A walk in the woods in the Keb Trousers. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
Regardless of whether you live in a warm or cold region, hiking pants are essential as they protect your legs from all the realities of the trail—sun, poking sticks, rocks, burrs, and more. If you’ve yet to add hiking pants to your arsenal or are in need of a new pair, the Fjallraven Keb Trousers are an excellent choice. We recently ran a review on The Best Hiking Pants and The Best Women’s Hiking Pants and the Keb Trousers made an appearance on both lists thanks to their incredible quality and assortment of pockets and ventilation options. Read on to learn more about our experience with the Keb Trousers and why we love them.
| Pros | Cons |
| Lots of pockets | Mid-rise fit isn’t the most comfortable |
| Ventilation zippers throughout | Pants swish together while hiking |
| Durable |
First Impressions of the Keb Trousers
The Fjallraven Keb Trousers are a hefty pair of hiking pants. Fjallraven is known for its eschewing of the latest tech and prioritizing well-made, sustainable apparel. Upon first inspection, they appear incredibly durable with cargo-style pockets down the front. The quality is apparent but I worried they might be hot for hiking due to their thick construction. However, they seemed like they could be an excellent option for cooler treks. I was eager to hit the trails and find out.
The Keb Trousers are durable yet versatile. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
Notable Features
Fjallraven Keb Trousers ($240)
Fabric: Main fabric: G-1000 Eco 65% recycled polyester/35% organic cotton; stretch fabric 63% polyamide/26% polyester/11% elastane
Fit: Standard
Leg Style: Boot Cut
Weight: 1 lb 4.6 oz
Available In: Men’s, Women’s
As expected, the Keb Trousers are slightly warm for a pair of hiking pants, making them well-suited to cooler climates. If you’re anything like me while hiking, you heat up easily and have difficulty committing to pants (even if it’s cold out). Luckily, the Keb Trousers have ventilation zippers galore so should you start overheating, you can easily dump warmth with the vents. The upper ventilation zippers also have mesh backings, which helps prevent snags and adds a bit of protection.
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The generous ventilation zippers allow you to cool off easily. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
Appearance-wise, the Keb Trousers resemble cargo pants, with pockets down the front. The pockets are generously sized—not always a given on women’s hiking pants—and close with buttons allowing for easy access. Additionally, the pants feature upper zippered pockets for secure storage and an interior mesh pocket. I really appreciate the assortment of pockets as I like to keep my phone handy for photo ops as well as chapstick and a granola bar (or two).
Pockets are perfect for stashing essential items. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
If you’ve ever worn slim-fitting hiking pants then you know it can be a challenge to get the pants over your boots. I typically gravitate towards hiking shoes but for backpacking trips, I prefer boots and like pants that fit well over them. The Keb Trousers have a boot cut, so they don’t hug your legs. The cut also allows them to easily fit over boots and you secure them with a button closure — there are multiple buttons to choose from so it’s easy to find your perfect fit.
The boot cut and buttons help fit the pants over your boots or secure them above your hiking shoes. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
The Keb Trousers are insanely durable and reliably waterproof, so they perform well in rainy and snowy conditions. Accordingly, we awarded them the “best heavy duty hiking pants” superlative in our The Best Hiking Pants guide. In our women’s hiking pants guide, the Keb Trousers received the “best full-featured hiking pants” thanks to their combination of pockets, ventilation zippers, and boot closure system.
Finally, the Keb Trousers have loops for a belt. Although I don’t typically wear a belt while hiking, it’s nice to have the option. It’s also a great place to secure small items with a carabiner that you wish to have easy access to.
The mid-rise cut is flattering but not the most comfortable. Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
Drawbacks
As I mentioned in my first impression of the Keb Trousers, they are indeed warmer and thicker than some hiking pants. If you’re hiking in colder weather then this is ideal but if you’re hitting the trail somewhere where it’s warm then you’ll be doing lots of sweating. The ventilation zippers certainly help but I would only plan to wear these pants when the weather is moderate. For something a bit lighter, we loved the Patagonia Quandary Joggers.
The Keb Trousers sport a mid-rise cut. If you’re wearing a sports bra or crop top it’s certainly a flattering look, but when it’s cool enough to wear these pants I’m typically wearing a top that covers my midriff so the way they look around my mid-section isn’t as important. This is fully a personal opinion but I don’t think mid-rise pants are as comfortable for hiking as a lower-cut pair of pants. But you might love it.
Finally, the Keb Trousers feature a wider leg, which is comfy, but I found that the material tended to rub together while hiking, making a swishing noise. It’s not a huge issue, but I did find it a bit annoying. My legs are on the skinny side, so they run especially loose on me — someone with wider legs might not have this issue.
The plethora of ventilation zippers separates the Keb Trousers from the competition. Photo: Maddie Bryan
The Competition
Although the Fjallraven Keb Trousers are an incredible pair of hiking pants, I’m aware that they aren’t the perfect fit for everyone. If you find them to be a bit too stiff, the Helly Hansen Verglas Tur Pants are slightly less durable but significantly softer and stretchier. The Verglas Tur Pants have an adjustable waist strap, which I loved, but they lack ventilation zippers.
At $240, the Keb Trousers are pricey. If you’re looking for a more affordable pair of hiking pants, the Patagonia Quandary Joggers are an excellent option and are over $100 cheaper. As the name suggests, the Quandary Joggers are jogger-style hiking pants, meaning they’re stretchy and comfortable. They aren’t as warm as the Keb Trousers but they also lack ventilation zippers. Due to their thinner construction, they are also significantly less durable but I found them to be much more comfortable and they’re a pair of pants I could wear daily.
Photo: Maddie Bryan//The Inertia
Final Thoughts
Quality and durability align in the Fjallraven Keb Trousers. The bootcut pants feature five pockets, a belt loop, a boot hook, and ventilation zippers throughout, making them a versatile option for colder hikes. If you’re looking for some serious solid hiking pants, look no further than the Keb Trousers.
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CHECK Men's PRICE ON BackcountryEditor’s Note: For women’s options, check out The Best Women’s Hiking Pants. For men’s hiking pants options, check out our guide to Best Men’s Hiking Pants. Click here for more gear reviews from The Inertia.
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