Forking over your hard-earned dollar for a pair of pants that can keep up with your rugged outdoor lifestyle can be a tough choice. As an actual owner of Kuhl THE LAW pants, I decided it was time for this detailed and honest review of THE LAW Pants by Kuhl. P.S. If your new to Truck Camping or want to learn more, here is the Ultimate Guide to Truck Camping.
Why Kuhl Pants Are Worth It
I just returned from a winter getaway trip, truck camping in the Valley of the Gods in Southern Utah, no one for miles, epic night skies, and a great pair of pants that held up through the snow, cussing, and exploring bluffs and ruins that are millions of years old. After I returned Monday night, I realized I like these pants so much, I decided to brag on the internet about them.Ever spend your money on a pair of pants that are “popular” or a “great deal” on amazon just to find out one of a few things below.
Why Most Hiking Pants Suck
- They Suck
- They don’t fit true to size or fit good at all
- They shrink to an un-usable size after 1 wash
- They are cheaply made and won’t last
- They cant hold up to real-world outdoor lifestyles
I hear you, loud and clear. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought a pair of fancy tactical pants or “hiking pants” just to find out after receiving them they fall into one of the four scenarios above. It’s super frustrating and leaves you in a position where you would rather keep buying the same-old trusty jeans because you know they work.
While I too am guilty of sticking to the “same-old” pair of jeans just to save the headache, the reality is, sometimes its a good idea to just venture out into the retail world and see if there was truly an outdoor pant that could live up to its expected results. Meet Kuhl, specifically, meet their pant affectionately named “The Law”.
THE LAW pant from Kuhl is marketed from Kuhl as: “Get a pair of pants that’ll survive whatever punishment you can deliver. THE LAW™ defines durability, but with a superior level of comfort and craftsmanship. The innovative design features a durable canvas weave, so you gain more durability and buy new pants less often. Resilient enough for work, yet easy-wearing for the weekend, this pant delivers toughness with casual style.” read more at Kuhl.com
As someone with a background in military, law enforcement, and now full-time outdoor enthusiast, I roll my eyes at marketing terms in any direction. So many companies spend so much time using buzzwords to excite buyers, they forget to put that same excitement into actually making the pants live up to those buzzwords. In this case? Kuhl knocked it out of the park, they are really, really good.
Fit For Guys That Actual Have Guys Legs
Skipping leg day? Cool, go grab your skinny jeans at all the other places, there are no shortages of them anywhere. But, I don’t need that, I have always had larger legs (both quads and calves), while some guys are jealous, unfortunately, they are a pain in the…..legs…..to find good fitting pants for. Normally, I have to get some goofy-looking boot-cut jeans to fit my legs and I end up resembling some Brady Bunch character in bell bottoms. Yuck.
With this series of Kuhl, they thankfully give a really good description of the fit of the pants on the tag and after pursuing my local Scheels, I found them and tried them on, they fit great and looked great. Finally a pant for my legs!
No Shrinkage In These Pants Fellas!
Take a dip in a cold alpine lake all you want and your….pants….won’t shrink! Well, they may shrink a little, but for me, it was so small that there wasn’t much of a noticeable difference to me. That’s a really good thing because many times in the past I have hoped and prayed a well-fitting pair of pants wouldn’t shrink only to quite literally shrink an entire size after the first wash. Cant return washed pants and you’re out $90.
I once tried a Kuhl pair of pants in the past, the “Hot Rydr” series and unfortunately after one wash, they were skinny jeans and shrunk up a full inch in the inseam, not a good look for big-legged Mike. Because of this, I was really concerned to try them again, but for me, THE LAW series worked out for the home team. The old pair of Kuhl Hot Rydr Pant? Yeah, gave them to CJ because well, he has normal legs and I don’t, that’s why.
According to the tag and Kuhl Site, THE LAW pants are a blend of 98% cotton and 2% Spandex. I’m not sure if they pre-shrink the cotton or if this blend doesn’t shrink much, but for me, I am good to go after a wash with no noticeable shrinkage.
Sizes With Real Humans In Mind
People come in all shapes and sizes (see jumbo legs above) and with that, making pants that only get sized in 2-inch increments doesn’t help many people and frankly leaves many consumers with pants that are either a bit too small or a bit too large, and both are annoying. The folks at Kuhl thankfully offer 1-inch sizes so you can actually find that perfect fit.
Available in the following Colors: Badlands Khaki, Dark Khaki, Expresso, Carbon
Built Tough For the Outdoors
The design of THE LAW pant is one of my favorite parts. They truly have you guys in mind when they engineered these. From their “Knockabout Canvas Material” to the Double Stitching and Articulating Knees, these pants were just built with adventurers in mind.
My favorite features:
- Double Layered Thigh Panels
- Two “phone pockets” along the side of each leg and one has a zipper so your phone doesn’t go flying out when doing what you do outdoors.
- “Born Free” Gusseted Crotch. Sorry skinny jean wearers, the gusseted crotch is just more comfortable.
- Scuff Guards: A thicker re-enforced cuff of the bottom of your pants. Every good pair of pants ends up getting worn out at that spot, well done Kuhl.
- Flannel Lining: It’s not too hot and does a great job of protecting in those western nights where it rapidly cools off. Yet, you can still wear these all day on a warm day out. Win/Win.
THE LAW by Kuhl Final Thoughts
I hate being told what to do (that’s probably why I recreate out in the wild for a living) so I won’t tell you what to buy. However, if you are an active guy in the outdoors, a blue-collar professional who works and plays hard in his jeans, or just a weekend warrior, THE LAW by Kuhl pant will carry you as far as you need with a great look, great fit, and lasting craftsmanship that can handle your lifestyle. Am I a fan of these pants? Yep, I sure am.
That’s enough yapping from me today, its time to do some more work, grab the kids from school, and GET OUTSIDE! It’s another beautiful Colorado Day and I need sun and elevation. Later Gators.