Kuhl Deceptr Pants Review

Finding a pair of hiking pants can be a pain in the booty. There are so many good pairs of hiking pants on the market which sure can make it hard to choose. If you have been looking at Kuhl Deceptr pants and wondering if they will be a good fit for you. Then keep reading as I review my experience with wearing Kuhl’s Deceptr hiking pants.

Performance: Kuhl Deceptr Pants 

When trying to find the best pair of hiking pants there are a lot of factors to consider. Depending on the season you will want either a lighter more breathable pair or a heavier and warmer pair of pants. Other things to consider are the features like belt loops, pockets, and attachment options. Most importantly is comfort and mobility, when heading out in the backcountry a pair of restrictive pants will just work against you every step. 

Comfort & Mobility 

When it comes to comfort these pants do fairly well. At first impression, I was surprised by how rough the fabric felt on the outside of these pants. But the interior fabric was significantly smoother. 

After wearing these pants for multiple hikes and a backpacking trip. I found that the roughness of the fabric did not become a deal breaker. Rather it minimally impacted the comfort of the pants. Though I could see some people not liking how it felt.  

Another thing I noticed about the fabric was the amount of stretch they provided. The Kuhl Deceptr pants are probably the most stretchy hiking pants I own. Which I found to be a big plus. I noticed no restrictions when squatting down to pick my backpack up or advancing up steep inclines.  

Overall, the Deceptr is comfortable but really excels in allowing free movement. So if that is something you have struggled to find with other hiking pants like I have. You will want to give these a try. 

Versatility & Style 

These pants are one of the most versatile pants I have. The fabric blend and attributes work well for the inconsistencies of the outdoors. This pair features a 76% nylon, 9% polyester, 15% elastane blend. Which allows the fabric to ventilate well, be durable, and gives the user full range of motion. 

The fit of the Kuhl Deceptr Pants is relaxed at the seat with a gradual taper from the knees to the ankles. I found this fit to work well as it provided enough room around my waist and hips for those uphill climbs. 

The tapered fit also gives these pants a more modern fitted style. Instead of that typical baggy parachute look some hiking pants have. 

Overall, the Kuhl Deceptr Pants are a great choice for hiking, climbing, or just going from the trail to town. They are an excellent choice on warmer summer days, fall, and/or spring. They work well on multi day trips or even day hikes and definitely make a good pair of pants if you are planning to scramble. 

Though the Kuhl Deceptr is a pretty versatile hiking pants. It doesn’t provide much protection for colder weather due to how thin and breathable the material is. Also, while the pants provide some cover against wind it is worth keeping a pair of rain pants handy for added protection against the elements. In warmer conditions these pants can be a little stuffy and difficult to roll up due to the tapered fit. 

Durability 

Due to the ripstop fabric these pants are a bit more sturdy and able to resist normal wear and tear on the trails. Now I haven’t gone bushwhacking in these pants yet so can’t attest to their durability for that yet. But they have easily held up for backpacking and hiking trips without a scratch. 

Breathability 

For how lightweight these hiking pants are it’s no surprise that they also ventilate well during activity. The Deceptr hiking pants are not the most breathable pants out there but they do a good enough job in moderate temperatures. I could see super hot temperatures possibly being a little uncomfortable due to the lack of features to roll up pant legs. 

Weight 

The Kuhl Deceptr hiking pants come in at about 13 oz making it on the lighter side. But, for as light as these pants are, they are fairly durable with the four way ripstop. Most pants that are lighter tend to have to give up a little on durability. I haven’t noticed this to be the case for these pants so far. 

Weather Resistant 

Kuhl’s Deceptr hiking pants do an effective job at repelling water due to the DWR coating. I wore these during multiple showers and the water beaded up and rolled off the pants during a downpour. The pants were also able to dry relatively quickly after the rain. Which was nice because it stinks to have soggy pants on the trails. 

The pants also come with a 50+ UPF rating, which means they only let 1/50th of the ultraviolet rays through. Another thing to note is that 50+ UPF is the highest rating clothing can have. So these pants are effective for sun protection. 

Features

These pants are more on the minimalist side with simple features that all work well. There are seven pockets in total: two re-adjusted front pockets, two back, one coin, one drop-in, and one stealth cell phone pocket. All the pockets worked well; the back stealth pocket features a zip closure which is nice for added protection.

I actually did not really use the stealth zip pocket due to the difficulty with accessing it. I found the two side drop pockets and front pockets super convenient for my needs. My 6 inch cell phone was able to fit in the side drop pocket without any difficulty at all and the two front pockets were deep and useful for carrying small utility items. 

The Kuhl Deceptr pants do not include a belt but do have belt loops for adding a belt if needed. I found the belt loops useful for my arcade belt and fit well. I have had difficulty in the past sliding the arcade belt into loops that were too small. But, not with these pants. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How do you wash kuhl Deceptr pants? Kuhl recommends to machine wash cold, do not bleach, tumble dry low, iron low temp, no steam, or dry cleaning with mild process.  

Are Kuhl Deceptr pants true to size? The Kuhl Deceptr hiking pants stay pretty true to size. They are tapered pants style so if you do not like a more fitted pants you may want to get a different fit.

How to measure your inseam? The inseam is the measurement on the inside from the bottom of the crotch to the bottom ankle. One way to measure this is to find a pair of existing pants that fit well and lay them on a flat surface. Next, measure the inside part of the pants from the crotch to the bottom of the ankle. 

What Other Hiking Pants Should You Consider?

Although, Kuhl’s Deceptr is a great versatile pair of hiking pants and offers a good value to performance ratio. It helps to have multiple pairs of pants for different seasons and conditions. Other options that you might want to check out are the Outdoor Research Feriossi which tends to do better in warmer conditions. Or the REI activator 3.0 which is warmer in colder conditions.

If price is a concern, then a good budget pick would be the Columbia Royce Range pant that is a little less durable but offers many of the similar features just at a lower price.  Interested in reading about other awesome hiking pants read this article.

Should You Buy The Kuhl Deceptr Pants?

Overall, the Deceptr hiking pants by Kuhl are a great value pant that offers a lot of versatility and will work in many conditions. Offers great comfort and mobility features that will not feel too restrictive when climbing or descending. The modern tapered fit works well for transitioning from trail to town and it has many useful features that the top pants on the market have.