Kuhl Renegade Men’s Convertible Pants Review

JUMP TO: SPECS  /  PROS & CONS  /  HOW THEY PERFORMED  /  FEATURES  / OTHER TIPS /  SUMMARY

Author: Sam Brilleman | Updated: Feb 27, 2023
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Looking for a versatile pair of hiking pants that are lightweight, but will stand up to the hardships of the trail?

The Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are a well-constructed, durable, and easy to wear option that allows you to go from hiking trousers to shorts in no time. Although the lack of zippable pockets can be inconvenient for valuables, overall, the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are an excellent pair of hiking and adventuring trousers.

So, what are the details and features that make these pants a winner, and where do they fall short? Let’s step in and find out.

HOW THEY PERFORMED

COMFORT: Thanks to the relatively lightweight nylon fabric, and a relaxed fit, the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are a comfortable hiking option. The fabric is relatively breathable, although in seriously hot conditions you’ll want to zip off into shorts, of course.

FIT: The waistline isn’t adjustable – so you’ll want to make sure you check your sizing carefully. If your sizing is slightly out, you’d have to wear a belt – which may or may not be an issue depending on your preferences. Personally I prefer to avoid needing a belt on the hiking trail!

Some say that these pants tend to run a little large, but I found them true to sizing – I can fit my usual size 32 without any need for a belt.

The waistline has a metal snap button, that can tend to occasionally pop when crouching down, for example. This is only a really minor annoyance, since it happens so occasionally. And for all the unexpected “pops”, you get the benefit of a super easy to use snap button rather than a more difficult to use traditional button or some annoying built in belt or clip.

EASE OF USE: Convertible pants should go from pants to shorts with relative ease. Over time, I’ve found that two things in particular help with that: 1) zippers that don’t snag when zipping off the leg, and 2) ankle zippers that allow you to remove the leg with your shoes on.

The Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants fulfil both these criteria. The zips seem high quality, are located just above the knee, and for the most part operate smoothly. There are also ankle zips (plus a snap button at the end of the zipper to help avoid pressure straining the zipper).

One minor issue comes up when you’re trying to go from shorts back to pants – there isn’t any labelling on the zips or detachable pant legs to indicate which side is which. So, it can take some trial and error to attach the correct leg and be back on your way.

VERSATILITY: I tend to wear my Kuhl Renegade Shorts on a daily basis, during all my normal day-to-day tasks around town. I wouldn’t say the same about my Renegade Convertible Pants though. Even though the zipper is relatively stealth, it can still be seen, and it sits above the knee. So, while the Renegade Shorts are super casual, the Renegade Convertible Pants still have a bit of that dorky hiking pants look.

Having said that, they are way better than a lot of other hiking pants, so they are 100% fine for the trails, your backpacking holiday, or when you hit town during your resupply. But personally I won’t be wearing these to Saturday date night just yet (unless of course it is date night during a hiking holiday!).

In terms of on-trail versatility though, these pants nail it. They do both the pants and shorts thing relatively well – and offer a smooth conversion between them.

Another plus is that since they have a relatively relaxed fit, you can easily fit a thermal layer underneath if you’re hiking in the winter months or in chillier temperatures.

FUNCTIONALITY: Despite the abundance of pockets, Kuhl decided not to make any of them with zipper fastenings. This is great for accessing stuff easily on the trails, but if you have valuables or are scrambling where stuff might fall out, it’s not ideal. The lack of any zippered pockets may even be a deal breaker for some people.

NOTABLE FEATURES

ANKLE ZIPS: If you’re converting your pants into shorts on the trail, you don’t want to have to remove your shoes just to do it. Kuhl have added ankle zips on the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants – and this definitely helps remove the messiness when converting to shorts on wet ground.

Separate from converting the pants, just at the end of a hike, when you’re wanting to strip off and put everything in the washing machine, being able to get pants off easily without hopping around everywhere is a gamechanger.

POCKETS: The Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants have plenty of pockets, including some sizable cargo pockets. They have mesh inners to help with breathability, ventilation, and weight. In addition, they have smaller subsections inside them, for your smaller valuables. This keeps them separate and more accessible, and sort of makes up for the lack of zipped pockets.

WEATHERPROOFING: These pants are by no means waterproof, but the nylon combined with the DWR coating does provide some water resistance, which can help in light rain showers. The DWR coating will wear off over time, but if you want you can always reapply it.

DURABILITY: I like the balance of weight and robustness that the Duralux material provides. It is lightweight and breathable enough that these pants don’t feel like they are weighing you down. But at the same time the fabric is durable enough that I’m happy to clean a dirty knife when cooking, or to brush through rough scrub, without worrying about the state of the material.

QUICK DRYING: I’ve found them relatively quick drying after wetting out or being washed. They are actually surprisingly quick drying for the 170 gsm weight of the fabric.

CONVERTIBLE ZIPPER: The convertible zipper sits just above the knee on my pair – although I imagine the exact position depends on the inseam length you choose. Although some people might prefer the zipper a little lower so that the shorts cover the knees, having it a bit higher means that you don’t get the zip pressing into your kneecap when you’re kneeling.

As mentioned above, the convertible zipper is reasonably well hidden, but it can definitely be seen. If you are sold on the functionality of convertible hiking pants (which I generally am) then these are a relatively good-looking pair. But, at the end of the day, no pants are ever going to look “great” with a zipper straddling circumference of your thigh.

OTHER TIPS

DON’T BUY THEM AS PRIMARY SHORTS: It might be useful to highlight that I see these (and all convertible pants) as primarily trousers, with the option to convert to shorts in occasional excessively hot conditions.

If you plan to hike primarily in shorts, then I wouldn’t treat these as your primary shorts. If you do that, it is likely that the shorts will fade much faster than the lower legs! And then, when you go to use them as full trousers you’ll look like a tie dye job gone severely wrong.

WASH THE FULL PANTS TOGETHER: For the same reason, always make sure you wash the full trousers together, even if you only wore the shorts. Washing fades clothes more than anything else, so if you just wash the shorts, they’ll fade faster than the lower legs.

SUMMARY

All in all, the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are a well-made and versatile garment that’ll be with you all the way on your next hiking trip. With plenty of pockets, useful ankle zips, and a material that balances weight and durability well, the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are worth being the pants you reach for when you’re next heading outdoors.

Convertible pants aren’t for everyone – some prefer traditional trousers, some traditional shorts, and some prefer roll up three-quarter pants. But for those who value the versatility and functionality of convertible pants (myself included), the Kuhl Renegade Convertible Pants are a great option, and probably the best I’ve come across.

DISCLOSURE

Kuhl provided me with a free sample for this review – but the views expressed here are all my own. The review also contains affiliate links, which help us keep churning out more content!

MORE INFORMATION

Looking for more information on hiking and backpacking? Be sure to check out some of our other tips and gear reviews:

• Best Backpacking Quilts

• Best Backpacking Tents

• Best Sleeping Bag Brands

• Which Baselayer Material is Best?

• Ultimate Backpacking Gear List

• Hiking vs Trekking vs Backpacking — WTF is the difference?

Or check out our entire Gear Reviews Page, our Knowledge Base Articles, or Destination Guides for more hiking, backpacking, and outdoors related content.

Happy hiking and take care out there in the wild!