Kuhl Rydr Pants Review: Tested on the Railroad by a Signalman
“I’m a signalman for BNSF railway.” That’s how the interview with Sam McAnally opened. For me, that profession is a white space—so, I had to ask what that job entailed.
“See this?” Sam says, as he points at the light switch in Drew’s office, “It has wires and electricity inside it that allow me,” he flips off the switch, flips the switch back on, “To open and close the circuits that allow energy to pass through and control the light in that outlet. A signalman does the same thing, except we work on the connections between tracks. So, when a train switches tracks, when the arms come down and the signals blink, there has to be a circuit that opens or closes to make that all happen. A signalman works on those connections, for railway boom trucks, cars… all the equipment you see on a track—we work on the electricity and connections that help those pieces of equipment work.”
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As you can imagine, the job is labor intensive, involves long stretches of travel to different regions of the nation—from Montana to the desert in Texas, signalman travel and work in all environmental conditions. As you can imagine, when you work through these conditions and when you are in the field for weeks at a time like Sam is, your workwear is actually that—work wear.
The clothes you wear impact how well you can do your job. Like this medical scrub review, Sam had a lot to say about the material, fit and functionality of the Kuhl Rydr pants he wore out in the field.
Kuhl Rydr Pants Design Review
“In my work pants, the first thing to go is the crotch. We are bending down and moving and I have big legs and a big butt—I need room in my pants to facilitate that type of repetitive movement. Normally wearing 5-11s, I blow out the crotch at about week six or seven. With these Kuhl pants, there is a whole lot of room through the thighs and the material is tough enough that I haven’t even seen fraying on the seams yet. It’s been about four weeks in these Rydr jeans so far.”
“Another weak point when it comes to jeans out on the road is the cuffs—you can bet the cuffs at the bottom are going to go fray and blow out right around the same time as the crotch in regular jeans. These Kuhl pants have a more form fitting opening at the leg which keeps them up and out of the way, but beyond that, they are doubled up in that area and look feel like they are stitched independently. They’re reinforced in there so I haven’t seen any wear that would indicate these cuffs are on the way out yet.”
From Kuhl: The Kuhl Rydr Pant is cut from our exclusive combed Cotton Euro Twill for tenacious, yet luxurious, style. The fabric has been slightly brushed for a softer feel, but tough durability remains.
Our full fit features a full seat and thigh for a more relaxed fit. Kuhl's Born Free™ gusseted crotch and articulated knees allow freedom of movement, while the original yoke system and anatomically engineered fit follow your body's natural contours for superior comfort. Double needle bar tacks add reinforcement at critical junctions, and reinforced pockets and bottom cuffs reduce wear.
So, from Sam and from Kuhl—it looks like the design of these pants aligns perfectly with the field work that Sam does for BNSF. But what about the actual material itself?
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Kuhl Rydr Pants meet a Spot Welder: Material Review
“One of the activities that we perform often while in the field is thermal welding—spot welding with powder. With that kind of heat and slag flying around, normally I see pinhole burns in my pants with the first couple days. The material on these Kuhls, whatever it is, doesn’t get the same pinhole burns that often lead to fraying and rips.”
So, while Sam probably wouldn’t be the type to say, “These pants are tenacious, yet luxurious,” the way Kuhl describes them, this material is obviously a heavy-duty material with a tight weave that resists wear and thermal burns better than other pants Sam has worn on the job. However, these pants are not FR rated, so don’t buy them and go work in a forge—in fact Sam said when he is out and needs an extra layer of protection, he wears a pair of Fillson chaps.
What about another factor that people ask about when considering work wear material: breathability.
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Well, when I asked Sam if these pants were breathable, he looked at me a little blankly and said, “100 degrees is a 100 degrees. If you’re looking for a statement on breathable, just tell your customers this: ‘If you want your pants to be cooler, buy a lighter color. Dark pants absorb more heat, and light colors don’t.’”
So, these pants are probably breathable, but when you’re a signalman working outside on a railroad with no shade in the Texas desert… that is probably the best answer you’re going to get: “Buy a lighter colored pair.”
Kuhl Rydr Pants Final Review: “Definitely”
If you’re in the market for a highly versatile and tough pair of jeans, and you were to ask Sam McAnally if you should get a pair of Kuhl Rydr jeans… that’s the answer you’d get—“Definitely grab a pair of these and try them out. These are a solid pair of work pants.”