Kuhl Deceptr Pants

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This is a gear review about the Kuhl Deceptr Pants in 2024.

The Kuhl Deceptr are lightweight hiking pants made with a unique stretchy material that is comfortable, durable, and with good weather resistance.

I have been using and testing these hiking pants for over a year, here is my review.

How We Tested

The Kuhl Deceptr Hiking Pants in this review have been extensively evaluated and researched by the expert author who has more than 30 years of experience in Thru-Hiking, Backpacking, and Hiking. He also spent several years managing a hiking retail store and is regarded as an expert in this field. They were supplied by the manufacturer for this review. They have been rigorously tested by the author over 12 months in all kinds of weather including rain, cold, heat, and wind. The research, testing, and experience of the author have combined to present this honest and unbiased review. Read the Review Policy for further details.

Kuhl Deceptr Pants In-Depth Review

Kuhl Deceptr Pants – Men’s

Weight: 11oz / 312 grams
Stretch: Yes
Weather Resistant: Yes with DWR
Pros:
> Lightweight
> Very Stretchy
> Tough
> Good water resistance
Cons:
> The first impression is the pants have a rough feel, but over time they feel much better

The first thing I noticed about the Kuhl Deceptr men’s pants was the spelling. They are not called Kuhl Deceptor or Kuhl Decepter plants but they use a cool (Kuhl) kind of spelling version. They use this for almost all their lines of clothing.

The second thing that I noticed when testing the Kuhl Deceptr 2.0 pants, was the unique material. It was lightweight and rather rough to the touch. Initially, I didn’t like the feel and thought these men’s pants would not be very comfortable for hiking and backpacking. After a few hours of hiking, all those thoughts disappeared. These pants are comfortable, super breathable, and very lightweight. And I think they look rather stylish.

Comfort and Design

Let’s take a look at the fit, fabric, stretch, colors, and sizes of the Kuhl Deceptr pants.

Fit

The Kuhl Deceptr pants are true to size and have an athletic tapered fit. The newly updated pants are a little more generous and have more room than the previous model. They have also upgraded the button on the top of the crotch on the new version.

Fabric

The Kuhl Deceptr uses a fabric blend of Toughlite with 76% Nylon, 9% Polyester, and 15% Spandex. The material is rated to UPF 50+ which is similar to all other hiking pants at the moment. And combined with the breathability these pants will do well when the temps get a little warmer.

The inner fabric of the waist has a super soft grippy fabric that helps the pants from falling down and adds a level of comfort. But the rest of the inner and outer material is made from an abrasive-feeling nylon blend. This is rough to the touch and when I first tried them on I thought they would not be comfortable to wear on a multi-day hike. But I was wrong. Over time I grew to love how these pants felt. However, I suspect that not everyone will like the feel of these pants as much as I do.

Colors and Sizes

The Kuhl Deceptr pants come in a choice of four colors (see image below), 11 waist sizes, and 3 inseam lengths. They are a slim fit but the updated version has a little more room than the previous version. I tried the Carbon Color in this review. They come in sizes ranging from a 28-inch waist to a 42-inch waist. The choice of leg inseam lengths is from 30 to 34.

Stretch

There is sufficient room in the crotch thanks to the gusseted crotch design. The articulated legs allow lots of movement when walking or bending. But it is the four-way stretch in these pants that is impressive. These have significantly more stretch than other hiking pants. It almost feels like they have more stretch than a pair of lycra tights.

Pockets

The Kuhl Decpetr has multiple pockets. There are 2 hand pockets with a small coin pocket built into the right pocket that has enough room to keep hands warm on a cold day. The pockets are free floating and not stitched onto the leg fabric. This ensures there is a lot of room and movement for your hands. If you are mountain biking or Bikepacking these pockets will sag and move around if you use them to carry anything when cycling. During testing I not only went hiking but also mountain biking with these pants

There is also a phone pocket that fits my large-screen iPhone (small phone pictured above) and should fit most sizes of smartphones without any issues. The phone felt secure inside the phone pocket and was easy enough to access.

Two standard-sized rear pockets with the newly updated Deceptr Pants have a hidden zippered security pocket on the right-hand side.

Belt and Belt Loops

The Kuhl Deceptr does not come with a belt. It does come with belt loops that are oversized but there is no belt supplied with the pants.

Weather Resistance and Breathability

The Kuhl Deceptr are a mid to lightweight hiking pant that has above-average breathability. But the breathability also comes with above-average weather resistance. During testing, I poured a whole bottle of water over the pants to test the DWR and weave the pants. No water penetrated the pants and the DWR ensured that all the water did not penetrate the pants.

With the material being lightweight it also meant that these are not the warmest pants. They offer OK wind resistance but if the weather turns very cold and windy you will need to add a set of base layer pants underneath. And if you need you could also add a pair of lightweight rain pants over the top of these pants. This combination would be well suited for very cold and windy conditions.

Value

At less than $100 the pants are reasonably priced for a durable pair of pants that will last a very long time.

Kuhl Deceptr vs The Rest

How do the Kuhl Deceptr pants compare to other Kuhl hiking pants on the market?

Conclusion

I like the Kuhl Deceptr hiking pants. I think they are best suited to hikers and backpackers who want a lightweight pair of hiking pants that can also be worn around town. This would make them the perfect pair of travel pants. If you were heading off on The Camino in Spain or on a combined hiking and traveling trip in Patagonia or Peru then look no further. The stylish looks combined with breathability and weather resistance make them a winner.

The style and look of these pants would work just as well on a Friday night at the bar as they would in the backcountry. Overall, I like these pants.

Frequently Asked Questions

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