during our testing on rugged trails. The Renegade has a more relaxed fit than other pants tested making it perfect for those who like slightly wider legs. However, the fitting of the waist can be challenging, so we suggest sizing up slightly. Not the most breathable or weather-resistant, the Renegade is better for cooler days at moderate outputs. A great quiver of one, the Renegade can fill many niches and look good doing it.

What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?

Check out our full gear guide for the lineup of best hiking pants.

KUHL Deceptr Review – Another great performer from KUHL, the Deceptr is more flexible and mobile than the Renegade.

Arc’teryx Gamma Review – One of our most weather-resistant pants, the Gamma has a great blend of breathability and weather resistance that is hard to match.

REI Trailmade Review – If the high price of the Renegade is a little out of your budget, the trailmade is an affordable and versatile pant that checks many of the same boxes as the Renegade.