Summer Essentials: Best Women's Hiking Pants from Kühl

Summer in the mountains is beautiful. While we all miss ski season, the glorious long days and cool nights are perfect for hiking and backpacking. Today, a review of some summer essentials: women’s hiking pants from Kühl, and two more favorites, to make your summer treks more comfortable.

Women’s Hiking Pants from Kühl

I’ve got two pair of Kühl hiking pants, the Freeflex Roll-Up and the Trekr Capri. I’ve been wearing the Trekr Capri for three summers now and they look brand-new, despite the heavy usage. The Freeflex Roll-Up pants are new this spring, but I’m wearing them from trail to meeting room, now that life is back in person!

Here are the attributes I love:

Fabric: The fabric in both of these pants is stretchy, somewhat water repellant, quick-drying, and offers SPF 50 protection. The fabric is synthetic, which is often not my top choice, but in terms of outdoor resilience and versatility, it’s superior. The stretch means that it’s easy to bend over, squat down, take giant steps up boulders and rocks, or sit all day at your desk in comfort.
Style: In the backcountry, it’s good to have one pair of pants that does it all. While Kühl offers a zip-off convertible hiking pant (the Hörizn Convertible), I think that this design — while massively utilitarian — is limiting. Instead, the Freeflex Roll-up has a flattering straight-leg fit, which rolls up to mid-calf length and neatly snaps into place. Travel, work, lunch, backcountry: this pant does it all, and is available in four colors. As for the Trekr Capri, the legs fall just below the knee, but can be cinched up above the knee, gathering along the side seams for a shorter style. Available in three colors.

These pants are just two among many styles at Kühl and I totally recommend them. I have found that fit true-to-size.

Women's hiking pants from Kühl, the Trekr Capri — Spring 2020: Hiking straight uphill on a steep trail in the Colorado National Monument. The stretchiness and comfort of Kühl’s Trekr Capri makes it easier. ©braveskimom

Other Summer Essentials

As a bonus, here are two other “hot-tip” recommendations for summer gear I don’t want to do without.

Best Backpacking Pad: Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra Sleeping Pad. I picked this up last summer the night before a backpacking trip to replace a self-inflating, much too thin, pad. This pad is so comfortable, that it is now my favorite for trekking and car-camping. The Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Pad is both luxurious and affordable.

Best Mineral Sunscreen: Sunforgettable Total Protection Body Shield SPF 50. With 12.0% zinc oxide and no chemical sunscreens, this product, which is slightly tinted, rubs in easily and doesn’t turn your skin a ghostly white. It’s also got a nice dry feel, never sticky, always protective.

What are your “hot-tip” summer gear selections? Please share!

Cheers!

To facilitate this post, I received a pair of Freeflex Roll-Up pants from Kühl. All other products were personally selected by me. As always, all opinions are my own and are exactly what I would tell my family and friends.