Kuiu Alpine Pant
The Kuiu Alpine Pant has become one of my favorite pieces of gear to date simply because of the fit, form, and function they provide. I've been thinking about how to discuss these pants in a way that will convey the right message so I have decided I'm going to keep it short and sweet, tell you about the features I like, and show you images that others may not show in their reviews. If you want to know the technical specs, I suggest heading over to www.kuiu.com to learn about them. This review will simply cover the features I like and why I like them.
This shot was taken after the hike in when we were drying out our gear via bon fire. Photo by Dustin Evans
Comfort:
The Kuiu Alpine pant is extremely comfortable to wear in the field all day while climbing up hills and over forest downfall. The stretchy material they are made of is capable of being poked and prodded by the dense forests I hunt in. So far, after one season of wearing them, I've yet to rip a hole while bushwhacking my way through the forest.
Hip Vents:
The hip zips are by far my favorite feature. The allow you to dump heat when needed.
I've never had a pair of pants that had the option of venting at the hips and I've now realized that I've been missing out. Having the ability to dump heat from your body when you're beginning to overheat is incredible. It's easy to do, doesn’t result in having exposed skin and the vent is large enough to receive a nice breeze from forest. Thanks to the Alpine Pant, I now feel spoiled because when I'm shopping look for hiking/hunting pants, I'm always noting whether or not they have hip zips for dumping heat. Simply put, this feature is now a standard I look for.
Knee Pads:
My second favorite feature are the knee pads. Low profile and never in the way.
I own a pair of Sitka pants that have knee pads in them as well and have loved every minute of owning them. The Sitka pants spoiled me in that sense as well and when I saw Kuiu was coming out with their own pant that included knee protection, I jumped on them right away. The Alpine Pant has knee protection that is sewn into the material, is low profile, durable, and is just large enough to do the trick without being too large. Knee protection is now a standard requirement when I'm on the hunt for hunting specific trouser.
All Pockets Are Zip Pockets:
All pockets on the Alpine Pant are zippered to include the two back pockets.
It's great to have the ability to stow your smaller items without the fear of losing them when you're climbing over logs and rocks. The zippers are small and I've yet to have them catch or malfunction. While I'm not a huge fan of cargo pockets (personal pet peeve…), the ones featured on the Alpine Pant are very functional. I thought the dual pockets were overboard at first, but they actually come in handy. The fabric remains low profile when not being used.
Pocket Material:
A fleece type material keeps the contact with bare skin comfortable and affords a nice place to warm your hands.
This may sound odd, but I really like the soft material that the pockets are made out of on the inside. It's not necessary, but it's a nice touch when your hands are a little cold and you need to warm them up a bit. Stick them inside your front pockets and the fleece type material is ready and willing to befriend your hands.
Fit:
Simple button closure and a comfortable waistband.
I’m 5'8" and about 155lbs so my only complaint is the fit at the waist. Kuiu's smallest offering is a size 30 for waist, but I could actually go down to a 29. It's not a huge deal, but for us thinner athletic guys out there, the waistband of the size 30 is a little sloppy. I like my pants to fit snug and while these do a great job everywhere else, they don't feel so great in the waist area. It's not a deal breaker, but I look forward to the day that Kuiu begins to make smaller sizes. Rarely do will they manufacture a size small so I'm left with having to use a medium and risk it being too big. I'm actually between a small and a medium so I'm used to this issue. Where this becomes an problem with the pants is that the button on the waist comes undone from time to time because when I pull my belt tight, it bunches up and comes loose. I hate baggy pants or a baggy fit because that material just gets in the way. Plus, it's extra weight that I don't need.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, the Kuiu Alpine Pant is a great do-it-all pant. They're not too light or not too heavy. I've worn it on warm days and cold days and when paired with a proper base layer, they're pretty unbeatable. The Kuiu Alpine Pant has a way of being everything you want without having unnecessary features. They dry out fast when wet and don't soak up water like cotton rip stop would. Given the opportunity, I'd buy these again without hesitation.
Find out more about the Kuiu Alpine Pant by clicking this link...
By Land,
Emory Ronald
Dual cargo pockets come in handy without excess bulk.
Featured here is the backside of the knee pad. Very comfortable if next to bare skin.
