Review: Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants

Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants

There are so many options for hiking pants out there that sometimes it is hard to find what’s best for you. Even more, it becomes a challenge just to find the difference between pants that all tend to look and feel the same. However, the new Kuhl Konfidant Air pants really made strides when it came to technology and innovation that really makes them stand out. I was sent a pair to review and was impressed. Here is my review of the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants.

As a disclaimer I would like to mention that I was given the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants so that I could write this review. All opinions on this page are our own and based on our own experiences with this product. I am not compensated for the opinions on this review. Your experience with the product may be different. This site uses affiliate marketing links. If you click a button or link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

From Kuhl

Before I get into my review, I like to let you know what Kuhl is saying about their pants. On their website, Kuhl say’s this about the Konfidant Air, “The KONFIDANT AIR™ is your ideal pant for warm weather adventure. The vented design keeps you KÜHL during high-energy activity. Lightweight yet durable, this nine-pocket pant is quick drying with UV protection to keep you outside longer. Equally suited to mountain trails or city streets.”

Here is a bit more on the specs before the review.

Specs

Price*

$99.00

Sizes*

Waist: 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42

Length 30, 32, 34

Colors*

Fossil, Carbon(shown), Dark Khaki, Black, Burnt Olive

Features*

• Lightweight and quick-drying
• KühlAir™ Vent System features eleven vents including the back of the knee and crotch
• Nine total pockets: two vented front hand, two vented back, two vented and zippered side, one welted drop-in, one 3D cell phone, one coin
• Gusseted crotch for freedom of movement
• Mesh pockets and zippered openings allow you to regulate airflow or lock down your stash
• Welted Stealth™ cell phone/wallet pocket designed so you don’t sit on your gear
• Back hem reinforced with grosgrain ribbon for added durability
• Articulated design for freedom of motion
• UPF 50 Sun Protection
• Imported

All information from Kuhl.com and subject to change. Check the website for full details and options.

What I liked about the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants

There is a ton to like about the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants. They have a ton of technology and innovation built into them to help make your hike as comfortable as possible. Plus, they protect from the sun, have good flexibility and stretch and are stylish for the trails or everyday living. Here is more detail on what I liked about the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants.

Venting

I have to say that the venting systems in the Kuhl Konfidant Air are the most innovative I have seen. I have hiked in a lot of pants over the years and nothing really comes close to the amount of vents that these pants have.

There are open air vents in the crotch and behind the knees that have fabric sewn over them so the vents are invisible. However, they allow air to flow directly in and out of the pants to help keep legs cool in the spots that I sweat the most. There are three vents behind each knee and one vent on either side of the crotch for airflow.

On the outside of each leg is a zippered mesh pocket that also works as a vent when they are opened. I love these because you can control the venting. If you need more, unzip the pocket and the mesh works as a nice vent. Need a little less vent? Just zip the pockets back up. Plus, they are fully functional pockets. Finally, the inside of all 4 traditional hip pockets (two font and two back) are all made of mesh allowing for even more venting depending on what you have in these pockets.

This is about the most venting I have ever seen in pants. Plus, I love how Kuhl integrated the vents into functional pockets. It’s nice to have the options of having the side pockets open or closed and very nice to have the hidden vents behind the knees and by the crotch to help keep you cool on those hot summer hikes.

Pockets

If you are like me, you use your pants as an extension of your backpack. I like to keep my phone, some snacks, camera batteries and other items that I want quick access to in my pockets. Well the Konfidant Air come with nine pockets to cover pretty much all of your storage needs.

As I mentioned earlier, some of the pockets double as vents and I have had a fun time trying to move items around to get maximum carry versus vent optimization. In my opinion there are six main pockets. The front and back hip pockets and the two zippered vent pockets. These all have venting. The three additional pockets are the Chapstick or coin pocket, a drop in pocket on one leg and phone pocket on the other leg.

The zippered vent pockets on the side are really deep and have a lot of storage space, or can be used for the extra venting. The phone pocket has an angled opening which makes it easy to get your phone in or out. My phone is too big for this because I keep a giant case on it for all the times I drop my phone hiking but I use it for cliff bars usually.

The main front and back pockets aren’t zippered so you have easy access to all of your stuff. I do wish the hand pockets were a little bigger but I think the extra pockets make up for that. If you run out of pockets in these pants you are really working at!

Flexibility

One thing I have always appreciated about Kuhl pants is how they use just enough stretchy material to give the pants stretch without making them feel like they are tights. The pants feel like pants but there is enough flexibility to allow for total range of motion. The Konfidant Air adds some spandex in the right places to allow for comfort without restrictions.

The Konfidant adds a gusseted crotch to allow for more movement during bouldering or scrambling when you need extra flexibility. There are also fabric triangles sewn in around the knees to give the pants an articulated knee. This allows more room for your knee to bend without the fabric stopping your movement. I love this for all the uphill and rocks I have to hike on out in Colorado.

These pants are really comfortable to hike in and I can squat down next to a creek or take some big steps up onto rocks with total confidence. At the same time, the pants fit well when I am just sitting on a rock trying to catch my breath. That is exactly what I am looking for, enough flexibility to not get in my way.

Fit

These pants come in the Kuhl Klassik fit. As a heftier hiker, the fit of pants is always a trick. I don’t want anything that fits too tight, especially around the seat and hips. The Konfidant Air have a full backside and plenty of room for me in the thigh area. They tapper a little bit as they get closer to the ankle which is nice to tuck into boots or keep debris away from getting in your pants. They aren’t baggy but not tight if that makes sense. Plus, the flexibility allows for the pants to not feel restrictive at all.

Style

Despite all of the technology and pockets in the Konfidant Air, the pants don’t really look like a technical hiking pant. Because the side pockets are lower profile, and not as big as a cargo pocket, the pants look more like a pair of khaki’s than a hiking pant. I have worn these to work with a polo and out to lunch with friends. On the trail they feel like every bit the technical hiking pants that you need. They work just as well as a lifestyle or travel pants as they do on the trails.

Sun Protection

The more I hike the more I worry about sun protection. I mostly hike in long pants to keep the sun burn away and the Konfidant Air has a UPF 50+ so I know that I am as protected as I can be on those long hikes under the Colorado Sun.

What I didn’t Like

There is a ton to like about the Kuhl Konfidant Air pants but they will take away my blogger card if I don’t find something I don’t like about them. For me this was a bit of a struggle because I liked pretty much everything but if I had to pick one thing it would be the main pockets.

There are nine pockets in these pants so I’m being a little knit picky here but the main front/hip pockets are smaller than any of the other Kuhl Pants that I have tried. They are deep enough to fit my cell phone but that is about all the room that they have. For context, I have a big Samsung Galaxy phone with an Otterbox travel case, so the phone is big. The other Kuhl pants I have usually fit my phone and still have some room but these are basically a phone and that’s it. There are 7 other pockets so you don’t have to stuff everything in your main pockets but something I thought I would mention.

Video Review of the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants

Before my final thoughts here is a quick video review of the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants. If you enjoy the review make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be the first to see my new content.

Wrap Up of the Kuhl Konfidant Air Pants

I really liked the Konfidant Air Pants from Kuhl. Over the years, I have worn a ton of different styles from Kuhl and this might be my favorite for spring, summer and fall. I love all the venting and air flow that helps keep my temps regulated on the hikes. The Konfidant also has good flexibility and allows me to move with no restrictions which is great on more technical and uphill hikes. There are a ton of pockets and the pants are sun resistant. They are also built strong and sturdy like all Kuhl pants and I don’t worry about damage or degradation of the fabrics. These are really nice pants that I enjoy and are definitely on regular rotation on the trails and I have even worn them into the office for work. I definitely recommend the Kuhl Konfidant Air.

More from the Fatman

For a list of other products that I have reviewed you can check my Product Review page here. If you have any products you would like me to review or any comments you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com or you can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!