Anyone who travels for a living knows how important high-quality and lightweight outdoor clothing is. KÜHL understands this and has provided adventure enthusiasts with the apparel they need over the last 40 years.
In this women’s KÜHL clothing review, I’ve included my honest feedback on two of their top-selling items: the FREEFLEX™ Hiking Short and KONSTANCE™ Sun Protection Shirt.
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with KÜHL. While I was given courtesy products from KÜHL in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.
About KÜHL
Based out of Salt Lake City, KÜHL is the second-largest independently-owned outdoor apparel brand in the United States.
The company focuses on creating high-performance clothing that also looks great when worn casually, or what they call “technical sportswear.”
KÜHL, which means “cool” in German, is committed to not only providing customers with high-quality products, but also to sustainability and being an ethical company.
This includes everything from where they source their materials all the way up to ensuring that female employees are paid equally to their male counterparts.
Here’s a quick look at some of KÜHL’s standards:
Ethics
Sustainability
- Green headquarters: no paper towels, LED lighting, etc.
- Committed to reducing waste by not over-producing products
Employee Benefits
- Family health insurance provided with employment
- Chef catered lunches
- Workout gym on campus
- Lockers to store bikes
- Flexible hours
Review: KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Hiking Shorts and KONSTANCE™ Long Sleeve Sun Protection Shirt
I put this outfit to the test while hiking around Red Rocks Park outside of Denver, Colorado in 90°F (32°C) weather.
I wanted to see just how well these products did in keeping me dry and protected from the sun since those are two of the items’ biggest selling points.
Long story short: they truly did not disappoint.
KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Shorts for Women
FREEFLEX™ Options
- Styles: Short, Skort, Cargo Short
- Colors: Rainstorm, Kohl, Sage, Black
- Waist Sizes: XS-XL (Cargo Short: 0-16)
- Inseams: 4″, 8″ (Cargo Short: 10″)
What I’m wearing: FREEFLEX™ Short in Rainstorm, XS, 4″ inseam.
Details
- Material: 50% Polyester, 50% New Polyester
- Care Instructions: Machine wash cold, delicate
KÜHL Women’s FREEFLEX™ Features
- UPF 50+ sun protection
- Moisture-wicking material
- Wide pull-on waistband
- Internal drawcord
- Chino-style back pockets
- Zippered front pockets
Full disclosure, I’ve never owned a pair of proper hiking shorts before.
Most of the time I’m either wandering around cities or mountains in denim or running shorts because of how versatile they are.
Since I work and travel to all seven continents, I live out of a couple of suitcases year-round and need every item of clothing in my bag to serve multiple purposes while still being easy to care for, wash, and pack.
However, hiking around Red Rocks in Colorado’s midday summer heat in KÜHL’s FREEFLEX™ Short showed me exactly why it might be worth splurging a little extra to incorporate these shorts into my capsule wardrobe.
Pros
First, they’re extremely lightweight and moisture-wicking.
These work hand-in-hand, making them easy to pack while also keeping me dry.
Not going to lie, by the time I was done with my one-hour hike in the sun, my undergarments were soaked.
But on the outside I was nearly completely dry and what little moisture that remained quickly dried off within minutes of returning indoors.
Second, let’s talk pockets.
The KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Short has four pockets— two chino-styled back pockets and two zippered front pockets.
While the back pockets aren’t large enough to fit my OnePlus 9 Pro (6.7 inches), the front pockets are.
I’m a fan of any pocket with zippers as it makes it easy for me to carry the essentials without needing a bag.
The zippered pockets allowed me enough storage room to comfortably carry keys, a phone, a card, and cash.
Third, no amount of mobility is restricted with the FREEFLEX™ Short.
They’re incredibly flexible and move with you so that there are no limitations whether you’re clamoring over boulders or climbing a tree (if that’s your thing).
Cons
The cons here are somewhat trivial, but worth noting anyway.
For my body size and type, the fit of even the smallest size (XS) still wasn’t small enough.
While this looser fit made the shorts super comfy to wear, it did hang off of my hips a bit.
For reference, I’m 5’3 and typically wear pants in US Size 2.
Additionally, the waistband seemed a little stiff to me and hard to stretch while putting on initially.
To be fair, the shorts are marketed as having “high stretch and recovery” so that they don’t lose their shape over time.
After getting a sense of how strong and wide the waistband is, I have no doubt that it’ll maintain its form after many wears and washes.
The stiff waistband wasn’t so much of an issue for me since I don’t really have any hips, but others might want to consider sizing up for a more comfortable fit.
KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Shorts Final Rating
8/10.
The pros heavily outweigh the cons here, so if you’re looking for a good pair of fast-drying, high-quality, and lightweight hiking shorts, the KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Short is the way to go.
They look great, feel comfortable, have great pockets, and won’t take up any space in your pack.
KÜHL KONSTANCE™ Sun Protection Shirt for Women
KONSTANCE™ Options
- Styles: Short Sleeve, Long Sleeve, Tank
- Colors: Black, Barberry, Tuscany, Metal Blue, Rose Ash Print, Sage Print, White Print
- Sizes: XS-XL
What I’m wearing: KONSTANCE™ Long Sleeve in Black, XS.
Details
- Material: 84% Polyester, 11% Tencel, 5% Spandex
- Care Instructions: Machine wash cold, delicate; tumble dry
KÜHL Women’s KONSTANCE™ Features
- UPF 50+ sun protection
- Crew neck
- Flattering silhouette
- Rounded hem
- Soft, mélange fabric
Pros
I never thought it’d be possible to feel cooler temperature-wise wearing a dark, long sleeve compared to a white, short sleeve t-shirt on a sunny, 90°F day.
That’s how much of a difference I felt with the KÜHL KONSTANCE™ Long Sleeve.
I waited until I had walked from the car park to the beginning of the hiking path to pop on the KONSTANCE™ and after I did, I felt like the temperature dropped by at least 10 degrees.
Despite the blistering heat, the lightweight shirt kept me cool and of course safe from getting sunburned.
I was also pleasantly surprised that the dark color of the shirt didn’t seem to absorb heat like a black or gray shirt usually does in direct sunlight.
The streamlined silhouette of the shirt was nice too.
Because of my figure, boxy clothing often makes me look like I’m wearing a garbage bag.
KÜHL’s KONSTANCE™ Sun Protection Long Sleeve has a flattering form and u-shaped hem which gives it a more modern look perfect for hiking or everyday wear.
Cons
The only qualms I have with the KONSTANCE™ Long Sleeve are again minor, and could easily be resolved if I had gotten a larger size.
I found that the shirt bunched a bit under the pits, which made it the only part of me that felt the effects of the heat.
The rest of the shirt hung loosely and comfortably, but I could feel the sweat from my underarms getting trapped against my skin.
The other downside was that the bottom of the sleeves was narrow and didn’t have much stretch so it wasn’t easy to roll up past my wrists.
As I mentioned, all of this won’t be an issue with proper sizing, so make sure to size up for a looser and more comfortable fit.
Note
This isn’t a pro or con, but just a bit of detail prospective customers might want to know: the color option in black is actually charcoal in person, as seen in the photos.
KÜHL KONSTANCE™ Sun Protection Shirt Final Rating
9/10.
Despite the minor sizing issues, I really love the quality, design, and feel of the KONSTANCE™ Long Sleeve.
The sun protection benefits, versatile design, and soft fabric can’t be beat.
And even though it’s meant for activewear, I personally have enjoyed wearing it with casual outfits and plan on bringing it with me while I work in Antarctica.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for quality adventure wear that will keep you moving comfortably while staying dry and protected from the sun, give KÜHL’s FREEFLEX™ Shorts and KONSTANCE™ Sun Protection Shirts a chance.
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