Fjallraven Keb walking trousers review: the ultimate rugged hiking trouser

When you're serious about your walking you need the right trousers; a pair of jeans is fine for a nice stroll, but when you're properly out and about you need rugged but lightweight legwear that'll dry out quickly and which features plenty of pockets. 

The Fjallraven Keb pants are some of the best walking trousers on the market – we tested the Fjallraven Keb Curved Trouser, a female-specific version, redesigned in 2019 to fit and flatter women’s bodies. Are these rugged hiking trousers worth the high price? We gave them a thorough workout.

Buy the men's Fjallraven Keb or the women's Keb Curved (£200) from Fjallraven. 

• Take on the great outdoors in the best hiking leggings
• Kit yourself out with the best women's walking shoes

Fjallraven Keb Curved trousers review: design and features

Fjallraven’s high-waisted Curved Keb is made for hiking. These tough trousers combine stretch and durability, while slim legs trap in warmth and zippered leg vents on the calf and thigh regulate temperature. Zipped and adjustable bottom cuffs make it easy to pop boots on and off, and you can never have too many pockets – the two large zippered pockets on the front of the Kebs are protected with poppered flaps and are perfect for carrying maps, your phone, and other small bits of kit or tools for easy access.

The Keb trousers also have a useful extra feature – there are openings in the fabric that allow you to slot in the thick knee pads that come included, making them perfect for working outdoors, doing chores around camp, or even for outdoor photographers or anyone else who spends long hours working outside in all kinds of conditions. If your job takes you outdoors, these would be a great workhorse trouser to wear daily.

Fjallraven has, as always, paid attention to looks here, too - nine colourways are available, so you’re likely guaranteed to find a pair you like, and some versions are so smart that they work well when casually paired with a jumper when you’re off to the pub post-adventure. The darker colourways don’t show dirt, so they’re our top picks.

We love championing brands that make an effort to create sustainable products, and the Keb trousers are made with Fjallraven’s G-1000 Eco fabric, which is made from recycled polyester and organic cotton. These trousers aren’t waterproof by default, but can be rendered water-resistant with the brand’s Greenland wax (sold separately, and cheaply, although considering the high price tag for the trousers we’d have liked the wax to come included!), which is an eco-friendly way to repel water and can be topped up regularly.

Fjallraven Keb Curved trousers review: performance and comfort

The ‘curved’ in the Keb trouser’s title indicates that these pants have been designed specifically with women’s bodies in mind. We found they fit very nicely, although if you have wide hips you may want to try on a size larger than your usual for a comfier fit (Fjallraven’s sizes are European, but there’s a handy size chart online). A ‘short’ version of the Keb Curved trouser is also available, with 5cm lopped off the leg length.

We wore these trousers for multi-day hiking and mountain camping trips in Scotland and were pleased with how comfortable they were over long hours of hiking – and how tough they proved when sitting, kneeling and doing chores around camp. We also liked the well-placed pockets, which are generous enough to take maps, phones, snacks and other quick-grab essentials. 

The Kebs are warm but aren’t very breathable – we’d wear them from spring through to autumn and swap to a lightweight pair of walking trousers for the summer months. That said, zipped leg vents do help you cool down, so these trousers are great if it’s a cold day but you’re still working up a sweat on your hike.

Fjallraven Keb Curved trousers review: verdict

The Keb Curved trouser stood out on test for two things: quality and durability. If you’re just getting started in outdoor adventure you could choose something less rugged – and less expensive. If, however, you’re a keen hiker or wild camper, these will do you proud, especially if you struggle to find trousers that fit your curves. We’d also recommend them to anyone who works outdoors, where you’re likely to get your money’s worth out of the Keb’s great durability day after day (and these trousers really feel like they’ll last you for years of adventures to come).