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Kühl Rydr Pant

rated 3 of 5 stars
photo: Kühl Rydr Pant hiking pant

Carhartt alternative that satisfies, but requires special care. Launder COLD with extreme caution and NEVER put in the dryer. If you care for your jeans like you care for your expensive gear, these may be for you. Waist fits small. Consider going up 1-2 sizes in the waist.

Pros

  • Classic five pocket styling
  • Sweet ergo design for work with elegant touches for going into town
  • Light, tough cotton with a bit of stretch
  • Roomy in thigh and backside = good for motorcycling or urban cycling
  • Comfy liner in waist
  • Great phone pocket on right thigh

Cons

  • Shrinkage all over is a big problem.
  • Dye unstable. To avoid weird streaking, wash COLD on delicate or hand wash setting using the MINIMUM amount of GENTLE detergent. Consider washing no more than once a month.
  • Wrinkles badly; always hang dry.
  • Italian snap closure is handsome but feels insecure.
  • Cut of the waist isn’t right for everyone. Buttons one inch below waistband at the tailbone. You must have flat abs for these to feel good when you’re sitting down.

I’m always looking for options when my Carhartts are too heavy but my jeans are too unforgiving. These fit the bill.

Kuhl’s retro urban design is packed with thoughtful details, justifying the price, and these trousers have a high quality look and feel off the rack. The midweight twill fabric should take you through the shoulder seasons at work and play.

The colors all seem to have a bit of green in them. I had to size up in the waist. And after inspecting a worn-wear piece I bought from Ebay, I won’t be laundering my new Rydrs any time soon. When I do, it will be on the hand wash setting using a small amount of gentle detergent to avoid the marbly weathering that seems to happen to nearly everyone. I will never, ever put these in a dryer.

Remains to be seen how well they’ll handle tough stains, but the fabric does seem to be above average in that regard. 

So basically, these Rydrs are fussy jeans that you can work hard or dress up and they’ll still look Kuhl. 

Background

I’m a seasoned wearer of trousers of this kind, from Patagonia to Carhartt.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $80

I’ve had Kuhl Rydr jeans before. I liked them. Now I have bought two more pairs last month and have been very disappointed. The material is fading in a strange pattern on both pairs. The fabric is stiff and difficult to work with in order to make them look nice, such as ironing.

And this general theme seems to be impacting a lot of customers who made recent purchases. I do not know if it is because they moved their manufacturing to China, or if it is because they changed materials. The outcome is horrific. I can’t recommend them any more.

Pros

  • Pockets
  • Reinforced

Cons

  • Dry badly wrinkled and creased
  • Off color fading pattern
  • No longer rugged yet nice looking

The Kuhl Rydr Pant material had taken a turn for the worse. Made in China now. Poor fabric quality. Fades in a strange pattern and this is a common customer complaint now. Hard to keep from wrinkling badly and looking bad.  

No longer a comfortable material to wear. Not cool any longer. Too bad.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $79

This was my first Kuhl pant. I have several other Kuhl products based on how great these pants fit. These are the most comfortable pant I have ever owned.

Pros

  • Fit is perfect.
  • Like the angle in the knee
  • Lightweight for spring summer and fall
  • Pockets in all the right places for knives, phone, billfold and change

Cons

  • A little light for winter
  • A bit pricey

Love the fit. Wear great on hikes and look great on evenings out. Has a European snap at the waist that was a little concern but they have an inside button that keeps them well fitting at the waist. I usually wear jeans but find myself wearing these first whenever they are clean.

Great fall and winter outdoor pant. a little light for the winter. Knees are prebent which seems to make a better fit in the leg. I tore a very small hole on a nail when I first bought them. The hole has never gotten larger or frayed terribly.  

Overall these are a five star pant. Love them all the time.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $75

Great fitting pants, and rugged. Style never hurts either.

Pros

  • Fit
  • Comfort
  • Durability

Cons

  • Price
  • Availability
  • Belt loops

I notice no problems moving in these pants. Usually I have trouble with pants binding or creeping during use, but these stay put.

Nifty Italian snap keeps them closed and an extra inside button is there for reliability.

Right side leg has cell phone pocket, could be used for a knife, too.

Only bad thing is the belt loops are too small for my favorite belt (but the belt is a little on the wide side anyway).

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $65

Liked them, until I washed them.

Pros

  • Feel durable
  • Lots of pockets

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Not washer friendly
  • Seem to fit on the larger side.

Liked them, until I washed them. Dye came out uneven, and now they look heavily wrinkled. Pretty disappointing for what they cost. Tag said they where machine washable.

Material did feel stiff when new, as well as after being washed. They felt larger than what the size said compared to the same size in other brands. Probably won't buy again. 

Background

Wear Carhartt and Dickie brand work pants daily. This was my first pair of Kuhl.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $100

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Specs

Men's
Price MSRP: $99.00
Current Retail: $99.00
Historic Range: $37.48-$99.00
Reviewers Paid: $65.00-$100.00
Fabric 98% Cotton, 2% Spandex
Fabric Weight 10.8 oz /sq yd / 365 GSM
Women's
Price MSRP: $99.00
Current Retail: $99.00
Historic Range: $85.00-$99.00
Fabric 98% Cotton, 2% Spandex
Fabric Weight 10.8 oz /sq yd / 365 GSM
Product Details from Kühl »

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