The Fjällräven Keb Trouser ($225) is like the Mercedes G550 W4 of the hiking pant genre: An iconic, classic workhorse with the standard features that get the job done. The first to arrive, the last to leave. Reigning supreme in its off-road ability from climbing to fording depth. With that in mind, I couldn’t think of no better place to test their performance and might then over a long weekend climbing three 14,000 peaks in Colorado: Mt. Cameron, Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross.
What I Loved
Reinforced where you Need it Most
The Keb’s are made with a blend of polyester (65 percent) and organic cotton (35 percent). They are reinforced on the rear, front of legs, knees and inside the bottom of the legs where you’re most likely to come into contact with rocks.
Weightier G1000 Fabric doesn’t Impede Mobility
The first time I tried these on they felt heavy and stiff. Almost like canvas. However, once I put started moving around, they softened. Not yoga-pant soft but enough to allow for the ranges of motion my lower extremities needed to maneuver ascents, descents, scree, talus and boulders.
Adjustable Ankle Cuffs with Hem Hooks
This accommodate high-rise hiking boots or low-rise hiking shoes. The pant legs had no problem fitting over the boot’s uppers. The hem hooks secured the legs to the boot laces à la gaiter-style and kept debris out of the boot.
Side Ventilation Zippers
When the zippers are closed, my legs were fully protected against the cold and the winds that rage at 14,000 feet in September. When open, all the clamminess acquired from exertion disappeared.
Raised Back Keeps the Lower Back Protected
Because it’s possible to lose your footing and slide down a slope of talus on one’s butt. Incidentally, this is another reason why the hem hook is brilliant. It kept debris from shooting up my pant leg and into my boot.
Wide, Flat Thigh Pockets
To be perfectly transparent, thigh pockets don’t look good on anyone, no matter how skinny one is. The Keb’s pockets, which are wide and flat, are placed more on the front of the thigh then the side—and didn’t add 10lbs to my summit shots.
Weather-shedding
Really good gear testers intentionally wait for shitty weather to assess the water-proof/water-resistant integrity of a piece of gear. Disclaimer: live in Minnesota so syncing up my Colorado trip with inclement weather was too tedious.
The day I climbed the four peaks, the weather was severe-clear and windy. But the days before and after at Kite Lake was 50 Shades of Misery. When it wasn’t raining it was drizzling. When it wasn’t drizzling it was getting ready to rain. At one point, it even looked like snow was imminent. The Kebs are fully coated with Greenland Wax, which is a blend of beeswax and paraffin. This is what repelled the light drizzle and kept my legs dry. Not new or innovative technology. The Scandinavians used it make garments water-resistant long before Fjällräven was even born.
A word about Greenland Wax. It isn’t permanent and I found that this is both good and bad. The bad is that it will eventually wash and/or wear off. The good is that it’s simple to re-apply and you can rub it onto any shelled garment to make it water-resistant and dirt-resistant. Just be advised that it only makes the garment water-resistant not water-proof. It will protect you in a light drizzle but not a downpour.
Buyer Beware
Sizing is a Bit Skewed
I normally wear size 4 and according to the European-to-American global sizing chart, I should fit into a 36, right? Wrong. I couldn’t get the 36’s zipped. Then I tried the 38 (American size 6-8). They zipped but were tight in the hips. The next option made me wince. Size 40 (American 10. Push me off a 14,000-foot cliff now).
The 40’s turned out to be a bit loose (vindication!) but that’s the size I went with. A size 39 would have been ideal but it doesn’t exist, as their sizing only comes in even sizes. I received my Kebs as a media sample at Outdoor Retailer. Fortunately, Fjällräven had a tailor in the booth that had shortened the length and nipped in the waist.
These simple alterations made them feel much better in the hips and actually look flattering. However, these simple alterations may end up costing you an additional $40-$60 (on top the retail price of $200) if you need a professional tailor.
Final Thoughts (and a Parting Shot)
These pants kill it for anyone who does a lot of high-elevation exploring that involves scrambling over rocks or bushwhacking and hiking in cool, drizzly conditions. Of all the hiking pants I’ve tried over the years, the Fjällräven Keb’s are hands-down the best quality and offer the best protection from the elements.
Just try them on before you buy them and don’t be afraid to go a couple sizes up and have them altered. The bottom line? Expensive but the quality justifies the price. The heavier G-1000® material and reinforced legs and knees makes the Keb a true outdoor trouser designed for the tough stuff.
