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KUHL asked if I wanted to try a few articles of their clothing. I tend to stick with brands I know and love because I despise clothes shopping. I also have a closet full of clothes and only wear about twenty percent of them (I really need to try this method for inventory control). But my husband, Larry, is a fan of cool KUHL clothing and his praise piqued my interest with KUHL’s offer.
In short, everything they sent became the twenty percent of my wardrobe that sees the light of day. Reviews follow, with pros and cons for each item.
KUHL Freeflex Skort
I’m a diehard fan of dresses and skirts. My thighs have seen me through some incredible feats of endurance, but they are large and I hate shopping for pants/shorts that fit them. I typically dislike skorts too, because the hidden shorts usually don’t fit well and are uncomfortable.
Given how much I wore the Freeflex Skort last summer, it’s safe to say my usual disdain for the world of skorts was unfounded. The shorts material was stretchy enough to allow them to fit the girth of my thighs without feeling constrictive (or worse, causing them to bunch up). The shorts material was also lightweight and breathable.
The skirt material is quick drying and has a nice drape without wrinkling. I love the elastic waistband since it’s forgivingly stretchy. The color they sent me (flint) is dark gray and it matches a large number of my tops. The zippered front pockets get high marks. My iPhone 11 Pro fits perfectly in them, and I love the added security measure of zipping it inside. There are two back pockets but they do not zip; but It’s unlikely I’d ever use them. They do, however, add some visual interest.
I love the style of the Freeflex Skort, and it was a great length once I got used to it being a bit shorter than other skirts I own. Since I wear skirts so often, I’m always mindful of whom I might be unintentionally flashing when I bend over. The shorter length would make me nervous if it was only a skirt, but the skort aspect made me more comfortable. This makes a fabulous addition to my traveling clothes, since it barely takes up any real estate in a suitcase and is so versatile. It also provides 50+ UPF.
I’ll reserve this skort for casual everyday wear, not hiking. No matter how comfortable a skort is, I just don’t like hiking in them.
The washing instructions are a little fussy, but in line with most of my higher quality everyday wear. I wash them on delicate and line dry them (although the label indicates tumble drying is acceptable). Stains do not set in easily either, assuming you apply a stain-prevention product to affected areas before throwing them in the wash.
At $75 retail currently, the Freeflex Skort is on the pricier side; however, given its versatility and what I suspect will be a long life span (without collecting dust in my closet), it would feel like a “buy once, cry once” type of purchase, had I bought it for myself.
All in all, I’m very pleased with the Freeflex Skort, and it’s a staple in my three-season wardrobe lineup!
KUHL Skyla Dress
As mentioned, I’m a dress girl. But that doesn’t mean I’m not discriminating, and I quickly know which dresses will become a staple in my rotation for speaking engagements and formal-but-not-too-formal social occasions.
When I received the Skyla Dress, I was about 10 pounds heavier than normal because I was caring for our terminally ill dog with little time or energy to exercise. I suspected this dress wouldn’t fit (I received a size medium), but it did, thanks to the forgiving A-line cut. I wasn’t crazy about how I looked in it initially, but that’s my problem, not KUHL’s.
The materials are an interesting blend of cotton, modal and spandex, and I suppose the spandex helped provide the extra little give I needed over the summer, too. The material feels dense but it’s not heavy or hot, and I’m exceptionally hot natured in warmer months. I was able to wear a normal bra with it, but it would be better to wear it with a racer-back style bra, to not deal with creeping shoulder straps.
The only con to the Skyla Dress are the pockets. Hear me out, because I know pockets are a crowd favorite with dresses, and I love them too. But the thickness of the materials makes the area with the pockets a tiny bit more pronounced. If I had an ectomorphic body type (lanky and thin), I don’t think I’d notice it. It’s the curse of having a mesomorphic (bulkier) frame, I suppose–you notice anything that makes you look thicker. I will say that its definitely less noticeable now that I’ve pulled off the extra pounds I gained over the summer. My husband said he doesn’t notice it at all and I look great….but he’s the kind of husband who’d say that no matter what I looked like in it, so you really can’t trust his opinion on these things. 🙂
The washing instructions are similar to the skort–a little fussier than just throwing it in with everything (and to be clear, I am exceedingly lazy with laundry so now you can take my opinion with a grain of salt too). I suspect the colors will remain vibrant, even after many washings. Speaking of the colors, I love the pattern and tones in this dress. I’ve received many compliments on it.
At $85 retail currently, the Skyla Dress also on the higher end of what I’d typically spend for a dress. But considering the number of once-worn cheap dresses in my closet assures me that the KUHL dress is a far better value. I’m already proving this since I’ve reached for it many times since receiving it.
KUHL Engineered Hoody
The KUHL Engineered Hoody is the item I’ve worn the least so far, but I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it on a recent trip to coastal Maine where the weather was cool and damp.
It’s made from polyester, so time will tell if it starts to retain odors when I wear it during hikes. I’ve worn it on a couple of hikes already and so far, so good. It’s a relatively lightweight shirt, and it breaths well during exertion. It has a nice drape with ample room to use my hiking poles, take my backpack on and off without it feeling constrictive, and I love the built in hood which has a hole for a ponytail.
KUHL sent me the Engineered Hoodie in emberglow color, and I like having a bit more orange in my hiking wardrobe during hunting season. It’s not “blaze orange,” so technically it’s not the best choice for this purpose. But considering the only blaze orange shirts I have are for search and rescue purposes, it’s the best choice I have.
At $70 retail currently, it’s a bit more than I’d usually shell out for a hiking top like this. If I could find it on sale, it would be more attractive. Otherwise, I’m not sure my frugal self could justify the cost, considering there are similar shirts on the market at a lower price point. That said, it is purportedly a dream in warm weather during exertion and KUHL claims it will keep you cooler than similar styles by other brands. My opinion is TBD on that (and I’ll update this post once I try it).
I also use an Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie for cool weather hiking, and I’ve owned the same one for many years. It’s still going strong, and it reminds me of the KUHL Engineered Hoody with the exception of the fit. The OR Echo has a more snug fit, and that bothers me sometimes; however, it gets extra points for a flap of material at the end of each sleeve cuff that I can pull over my hands when they are cold. The KUHL hoody has a discrete thumb hole in the sleeve cuff and a kangaroo pocket though, which I also like. I know I’ll use both in my hiking rotation and will even use the KUHL hoody for everyday use since it’s cute.
Conclusion
I imagine it’s obvious, but Larry’s not the only one who’s a KUHL clothing fan now. I look forward to adding them to my short list of brands I peruse when I feel the urge to add a new piece of clothing to my wardrobe. Comment below if you have questions or something you’d like to share about KUHL from your experience with them.
Happy Trails!