Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pant Review
In the fall I got my first pair of Kuhl Travrse Pants (replaced by Trancendr) and absolutely fell in love with them. I wrote a review of them that you can find here. As the weather started to turn and the snow started to pile up I decided to look for a bit warmer pair of pant but still wanted the flexibility that Traverse allowed. I followed up with a with what I knew and bought a pair of Klash pants and have been extremely happy. Here is my Product Review of the Kuhl Klash Hiking Pants. Now that it is summer it is time once again to go a brand I have grown to really like and go with a lighter hiking pant, the Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible pant.
The Renegade is a lighter weight pant with some of the same features of the Travrse and the Klash but some aspects are a lot different. Here is my review.
As a disclaimer I would like to mention that I have an affiliate agreement with Kuhl and any purchase you make from this website results in me getting a small commission. All opinions on this page are my own and based on my own experiences with this pair of pants. This review is for general informational purposes. Your experience with the pants may be completely different.
Specs on the Renegade Cargo Convertible Pant
According to the Kuhl website, the Renegade is a strong, yet breathable pant that provides superior sun protection (SPF50). They use their DURALUX™ fabric with 95% Nylon, and 5% Spandex and a water resistant finish.
Hiking in the summer in the mountains can lead to some crazy changes in temperature and the ability to unzip the lower leg portion and make the pants into shorts could be great to cool off or cross small streams.
| Spec Sheet* | |
| Cost | $99.00 |
| Colors | Khaki, Buckskin Khaki, Koal |
| Sizes (waist) | 30, 32, 33,34,36,38,40 |
| Sizes (Inseem) | 30-36 depending on waist |
| Fabrics | 95% Nylon 5% Spandex |
| Care | Machine Wash Cold Like Colors No Bleach Tumble Dry Low |
What I Liked
What I really liked the most about the Renegade pants is the durability for a lighter weight pant. I have bought a few pairs of the cheaper pants online and they were easy to tear if caught by a stray branch or rubbed up against a rock. So far I have had no issues with that with the Renegade.
I also like the pocket space in the cargo version of this pant. There are deep side pockets, with pockets inside pockets and I feel like I have plenty of room for all the junk I bring with me on a hike.
The lighter weight and breathability also keep my hefty hiker body cool while I’m out on the trail. Unlike some pants that are of a lighter weight though, these pants are actually pretty warm in the winter. While I haven’t hiked in really cold winter conditions, you can see in the pictures I have taken these pants into snow and have had no issues with getting cold.
Pockets
The Renegade Cargo Convertible has has the standard two hip pockets and two back pockets but also comes with two cargo pockets on either thigh.
The left side cargo pocket has a zippered pocket built inside another open pocket. The open pocket is then closed with a flap and snap system. I love having the zippered pocket for important stuff like car keys or ID that you can’t risk losing while out on a hike. The flap pocket is deep (about six inches by six inches) and has a good amount of space for snacks or whatnot.
The right side cargo pocket is also a large (roughly 6 x 6) and is covered by a flap and snap cover. This pocket is unique because inside it is broken into 3 smaller chambers to store items separately and then rest of the pocket is available for bigger items. I didn’t know I needed the chambers until I had them and now I love them. I use it to keep those little GoPro screws in place so I don’t use them. They are definitely big enough for Chapstick, or certain protein bars.
Flexibility
While the Travrse and Klash pants have Kuhl’s 4-way stretch materials the Renegade does not. That isn’t to say that they are not flexible. I am a bigger fella, as the name might suggest, and I have not had any restricted motion.
I would describe it as a rubber band. You know those really thin rubber bands that can stretch forever? That would be the Klash and Travrse. The thicker rubber bands that don’t quite as far but still have plenty of motion? That would be the Renegade Cargo Convertible.
That is just the material, I haven’t even talked about the biggest flex on flexibility for the Renegade. That is that you can unzip the lower portion and turn the pant into a short. The zipper function is top notch and I haven’t had any slipping with the bottoms on. (I bought a cheap pair online and the convertible portion kept coming unzipped through the hike leaving a big hole around my knee)
Durability
I have hiked in my Renegades through forest, rock, winter and summer settings and they still look like the day that I bought them. And, I wore them at Arches National park where I had to do some butt sliding down slick rock and they didn’t mark at all. Plus, I wore them on a hike through the San Isabel National Forest where I was running into all sorts of twigs and branches and I never felt the wood pushing through and had no scratches on my legs or pants.
And finally I wore them in the snow at Brainard Lake (picture below) and post-holed down to mid thigh in wet snow/ice/slush. The pants held up perfectly with no damage and no moisture making it through.
Water Resistance
As I mentioned above I have post holed several times in melting snow in these pants and never got moisture to penetrate through to my skin. I have also taken them on hikes where I had to cross some small streams. While I am not saying that they are waterproof, they did do a good job, paired with waterproof shoes of keeping me dry.
The Renegade Cargo Convertible also have dried really fast when they have been wet. I am not sure if that is the result of the water resistance pushing the water off the pant of just not letting it soak in but they dried quick.
I have not hiked in the rain yet in these pants.
What I Didn’t Like
While overall I really liked these pants there are two things that weren’t my favorite. The first issue I had was the zipper for the convertible hits my leg in a weird spot. To be fair I am short and probably need an inseem shorter than 30inches. The zipper lines right up with that soft spot below my knee but above my leg bone. So if I am taking a big step up the zipper section can press up against that soft spot.
The zipper isn’t uncomfortable, it feels like Kuhl has put material to cover it so I don’t feel metal or anything just a bit of pressure in that spot.
The second issue is petty and I admit that. I have gotten used to the full zipper pockets on the Travrse and Klash. Each pocket on those zips closed so you have confidence not to lose anything. While I love the versatility in the cargo pockets, I do think it would be nice if my hip pockets would zip closed. See told ya, petty.
Wrapping up the Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pant Review
Overall I really liked these pants. I love that they have a lighter weight to them that is more conducive to summer, spring and fall hiking. I like the flexibility of being able to turn them into shorts for those days that are freezing in the morning and warm up through the day.
The breathability also helps keep me cool throughout my hikes so far. While not quite as flexible as the Travrse, they have plenty of range of motion and I feel comfortable hiking in them. I also like that they are bit cheaper at $99.
These pants are a lot more durable than lighter weight pants that I have used. I feel like I can go through any terrain in them and they will protect my legs from any trail debris that I encounter. Overall I highly recommend them for summer, late spring, early fall hiking.
If you like this review, you can see other products I have reviewed on my Product Review Page. If you have any items you would like me to review or any comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!
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