A total of 11 strategically positioned vents have been sewn into the Kontra Air ($80) pants in an effort to make them the airiest pants on the market…without looking like they’re a super-technical piece of apparel. The mesh panels sit at the knees, the upper thighs, the pockets, and the gusset (the below screenshot shows ‘em from the inside-out), while the rest of the pants employ a tropical-weight 65/35 percent cotton/poly mix in an Oxford weave that Kuhl claim delivers a lighter touch. The use of polyester should help the pants dry fast, but one question remains: How will they hold up after multiple uses? Lightweight fabrics may be crazy comfortable, but their durability sometimes suffer. The use of flaps, rather than some sort of closures on the vents like zippers, may also make these too cool on colder nights in the backcountry. Note as well that Kuhl recommends sizing up, as the Kontra Air runs smaller than other pants in their line.
—Nathan Borchelt
