Hiking Gear Review: Kühl Renegade Pants & Spyfire Hoody
Table of Contents
About Kühl
Kühl is one of a handful of privately owned, independent companies dedicated to making high quality, environmentally conscious and ethically sourced outdoor clothing. With almost four decades operating out of Salt Lake City, Kühl aims to inspire people out into the great outdoors, to follow their passion and to ignite a desire to recreate responsibly and sustainably. Check out one of their blog posts for 7 underrated ways to hike sustainably.
With a wide range of outdoor products on offer, Kühl provides an abundance of options no matter what your outdoor pursuits may be. Whether it’s simply walking the dog or climbing a mountain, Kühl will have something available for all possibilities.
As an outdoor enthusiast sharing the same passions and values as Kühl, I was more than happy to be given the opportunity to put some of their products to the test, climbing mountains through a typically Canadian winter. After browsing all of their available products, I selected the Kühl Spyfire Hoody and Renegade Convertible Pants, both of which seemed ideally suited for what I needed.
Kühl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pants
Pros
- Extremely versatile
- Durable yet comfortable
- Breathes well
- Water resistant & quick drying
- Lots of pockets
Cons
- May not be warm enough for particularly cold temperatures
- Would benefit from an in-built belt
The Renegade Pants are one of Kühl’s signature offerings, available in a number of designs, such as the classic Renegade Pants, the sturdier Renegade Rock Pants or the option I went with, the versatile Renegade Cargo Convertible Pants.
As a year-round hiker, the conditions I can face in the mountains range from temperate, dry and warm, all the way to arctic, wet and windy, often all on the same day! As such I typically need a versatile pair of pants that can handle whatever job I need them to do. The Kühl Renegade Cargo Convertible Pants offer the perfect solution, delivering the best of both worlds thanks to their detachable lower legs, enabling the pants to seamlessly convert from a sturdy pair of pants into an agile pair of shorts at a moments notice.
With soft yet extremely durable softshell fabric, these pants hold up extremely well in demanding conditions and despite my best efforts (bushwhacking, glissading, scrambling), I’m yet to dent their rugged fabric. They are also water resistant and quick drying, which of course is practically a necessity in the Pacific Northwest, where rain can strike without warning. Thankfully despite this, they breathe well even on those relentlessly steep climbs and when the sun does decide to show up, these pants also offer UPF 50+ sun protection.
The main reason I usually want a convertible pant when I’m hiking is to allow flexibility and comfort throughout the day. With a two way stretch, the Renegade Pants are comfortable on those long days where even the slightest discomfort can be an endless nuisance. The Stealth Zip Off system allows hikers to seamlessly convert the pants into shorts when the temperatures rise, something that is a constant issue in the shoulder seasons when temperatures can start off low but rise throughout the day. There is nothing worse than suffering in pants on a hot day, so this feature is a major selling point for the convertible option.
Finally, since these are cargo pants you would be right to assume there are an abundance of pockets available on these pants, both zippered and buttoned for secure storage. These always prove handy as I’m often needing a place to easily store items like gloves, sunglasses, phones, hand warmers, snacks and countless other things while hiking, so the more pockets you can give me the better.
If there was any negative about these Renegade Convertible Cargo Pants, I would say they could benefit from a built-in belt to allow easy, on the go adjustments to your waist. I often find while hiking that as you lose water weight throughout the day, the waist can often become loose, and having an easy option for adjusting it is a nice selling feature. Thankfully this is easily overcome with your own belt, but personally I don’t always like wearing a belt if I can avoid it.
Kühl Spyfire Hoody
Pros
- Lightweight insulation for cold days
- Ethically sourced 800 Fill RDS Certified Goose Down
- Targeted baffles keep your core warm while allowing heat producing zones to breathe
- Reinforced overlays provide extra protection to vulnerable areas
- Water resistant & windproof fabric
- Lots of pockets
- Versatile and fashionable
Cons
- Doesn’t pack down into its own pocket or come with a stuff sack
- On the heavier end of the spectrum for down jackets
The Spyfire range is Kühl’s only down filled jacket, available for both men and women, either with or without a hood. I opted to get the hooded version, as generally speaking hoods are invaluable in the mountains to prevent wind and rain, particularly on the summit in winter when even the slightest breeze can send shivers down your spine.
As a down filled jacket, these are generally a technical piece of clothing with a very specific purpose in the mountains, to be warm, weatherproof and lightweight. Down jackets are usually not very breathable and are generally not suggested for high output activity, such as on the uphill portion of a hike. However, once on the summit and potentially on the downhill section of the hike, warm, weather resistant jackets are an essential piece of kit, especially in the winter.
Having put this through a few cold hikes, I found the Spyfire Hoody did an excellent job at keeping out wind while I was dwelling on the summit. The hood was a vital part of that, as well as the cinched waist, which was an important feature for keeping out the gusts. With a couple of layers underneath, this jacket provided sufficient warmth to allow me to linger on the summit to my hearts content, though admittedly I never tested it during exceedingly cold snaps (think -15c / 5F) , and given this is a midweight jacket I’m not sure it would hold up to truly arctic conditions, nor is it really designed to.
The Kühl Spyfire Hoody is a midweight hoody offering 800 Fill RDS (Responsible Down Standard) goose down, providing lightweight insulation that is easy to pack down and light enough to stow in your pack for when you reach the summit and potentially for your descent. This hoody does actually offer some strategically placed underarm gussets for added breathability and stretch, which is quite rare for down jackets and helps to improve breathability should you decide to wear it during activity.
The Spyfire Hoody provides reinforced overlays to the core and arms for added protection, something that is very useful while hiking as the arms in particular tend to always find a way to snag on something (mostly branches). I’ve been wearing this for several hikes now and so far it’s held up to any rigours I’ve put it through without issue. Given the quality craftsmanship I’m sure this hoody will hold up well for years to come.
The Spyfire Hoody also comes with a number of pockets. Two hand pockets, two chest pockets, one sleeve pocket and an internal mesh pocket provide an abundance of options for whatever you want to stow away. Winter hiking always comes with added gear like gloves, hats, hand warmers and even avalanche beacons, so the variety of pockets available is extremely handy for a jacket and this was a nice feature to have.
Off of the mountain the Spyfire Hoody is a fashionable, well fitted piece of kit that works well in a variety of situations. It’s well suited for a wander around town, walking the dog, traveling and even on a night out. This is a very versatile piece of clothing that many people will love.
In terms of negatives, the Spyfire Hoody could be regarded by some as more form over function when compared to other more technical down jackets. This jacket will fare well in mild to moderately cold temperatures, but it may not hold up in extreme conditions versus warmer down jackets. While the jacket is lightweight compared to non-down jackets, it isn’t the lightest down jacket on the market, and it doesn’t stow away in its own pocket or come with a stuff sack, so portability may be an issue for some, particularly with the ultralightweight crowd. You can always buy a separate stuff sack if this is a real concern though.
Where to Buy Kühl Clothing
While located in Salt Lake City in the US, Kühl has an online store in both Canada and US. You can visit each of these stores using the links below:
You will also find Kühl products in many authorized retailers.