The Keela Nevis trousers are designed for the girlies who need durability, comfort and breathability from their walking trousers during adventures – and who need it to come at a manageable cost.
Known for creating high-quality gear at more affordable prices than other brands, Keela has built the Nevis trousers to withstand whatever you can throw at them on your hiking trips.
The Keela Nevis trousers recently won our Best Value award for our women's walking trousers group test, as although they weren't the cheapest option, I was hugely impressed with the performance at this price point.
For £74.95 ($77.80) – or less if you shop around – the Nevis trousers deliver an excellent combination of performance, mobility, and durability, making them a versatile choice for hillwalking, trekking and general outdoor activities. Let's get into some details.
Pros
- Incredible all-rounder
- Great value
- Durable
Cons
- Material not as soft as some other trousers
| RRP: | £74.95 / $84 |
| Weight: | 312g (11 oz) |
| Fit: | Regular |
| Materials: | Keela Stretch-Tec fabric including Lycra |
| Leg lengths: | Regular, short, long |
| Sizes: | 8-20 |
Fit
The Nevis Trousers are designed with an athletic fit, tailored specifically for female hikers. This strikes a balance between form-fitting and functional, with just the right amount of room for popping a baselayer underneath when you're out and about in the winter months.
The Stretch-Tec fabric (about which, annoyingly, there is little other information on Keela's website) offers excellent elasticity, ensuring that even with the snug fit, you still have full freedom of movement.
The pre-shaped, reinforced knees and articulated cut give you more flexibility on uneven terrain, whether you're climbing over rocks or running down the hill to suckle from the car-park coffee van.
With a higher-rise waistband, these trousers provide good coverage and support, staying securely in place without feeling restrictive. The waist comes with belt loops and a semi-elastic back, allowing for an adjustable fit. I also think it's sized accurately and flatters most body types.
I also love the fact you can get these in a short, regular or long inseam length, which is perfect for us little people who don't want to be tripping over the bottom of the trousers. Or indeed, for vertically blessed folk who are sick of having cold ankles.
The only thing I can critique when it comes to these trousers is the stitching where the reinforced knees meet the rest of the Stretch-Tec weave. It doesn't quite lie as flat as other trousers, but after a few kilometres, you get used to it.
Flatlock seams are often an added cost to a garment, and the absence of these is part of the reason that the RRP of these trousers remains so low. It has very little impact on overall comfort.
Features
The Keela Women's Nevis Trousers have a few practical features that make them a solid choice for outdoor adventures.
Firstly, the trousers feature two zipped hip pockets. These provide secure storage for small essentials like your phone, keys or hiking snacks, ensuring that your belongings are easily accessible without the risk of them falling out during movement.
The side leg ventilation zips are another standout feature, allowing you to increase airflow on warmer days or during high-intensity hikes.
This ventilation helps regulate body temperature and adds versatility to the trousers, making them comfortable in a range of weather conditions. When I tested them on a blazing hot September afternoon, the thigh vents were a real plus for keeping cool when going uphill.
Durability is also a key focus in the Nevis trousers, with reinforced knees and seat areas made from a tougher rip-stop material.
These reinforcements protect against wear and tear in high-stress areas, ensuring that the trousers hold up over time, even in rugged mountain environments.
Additionally, the trousers are equipped with a zipped front fly and a secure snap fastening at the waist, providing both comfort and ease when getting dressed or adjusting the fit.
The ankle zips add another layer of practicality, allowing you to easily adjust the fit of the trousers around your walking boots. This is especially useful when wearing bulkier hiking footwear, or for tucking the trousers in to prevent debris from getting inside your boots.
Lastly, the stretch fabric construction ensures excellent freedom of movement. Whether you’re navigating uneven terrain, scrambling over rocks or simply walking long distances, the fabric moves with you, providing comfort and flexibility without feeling restrictive.
Performance
The Keela Women's Nevis Trousers perform brilliantly across a range of outdoor activities and conditions.
In moderate weather, the wind resistance offers reliable protection, keeping you shielded from cold winds. However, for wet weather, these trousers need to be paired with some waterproof over-trousers, as they don't have any waterproofing capabilities alone.
That said, they do dry quickly, which is a great advantage on multi-day hikes or for weather that just can't make up its mind.
The durability of the fabric ensures that these trousers can take a beating on tough, rocky trails or in dense woodland, and the reinforced areas prevent premature wear and tear in high-stress areas.
The breathability and ventilation options mean that even on warmer days, the trousers don't feel too hot or clammy.
Those aforementioned thigh ventilation zips are a particularly welcome feature, offering the flexibility to adjust for different weather conditions and levels of exertion without having to stop and change clothing layers.
Value
Priced at £79.95, but available for less elsewhere, the Keela Women's Nevis Trousers offer excellent value for their quality and features. Usually a pair like this would be well over £100.
Overall, they combine durability, weather resistance and thoughtful design elements that make them suitable for a wide range of outdoor activities, including scrambling and climbing, as well as hiking.
Verdict
Given their robust construction and versatile features, the Keela Nevis trousers will last through multiple seasons of hiking, making them a great value investment for many outdoorsy women.
About the author
Fliss Freeborn is a staff writer for LFTO and has owned more pairs of walking trousers than she cares to remember. She lives in Scotland but can regularly be found somewhere warmer, gently photosynthesising like a leafy hotdog.