REASONS TO BUY
Convertible option looks nice
Easy to convert
Durable stretchy nylon
Tons of pockets
REASONS TO AVOID
Convertible zipper rests across lower thigh
Front button sometimes comes undone
Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible Review
A solid option with numerous, spacious pockets and the ability to switch quickly into shorts
Credit: Kuhl
RELATED: Best Hiking Pants of 2024
Our Verdict
For those looking for a single pair of pants that can convert into shorts without skimping on pockets, we recommend the Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible. This pair will get the job done on any day hike or extended backpacking trip, but we love it because it is also great for yard work, climbing, and traveling. When the midday sun gets too intense, the lower legs zip off, converting the pants into shorts. The dual, compartmentalized cargo pockets have plenty of room for trail snacks, a smartphone, or other trail necessities.
Editor's Note: We updated this article on November 13, 2023, to include additional comparisons from our latest round of testing.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $109 List $53.83 at REI | $49.48 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $90 List | $39.41 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $80 List $55.93 at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A decent choice for thru-hikers who don’t want to carry more than one pair of pants | For comfort and breathability, these pants can’t be beat | An excellent choice for anyone going straight from their desk to the trailhead | The simplest hiking pant that also proved to be the most stylish for everyday wear | These pants offer mobility without skimping on features |
| Rating Categories | Kuhl Renegade Cargo... | Outdoor Research Fe... | Royal Robbins Alpin... | Prana Brion II Pants | REI Co-op Sahara Co... |
| Comfort and Mobility (35%) | |||||
| Venting and Breathability (20%) | |||||
| Weather Resistance (15%) | |||||
| Features (15%) | |||||
| Versatility (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Kuhl Renegade Cargo... | Outdoor Research Fe... | Royal Robbins Alpin... | Prana Brion II Pants | REI Co-op Sahara Co... |
| Weight | 17.0 oz | 12.2 oz | 13.8 oz | 10.7 oz | 11.9 oz |
| Material | Duralux 95% nylon, 5% spandex | 86% nylon, 14% spandex; 90D stretch woven ripstop | 66% nylon, 31% polyester, 3% spandex | 95% recycled nylon, 5% spandex | 96% recycled nylon, 4% spandex |
| Water Resistance | DWR finish | DWR finish | DWR finish | DWR finish | DWR finish |
| Sizing (Waist, Length Options) | W: 28" - 42", L: 28" - 36" Shorts: 10" |
W: 28" - 42" L: 30"- 36" |
W: 30" - 46" L: 30" - 34" |
W: 28" - 42" L: 28" - 36" |
W: 28"- 50" L: 28" - 34" |
| Sun Protection | UPF 50+ | UPF 50 | UPF 50+ | UPF 50 | UPF 50 |
| Pants/Shorts Convertibility | Yes | No (but have ankle cinch cord and fully convertible version available) | No (but have ankle cinch cord) | No | Yes |
| Pockets | 2 hand, 2 back, 2 thigh | 2 hand, 2 back, 1 thigh zip | 2 hand, 2 back, 1 thigh zip, 1 coin | 2 hand, 2 back, 1 coin | 2 hand, 2 back velcro, 2 thigh (1 zip, 1 flap) |
| Waist Strap and Fastener | Snap and zip fly | Button and zip fly | Snap and zip with French fly | Button and zip fly | Button and zip fly, elastic across back |
| Other Features | Articulated knees, gusseted crotch, mesh pockets for ventilation, compartment sections inside cargo pockets for organization, ankle zips and snaps for easy removal with boots | Drawcord cuff closures, side zip pocket | Gussetted crotch, tapered leg, cinch cord at cuff | Gusseted crotch, belt loops, mesh pockets | Removable legs with color-coded zippers and vertical zippers, elastic in waist |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
If you are looking to carry as little as possible without compromising safety or comfort, convertible pants — pants that have zippers that allow you to remove the bottom half of the legs to wear them as shorts — are a good option. These weigh a little more than regular hiking pants but save you from carrying an extra piece of clothing in your pack. The Renegade Cargo Convertible pants also feature double cargo pockets that can hold snacks, a phone, a map, lip balm, and whatever other items you want close at hand while hiking.
Performance Comparison
With plenty of features and a broad range of uses, these convertible pants play well in many environments and situations.
Comfort and Mobility
With their gusseted crotch and articulated knees, the Renegade Cargo Convertible offers a more spacious fit than the many slim or straight-legged pants in this review. The waist and pelvis region also fit comfortably without any hint of constriction. We were also pleasantly surprised by how soft the nylon fabric felt against our skin. The one strike against these pants in the comfort metric is that the convertible zipper seam, which encompasses the lower thigh, creates an obvious rub point against the skin as the wearer moves their legs. This situation is not uncommon for convertible pants, but we still think it detracts from their overall comfort.
The Renegade Cargo Convertible pants had one of the loosest and most spacious fits of any we tested, which allowed for great mobility and comfort. Our only complaint was the convertible zipper seam, which you can see here on the lower thigh, would rub a bit when walking.
Venting and Breathability
To facilitate ventilation, this model comes with mesh liners in both its two front handwarmer pockets as well as the two rear pockets. Though it does not have mesh vents in the two cargo pockets on the side of each leg, the slightly looser fit made us feel cooler when the temperatures rose. Of course, as a convertible model, these pants also feature removable lower legs. Without undergoing the full conversion, though, we found that we could unzip the convertible zippers partway for added ventilation and that we could also wholly unzip the vertical lower-leg zippers, designed to make it easy to take off the pant legs while still wearing boots or shoes. However, the predominantly nylon fabric itself was not super light or breathable in our testing.
While this vertical zipper and button at the ankle makes it easier to remove the lower pant to convert to shorts, we also thought it was great for ventilation purposes. Worn with the button closed but the zipper open, it allows for a lot of welcome airflow if you are getting hot but don't want to switch to shorts.
Weather Resistance
In our shower testing, these pants were effective enough at repelling a light spray for a short period, but it seemed as if much of the DWR coating had worn off during our three-month test period. Low-wear areas like the lower legs were doing a pretty good job of helping the water runoff without soaking in, but in the thighs and butt, water absorption started taking place almost immediately. The good news is that the 95% Duralux nylon didn't absorb very much water. This low absorption meant they dried out fairly quickly after being hung up to dry. By no means did this pant match the performance of models in the top tier of this review, but we wouldn't call their performance a distinct liability.
Testing the DWR coating in a simulated “light rain” before jumping in the shower and soaking them completely. Although they came with a DWR coating, we found it to be less effective than most of the others.
Features
This pant is one of the highest performers when it comes to features. Not only did it have more features than any other model, but we were pleased to discover that they performed as advertised.
This metal snap button keeps the front of these KUHL pants closed, but for us had the silly habit of popping open whenever we moved in a certain way.
We have already mentioned most of the features included on these pants, including the vertical zippers at the bottom of the pants that allow them to fit over a pair of boots or shoes and the snap buttons on the cuffs that will enable you to keep them closed with the zippers open for ventilation.
For those who like a lot of storage easily at hand, the dual cargo pockets on this pant were each divided up on the inside to offer better organization and security of precious goods.
The dual cargo pockets, found on each side of the leg, each have different compartments within them to aid in organization and to keep small items from getting jostled. The only thing we didn't love was that the front snap button sometimes came undone on us during activity. Whereas other Kuhl pants have the “French flap” interior button that helps the waist fit well, this pant lacks that feature which makes it easier for that snap to come undone.
We enjoyed wearing these in many seasons, climates, and activities.
Versatility
These pants have decent versatility. While hiking or backpacking, these pants set you up for success with plenty of pockets for storing all of your necessities as well as the option to convert them into shorts. With their UPF 50+ rating, they will protect you from the high-altitude sun, and their tight nylon weave and DWR coating will also keep you reasonably dry in gentle rain — as long as you regularly reapply it. We also found them to be durable enough for heavy outdoor work, and we wore them with success on many nights of camping in the dirt. They look decent enough to wear around town as well.
Convertible pants eliminate the need to carry a pair of shorts with you. If you are too warm, you can simply unzip and remove the lower leg.
Credit: Andy Wellman
Should You Buy the Kuhl Renegade Cargo?
The Kuhl Renegade Cargo Convertible pants have a great combination of useful features. For those who like the convenience and functionality of plenty of pockets, as well as zip-off legs, this model is worth a look. Though they weren't one of the most comfortable pairs that we tried on, overall, most people would find them sufficient for the most common day hikes and around-town wear.
Taking in the great wide open sky in the desert near Moab, Utah, in the Kuhl Renegade.
What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?
For convertible pants, we also recommend looking at the more comfortable and more breathable REI Sahara Convertible. If you're not set on the zip-off legs, but do want plenty of comfort and mobility, check out the Outdoor Research Ferrosi and Patagonia Quandary. For more situational and weather versatility, the Arc'teryx Gamma Pant is also worth a look.
The Renegade Cargo Convertible is a solid pair of convertible hiking pants with great pockets. Here we are on an evening hike on the backside of Smith Rock in Oregon, with a mighty Cascade volcano in the background.
—
Andy Wellman & Ben Applebaum-Bauch
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