Over the past several months, my Kuhl Resistor Chino Hiking Pants have become my daily driver, and it's simple to understand why. With a versatile, athletic, yet business casual fit, these Kuhl Pants are my go-to whether going to the office, hiking, or hitting the breweries. For more details, check out my in-depth review of the Kuhl Resistor Chino Hiking Pants below.
Fit
Created with Kuhl's exclusive performance fabric, featuring a blend of 58% Cotton, 29% Nylon, and 13% Spandex, the Resistor Chino Pants are surprisingly stretchy, and I mean that in a good way. Many hiking pants I know can be overly baggy to compensate for lack of maneuverability (or stretchiness); however, with the unique material blend in the Resistor Chino's, you won't run into this issue. Instead, you get a pair of pants that fit with an athletic, business casual aesthetic but feel super maneuverable and stretchy, whether climbing stairs, a boulder field, or sitting down in the office chair.
The image above portrays what wearing the Resistor Chino's looks like for a hike versus heading into the office. As you can see, the Kuhl pants are easily suited for both occasions. For reference, I am 6 feet tall, weigh 165 lbs, and wear a 32 waist with a 32-inch inseam. The pants feel true to size.
Outside of my Resistor Chino's, I have worn Vuori's Meta Pants, Lululemon's ABC pants, and Kuhl's Resistor Chino pants stack up right next to Vuori and Lululemon in terms of comfort, but they take the cake when it comes to performance.
Performance
On their website, Kuhl totes the Resistor Chino as "tough yet soft as cotton" and able to handle abuse, shed moisture, and provide superior flexibility for every adventure. As mentioned above, they provide the flexibility needed for any experience, but I can also attest to the moisture-wicking and abuse-handling properties.
When it comes to shedding moisture, let me preface that I live in the Pacific Northwest, and as you likely know, that means a lot of rain throughout the winter. The first time I ever wore my Resistor Chino's was when my girlfriend and I moved out of our apartment and into our first home. It was a super exciting time, except it was down-pouring the day we rented the U-Haul. We both accepted our fate that it would be a wet day for the two of us, as the move needed to get done, no matter the weather. However, I was much drier than I expected at the end of the day! I am not saying that I was completely dry, but after moving for over 5 hours in and out of the rain, the Resistor Chinos exceeded my expectations regarding shedding moisture and left me way drier than I should have been.
Now I frequently reach for the Resistor Chinos anytime the weather shows rain, and I know I will have to spend considerable time outside. I even use them when biking 5 miles to work in the rain, as they keep me dry enough for a full day in the office.
Features
When we're talking about features on the Kuhl Resistor Chino Pants, a few aspects make them stand above the pack.
The first notable feature is the stealth cell phone pocket on both pant legs. Instead of using your primary front pockets to store your phone, the Resistor Chinos offer a secondary pocket that caters to your phone; this frees up your front primary pockets for other essentials.
The back right pocket features a zipper, so you can shut it whenever necessary. I love this feature as it adds peace of mind to know that your wallet is secure in a zipper pocket, and you aren't risking having it fall out whenever you sit down.
Both pant legs feature elastics on the bottom cuffs, so you can cinch them nice and tight if you ever need a more snug fit.
Final Thoughts
With a great fit, high-quality features, and a durable, water-wicking finish, it's hard not to highly recommend the Kuhl Resistor Chino Hiking Pants for anyone in the market for a new pair of men's everyday pants. From hiking throughout the rainy PNW to riding my bike, to days in the office, nights at the brewery, and everything in between, I can rely on the Resistor Chinos pants to function well and look good, and I am pretty positive you will feel the same!
