STYLE
Shop by style from the versatile roll-up and jogger to capri or a classic five-pocket look.
FABRIC WEIGHT
Select pants from light, mid, to heavyweight for the right choice for the season or activity.
FIT
Choose a fit like relaxed, skinny, or straight to narrow down the perfect pant for you.
SERIES
Check out our most popular series to find others similar to what you know and love.
ACTIVITY
Shop by what you'll be wearing your pants for - travel, work, or to get outdoors.
Women's Performance Pants
KÜHL Women's Pants Deliver Performance for Every Mile
Choose from a variety of fabrics, fits, and features for the women's pants that are right for you:
Trail Performance. Built for miles, our hiking-ready pants combine softshell durability with 4-way stretch for unrestricted movement on rocky climbs and long approaches. Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch keep the pant moving with you instead of pulling against you, and a DWR finish sheds light moisture so a passing shower doesn't end your day.
DURALUX™ Softshell. When the forecast turns serious, DURALUX™ softshell shrugs off wind and water without the crinkle of a hardshell. Quick-drying, durable, and finished with DWR, it pairs with a brushed interior on cold-weather styles for warmth that doesn't add bulk. UPF 50+ on summer-weight versions blocks sun on exposed ridgelines.
FREEFLEX™ Stretch. FREEFLEX™ is luxuriously soft and engineered with stretch that rebounds after every stride, so the pant holds its form through a full day of motion. It's the fabric we reach for when comfort and freedom of movement matter as much as durability, at the crag, on a travel day, or running errands between adventures.
Travel-Friendly Construction. A trim, packable cut and a soft, low-profile waistband make our travel-weight pants easy to live in for 12 hours across time zones. Zippered, low-profile pockets keep a passport and phone secure through security lines and rideshares. For lighter, dressier styles built around the same brief, see our women's travel pants.
Cold-Weather Layering. When temperatures drop, layer a softshell pant over a women's baselayer for warmth without bulk.
Look for signature touches like our FreeRyde™ waistband for all-day comfort under a pack hipbelt, articulated knees that disappear when you crouch or scramble, and gusseted crotches that allow real freedom of movement.
Choose from a variety of fabrics, fits, and features for the women's pants that are right for you:
Trail Performance. Built for miles, our hiking-ready pants combine softshell durability with 4-way stretch for unrestricted movement on rocky climbs and long approaches. Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch keep the pant moving with you instead of pulling against you, and a DWR finish sheds light moisture so a passing shower doesn't end your day.
DURALUX™ Softshell. When the forecast turns serious, DURALUX™ softshell shrugs off wind and water without the crinkle of a hardshell. Quick-drying, durable, and finished with DWR, it pairs with a brushed interior on cold-weather styles for warmth that doesn't add bulk. UPF 50+ on summer-weight versions blocks sun on exposed ridgelines.
FREEFLEX™ Stretch. FREEFLEX™ is luxuriously soft and engineered with stretch that rebounds after every stride, so the pant holds its form through a full day of motion. It's the fabric we reach for when comfort and freedom of movement matter as much as durability, at the crag, on a travel day, or running errands between adventures.
Travel-Friendly Construction. A trim, packable cut and a soft, low-profile waistband make our travel-weight pants easy to live in for 12 hours across time zones. Zippered, low-profile pockets keep a passport and phone secure through security lines and rideshares. For lighter, dressier styles built around the same brief, see our women's travel pants.
Cold-Weather Layering. When temperatures drop, layer a softshell pant over a women's baselayer for warmth without bulk.
Look for signature touches like our FreeRyde™ waistband for all-day comfort under a pack hipbelt, articulated knees that disappear when you crouch or scramble, and gusseted crotches that allow real freedom of movement.
From trail-tough softshells to soft, packable travel-weight pants, KÜHL women's pants are built around real fabric, real fit, and real days outside.
What should you look for in women's pants?
Look for stretch fabric, articulated knees, a gusseted crotch, a DWR finish, and UPF 50+, the construction details that separate a real performance pant from a casual one.
Stretch (ideally with rebound, so the pant holds its form) keeps fabric moving with you instead of binding at the knee. Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch are quiet structural choices you notice the first time you crouch or scramble. A DWR finish handles drizzle and spills, UPF 50+ blocks sun on exposed trails, and a comfortable waistband, like our FreeRyde™, sits flat under a pack hipbelt. Get those right and the silhouette becomes a preference, not a compromise.
Stretch (ideally with rebound, so the pant holds its form) keeps fabric moving with you instead of binding at the knee. Articulated knees and a gusseted crotch are quiet structural choices you notice the first time you crouch or scramble. A DWR finish handles drizzle and spills, UPF 50+ blocks sun on exposed trails, and a comfortable waistband, like our FreeRyde™, sits flat under a pack hipbelt. Get those right and the silhouette becomes a preference, not a compromise.
Are jeans or cotton pants OK for hiking, working, or traveling in?
No. Cotton is the wrong fabric for any of those. Cotton absorbs moisture instead of wicking it, dries painfully slowly, and loses what little warmth it offered the moment it gets wet.
On a hot hike, soaked cotton sticks and chafes. On a cool one, wet cotton chills you fast. Denim adds weight and slow drying to the same problem. Synthetic-blend technical fabrics solve all of that: a nylon-spandex blend wicks moisture, holds its shape, and packs down for travel. Our DURALUX™ softshell and FREEFLEX™ stretch fabrics are built around that brief. For trail-specific options, see our women's hiking pants.
On a hot hike, soaked cotton sticks and chafes. On a cool one, wet cotton chills you fast. Denim adds weight and slow drying to the same problem. Synthetic-blend technical fabrics solve all of that: a nylon-spandex blend wicks moisture, holds its shape, and packs down for travel. Our DURALUX™ softshell and FREEFLEX™ stretch fabrics are built around that brief. For trail-specific options, see our women's hiking pants.
What's the difference between hiking, work, and travel pants?
Hiking pants prioritize stretch, breathability, and UPF 50+ for miles of trail movement. Work pants lean on heavier, abrasion-resistant fabrics built to take real jobsite punishment. Travel pants emphasize lighter weight, wrinkle resistance, and a cleaner silhouette.
The fabric is the tell. A trail-first pant uses a stretch softshell with UPF 50+ and a DWR finish. In our women's work pants the weave goes denser and reinforcements stack up where wear happens. Travel-weight pants thin the fabric, dial the cut to a softer drape, and add discreet zippered pockets for a passport. Some pants, built on FREEFLEX™ stretch with quick-dry performance, straddle all three.
The fabric is the tell. A trail-first pant uses a stretch softshell with UPF 50+ and a DWR finish. In our women's work pants the weave goes denser and reinforcements stack up where wear happens. Travel-weight pants thin the fabric, dial the cut to a softer drape, and add discreet zippered pockets for a passport. Some pants, built on FREEFLEX™ stretch with quick-dry performance, straddle all three.
What's the best fit for pants: slim, relaxed, or wide-leg?
There is no single best fit. The better question is whether the pant gives you room to move where you actually need it. A slim pant with a gusseted crotch and articulated knees outperforms a relaxed pant without them on any real trail or travel day.
Slim and skinny fits work under boots and for a put-together look. Relaxed cuts breathe better in heat and layer easily over a baselayer when temperatures drop. Wide-leg styles read more casual and move beautifully in summer. Construction details (stretch, knee articulation, the crotch gusset, the FreeRyde™ waistband) matter more than the silhouette label.
Slim and skinny fits work under boots and for a put-together look. Relaxed cuts breathe better in heat and layer easily over a baselayer when temperatures drop. Wide-leg styles read more casual and move beautifully in summer. Construction details (stretch, knee articulation, the crotch gusset, the FreeRyde™ waistband) matter more than the silhouette label.
What should you wear in hot vs cold weather?
In hot weather, choose lightweight pants with UPF 50+, moisture-wicking fabric, and quick-dry performance. In cold weather, choose a softshell with a brushed interior and add a baselayer underneath.
For summer trails, a lightweight nylon-spandex blend keeps air moving and dries fast after a sweat-out or a creek crossing. For shoulder season and winter, softshell pants hold body heat without the crinkle and condensation of a hardshell. Pair them with a baselayer and a wind-blocking outer layer for a system that handles a frosty trailhead through a chairlift queue.
For summer trails, a lightweight nylon-spandex blend keeps air moving and dries fast after a sweat-out or a creek crossing. For shoulder season and winter, softshell pants hold body heat without the crinkle and condensation of a hardshell. Pair them with a baselayer and a wind-blocking outer layer for a system that handles a frosty trailhead through a chairlift queue.
Are pants waterproof, or just water-resistant?
Most performance pants, including most of ours, are water-resistant, not fully waterproof. A DWR finish causes water to bead and roll off, which handles drizzle, splashes, snow, and a brief shower without soaking through.
For sustained, heavy rain you'll eventually saturate any DWR finish. That's the job of a true hardshell rain pant, worn over your everyday pant. The DWR is the quiet workhorse, invisible until it's earning its keep on a damp morning approach.
For sustained, heavy rain you'll eventually saturate any DWR finish. That's the job of a true hardshell rain pant, worn over your everyday pant. The DWR is the quiet workhorse, invisible until it's earning its keep on a damp morning approach.
All
Relaxed Fit
Straight Fit
Skinny Fit
