Update on the pants "saga" and to provide future internet and forum searchers with some results. I received the Kings XKG Lone Peak pants about a week ago and was very impressed. The build quality is really top notch, and the pants themselves are built like the proverbial brick outhouse. The outer fabric is thick and stiff (new) and the inner fleece is more of like what you'd find in a Sitka Jetstream. It's kind of like a mini grid pattern. Warm and stout pants that are still somehow pretty quiet. If you're a bowhunter and want absolute silence, these are not your jam. For everyone else, they should be fantastic. The drawback with them - and I will say this may affect people with proportions similar to mine - was the very long rise in the waist. They definitely want to ride up near the belly button, and my natural waist is well below that. It wasn't an issue when I strolled around the house, but taking stairs and any high leg movement was seriously restricted by the low crotch. So - back they went. The fit comment is not an admonishment of the pants, only how they fit ME. You might be different, and if things fit better, they'd still be in my closet.
At the Great American Outdoor Show this weekend, I stopped by the Kuiu booth to examine their offerings. I tried on a pair of Axis hybrid and Guide Pro pants and was immediately impressed. The build quality and fit of each was superb. In speaking with the reps, they let me know the only practical difference between those two is the waterproofing of the Axis. Insulation is the same (and looked it) and the basic pocket layout was pretty typical. Even the exterior fabric looked and felt similar. The one difference was the weight. The Guide Pro pants are shockingly light. It was one of those scenarios where you look at something and can kind of assume what it should weigh and then you're totally wrong! I ended up buying a pair of Guide Pro's in Ash because of the comfort and silly lightness. With those and a good merino base layer, you're probably good into the 20's stationary and even lower if you're moving. I'll probably get them this week and can test them out at the range or on a hike or two to get a better real world assessment.