Fjällräven Keb Agile Winter Trousers review: soft shell pants for colder adventures

Fjällräven is one of those gear brands that has achieved aspirational status among lovers of the great outdoors, and attracted mainstream admiration too. Its popular Kånken backpack, originally designed and launched in 1978 as functional bags for schoolchildren, propelled the brand to global renown. Meanwhile, the eagle-eyed among you watching the final season of HBO’s Succession last year might have noticed Swedish tech billionaire Lukas Matsson sporting Fjällräven apparel on more than one occasion. Told you it was aspirational.

However, it’s among outdoorsy types that Fjällräven is most lauded, and it has garnered a reputation for top quality, uncompromising gear. The brand strives to develop outdoor clothing and kit that’s ‘functional, durable and timeless’, with the idea that its products should last its customers a lifetime, serving both them and the planet in the process.

At Advnture, we previously tested and absolutely loved the standard Keb Trousers, so I was intrigued to see how this winter version would fare. The standard Kebs are our top-rated hiking pants, along with the Revolution Race GP Pros. I own a pair of the GP Pros, so a direct comparison was due to be very interesting and would hopefully ascertain who really wears the trousers in the hiking pants world.

Meet the reviewer

Alex Foxfield

Alex is passionate about exploring the mountains all year round but he has a soft spot for winter, when the peaks are plastered in snow, the conditons are that little bit more challenging and days feel that much more adventurous. He's a qualified mountain leader and one of Advnture's experts when it comes to mountain kit.

First impressions

Hiking pants from Scandinavia always seem to have a bit of a patched-together aesthetic, with their colored panels and reinforced zones. For me, it gives the impression of rugged gear that’s ready for the Arctic ice and loveless rock found in the kind of places you’d expect, or hope, to see the Aurora Borealis by night. The Keb Agile Winter Trousers' three other colorways certainly give this impression, though I was testing the Black/Black (that’s black reinforcements on a black face fabric) version, which look very sleek by comparison.

They’re a classy looking pair of trousers, with nice little touches like the embossed mountain fox logo and the little Swedish flag tab on the upper left leg. Excellent design and craft are obvious, from the quality of the stitching to the hidden lace hooks. Fit wise, they’re about right, with room for base layers beneath, but close-fitting enough that you can wear rain pants over the top in a downpour.

Features

Fabrics first: the Keb Agile Winter Trousers are crafted from a double-weave, four-way stretch blend of polyamide, polyester and elastane, with a brushed inside for comfort and warmth. The quality of this hard-wearing, comfortable yet flexible fabric is one of the reasons these pants have such a high price point. It’s the four-way stretch, as well as the pre-shaped knees, that gives them the freedom of movement needed to take on wintry scrambles and more technical mountaineering objectives.

Then there are the reinforcements at the thighs, knees and lower legs, which provide increased durability. This fabric is Fjällräven’s G1000 Stretch, featuring a mix of recycled and non-recycled polyester and organic cotton. The brand champion the hardwearing G1000 as its ‘cornerstone material’ and it’s used in everything from its hiking backpacks to its jackets. The fabric's ability to resist the weather is very good and it can be maintained by treating it with Fjällräven’s Greenland Wax too.

The top two G1000 panels are placed on the zippered thigh pockets, which are located as to still be accessible when wearing a climbing harness. The right pocket has a little internal mesh compartment too for small items. You also get two open front pockets above these.

At first glance, there appears to be zippered pockets to the side of the thigh pockets too. However, these are ventilation openings, basically the same idea as a waterproof jacket’s pit zips. When things get a little too hot on steep ascents, simply open them up and dump that heat.

As dedicated winter pants, the Keb Agile Winter Trousers boast a zippered, gusseted bottom, which allows you to open them up when putting on high-cut winter hiking boots. One of the neatest design features is also found down here, with a hidden lace hook that allows you to attach the trousers to your boots. There’s no internal tightening system around the waist, but loops allow you to pair the pants with your favorite hiking belt.

In the mountains

I’ve been wearing the Keb Agile Winter trousers throughout the cold season, donning them for local walks, moorland hikes and winter mountaineering days in the Scottish Highlands. From the get-go we were fast friends. They blend style, comfort and functionality, with several little touches that elevate them above most of the competition.

The main fabric is pleasingly warm and windproof, even in pretty challenging winter conditions. It’s worth pointing out that they’re water-resistant rather than waterproof and rain pants are needed over the top when heavy rain is on the cards. When moving onto technical terrain, the freedom of movement provided was ample and really impressive considering the hardwearing nature of these pants.

I like the options provided by multiple pockets, having been a long-time fan of Mountain Equipment’s Ibex Mountain Pants, which offer up a quintet of compartments. Fjällräven provide four here, which gave me more than enough quick storage options.

I’m yet to test them during summer but I’ve already noticed my legs running quite hot when moving quick or ascending in warmer conditions. The side ventilation zips helped with this, cooling my legs down. But, even so, it’s likely that when the sunnier months come around they’ll be a little too hot. This isn’t a criticism though, the Kebs are winter trousers after all and it’s not like I’d scorn a down jacket for being to warm in an August heat wave.

My only qualms with the Kebs is that the main button fastening above the fly has a habit of coming loose when I unzip them. Perhaps Fjällräven could have put something a little more secure in there. Also, the zip pulls are a little short for a pair of dedicated winter pants, so they’re not as easily grabbable when wearing thick gloves as some.

So, what’s better? The Fjällräven Kebs or the Revolution Race GP Pros. In terms of quality, freedom of movement and comfort, the Kebs definitely take it. They’re the better hiking pants. However, you can get hold of three pairs of the GP Pros these days before you hit the price point of the Winter Keb Agiles. So, if you’ve got the money to spare, go for the Kebs. However, the GP Pros represent far greater value for money in my book.