Introduction
The KETL Mtn shenanigan pants are a unique pant in the adventure segment. Their goal is to be a high performance outdoors pant while not looking and feeling as dorky as a traditional ripstop hiking pant. From KETL Mtn themselves, the shenanigan pants are “durable, lightweight, and with a no-swoosh fabric.” How well do they accomplish this goal? Pretty dang well in my opinion.
I’ve worn different colors of the shenanigan pants around 20 times since I purchased my first pair 5 months ago. Primarily, I brought them because I thought they’d be a versatile pant: I could hike, bike, travel, and generally just hang out with them. After a few days of biking and hiking, I fell in love with the pants. They achieve the best combination of performance, looks, and comfort of any outdoor pant I’ve seen. So much so that i brought two more pairs, so I have the pants in three colors. Why do I like them so much? Read more to find out.
Functionality for a dork without looking like one
I’m reviewing pants on the internet, so I’m sort of a dork. I don’t want to look like one though… These pants look like regular khakis, but have the features of a solid technical biking pant. Specifically, they have a J-hook belt integrated into the pants that keeps them tight for biking. Other “lifestyle” travel pants make the mistake of not having a J-Hook belt. I’ve worn them for biking and hiking, and they always fall down no matter how tight I try to tie the drawstring. the J-Hook belt lets my cinch them down as tight as a need so my butt doesn’t show while I’m riding.
Take a look at the picture above. Without a belt, I’d be 100% showing crack. That’s why most dedicated MTB pants have some sort of J hook or velcro system to keep the pants in place. A drawstring just won’t cut it. However, they don’t look out of place even when off the trail. I love wearing these when I go to Golden Bike Park and the brewery right next door.
Well-Placed Technical Pockets
The pockets have 5 pockets in total. 2 “regular” top pockets on the hips, two zippered pockets on each side of your butt, and one large zippered pocket on the right towards the back of the leg. The large zippered pocket is a nice design because it doesn’t get in the way of things when you move your leg up; something you do a lot when hiking and biking. Most bike-specific shorts, like the Zoic Ether shorts, use a similar design where the zippered pocket goes down towards the side/back of the leg. I do really wish the pants were symmetrical. This zippered pocket is only on the right hand side. When I ride, I usually put my phone inside of a padded case in the large zippered pocket. Even with the case, it still fits fine.
The “No-Swoosh” Fabric and Feel
The “No-Swoosh” fabric is outstanding. It really lives up to it’s name. It doesn’t swoosh! This also has the side effect of making it softer and more comfortable. Fabric that doesn’t swoosh is soft after all. The fabric is also lightweight and has a nice stretch too it. Finally, it breathes VERY well for what kind of pant it is. I did a 7,000 vertical feet hike in Guatemala where I was very sweaty, and the pants felt great. My upper body with a dri-fit shirt on was sweating just as much, if not more, than my legs. the overall feel of the pants is great. I could comfortably wear them all day. These have very very mild water resistance, but do not count on them to protect you from anything more than a light splash. That’s not what they’re intended for.
Regarding durability, I’ve had a mostly good experiences. I’ve fallen off my bike, slid down rocks, and put in countless hours of biking and hiking on these pants. They’ve held up well to that. My one complaint is that they are very prone to snagging if you have pets. My cat decided to stretch on my leg one day and it easily resulted in a snag. I’m guessing thorny bushes could cause this as well, but I haven’t actually been able to snag these in nature. Only my cats have…
Conclusion
These are my favorite all-rounder outdoor pants. I now own them in all three colors and they are my go-to travel pant because they work well for biking, hiking, and simply walking around town. I’d highly recommend these pants for someone looking for a great all-rounder. These pants work for almost any activity, and you’ll look dang good while doing it.