We were recently sent some Men’s and Women’s Kuhl Hiking Shorts to review and decided to bring them on our most recent travel adventures to test out!
Disclosure: We received these Kuhl Hiking Shorts for free, but were not paid for this review. All opinions here are completely our own and an honest review of our experience with these shorts. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase something after clicking one of these links, we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
An Honest Review of KÜHL Hiking Shorts
About Kuhl
Kuhl is a privately owned and independent company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. They have been around since 1983, when they began as Alfwear, and then trademarked and introduced the name Kuhl in 1994. Kuhl is a German word that literally means “cool”.
Kuhl makes premium performance clothing for men, women and kids.
Men’s Kuhl Hiking Shorts
Kuhl offers a variety of men’s hiking shorts in different lengths, colors and styles, from cargo styles to more lightweight breathable styles. I decided to test out the Men’s Resistor Lite Chino Short in Khaki as it sounded like the perfect pair for our upcoming warm weather adventure.
Men’s Resistor Lite Chino Short
From Kuhl: Designed to feel weightless, the KÜHL RESISTOR™ LITE CHINO Short is ideal for the dog days of summer. Soft, breathable, and equipped with unmatched stretch and rebound, you’ll experience superior mobility with every step. Classic chino style with durable, on-trail performance. Resistance is futile.
Material
As soon as I opened the package, the first thing I noticed was how lightweight and breathable these shorts felt. The fabric was very soft and felt like high quality. The shorts were light and easy to pack into my carry-on for our hot weather adventure to the Middle East.
I wore these shorts hiking in the deserts of Dubai and Oman, and exploring the pyramids in Egypt, and the lightweight material kept me cool and comfortable the entire time.
Design
I love that these shorts come with a total of seven pockets, but they aren’t super obvious. They easily fit my cell phone and wallet. The only thing missing that I wish they had was a zippered pocket.
Another thing I love about the design of these Kuhl hiking shorts is that they don’t necessarily look like hiking shorts, so I can wear them for casual outings as well, not just for hiking.
Comfort
For me, the major draw of these shorts is how stretchy they are. Hiking and climbing in these Kuhl shorts is very comfortable because of the stretchy, weightless fabric. I didn’t feel limited in my movements at all.
The lightweight material performed very well in hot weather. It didn’t feel hot and heavy to wear in 35+ degree weather.
Sizing
The Men’s Resistor Lite Chino shorts come in sizes 28-42 and an inseam of 8, 10 or 12. I ordered my typical pant size and they fit perfectly so I’d say they fit true to size.
I chose the 8 inseam, but honestly they were a bit shorter than I’m used to, so next time I will go with the 10 inseam.
Women’s Kuhl Hiking Shorts
Kuhl of course also makes a variety of hiking shorts for women, again in varying lengths, styles and colors. Louise decided to test out the Women’s Freeflex Short in Black with a 4 inseam. Below is her honest review of Kuhl women’s hiking shorts.
Women’s Freeflex Short
From Kuhl: Luxuriously soft and ultra-comfortable, the KÜHL FREEFLEX™ Women’s Shorts are equipped with impressive stretch and rebound so they maintain their form over time. These lightweight, moisture-managing, and quick-drying shorts will quickly become your go-to for everyday comfort. Maximum sun protection (UPF 50+).
Material
The material of these shorts is very soft and lightweight, yet still feels very durable. I don’t worry that they would get easily snagged while hiking. I love that the material is quick-drying because I tend to sweat a lot and these really help manage the moisture, as described. The sun protection is an added bonus!
I also love that the material does not stretch out and get baggy after use. It has excellent rebound, as described!
Design
I am very picky with my clothes and am typically more of a fashion over function type of person lol. My style is very important to me and I usually can’t find hiking shorts that I consider fashionable. I was happy to see that these Kuhl Freeflex hiking shorts come in a stylish short 4 inch inseam with a minimalistic design so I had to try them out.
To be honest, these Kuhl hiking shorts are my first proper pair of hiking shorts. I normally hike in my Nike capri pants or Lululemon bike shorts, but let me tell you, proper hiking shorts really make a difference! The fact that these shorts fit properly in all the right places, don’t restrict movement, and are super breathable makes all the difference.
These Freeflex shorts also come with two zippered pockets which is a big plus for me. I always worry about things falling out of my pockets while hiking and climbing, so being able to secure my small items in a zippered pocket is very important.
Comfort
The stretchy and breathable fabric of the Freeflex shorts is absolutely perfect for hiking. I don’t feel restricted at all when trying to climb up rocks etc. The lightweight fabric also keeps me feeling cool and not weighed down.
I love how these hiking shorts fit perfectly on my waist and I don’t constantly need to pull them up. My thighs tend to sweat a lot when I hike so I love that these are breathable and not tight on my thighs.
Sizing
These Kuhl Women’s Freeflex Shorts come in sizes XS-XL with either a 4 or 8 inseam. I found they fit true to size. I normally wear a size 2 or 4 and ordered the XS and they fit perfectly. As mentioned above, I chose the 4 inseam and they were the perfect length and very flattering.
Kuhl Hiking Shorts Verdict
After traveling and hiking in these Kuhl hiking shorts, we now understand the difference a high quality hiking short makes! We definitely recommend both the men’s and women’s Kuhl hiking shorts if you are in the market for a high quality, durable and comfortable hiking short.
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