This October I’ll be heading to the Adventure Travel World Summit in Puerto Natales in Chile, attending as invited media. Before we sit around in conference rooms, however, I’ll be spending a week on Patagonia adventures near Torres del Paine and several lakes. So I’ll be taking a checked bag packed with plenty of Kuhl outdoor clothing.
Kuhl Clothing, technically spelled as Kühl or KÜHL, is a familiar brand to anyone living in the Rocky Mountains regions of the USA. Look around and you’ll see their bottoms, tops, and jackets at ski resorts, fishing lodges, and on outdoor trails. They started out making shorts for rock climbers so they’re still a part of that market too.
The company was founded in the early 1990s and is still independent, which is rare in these times when founders often take the big payout from a huge conglomerate and then see their brand get neutered (like ExOfficio) or removed from the market entirely (like Nau and Cushe).
It’s a brand that puts quality workmanship higher on the priority list than finding ways to cut corners. Most of their items incorporate top-quality fabrics and zippers, reinforced stitching at stress points, and tk. You can pack an outfit from Kuhl on your next 20 adventure tours and the clothes will still be ready to use again. In these days of fast fashion and throwaway outfits, that’s a breath of fresh mountain air.
Here’s what I’ve been trying out for Kuhl outdoor clothing in trips on several continents already. I’ll be adding South America to that list soon, walking on glaciers and mountain trails.
Adventure Clothing Options for the Mountains
I’m going to be trekking in Patagonia in a few months, this time on the Chile side instead of the Argentina side, but I know from experience that I’m going to need layers that can adapt to multiple weather situations. One predictable thing about the weather there is that it’s always going to be unpredictable. It’s usually windy, the sun is hit and miss, and a rainstorm can come out of nowhere.
So I’ll be packing some kind of real winter coat, but I’ll need something lighter for when that’s overkill. So this Kuhl Stretch Voyagr Jacket I’ve taken on a few previous trips, including a biking jaunt in Italy, will make the cut. The packing tag that came with it said “The raincoat you’ll wear even when it’s not raining” and I think I have had it on more as a light jacket than a raincoat. I’ve been back in my home base in central Mexico the past few weeks though, during a wet rainy season, and I’ve been glad I had this hooded jacket with me during a few downpours.
I’ve got two pairs of Kuhl pants I like a lot and I’ll be taking both. When I’m walking around town and not doing heavy activities, I’ll wear my Resistor Chino pants that look nice enough for a restaurant or meeting, but have some stretch for long city walks and a zippered pocket on the back that keeps the wallet secure. They feel soft but are water-resistant and abrasion-resistant: versatile tough pants that still look like regular chinos.
For the hiking and other activities, I’ll put on the Free Radikyl pants that are lightweight, with a stretch waistband and stretch panels in the right places. These technical pants have enough room in the legs that I can wear a base layer under them if needed but they’re made of extremely tough fabric that will shed the elements. There’s double-stitching along every seam and pocket, so my body will probably fall apart before these pants do. There’s also an extra side pocket for a knife or compass.
You can see plenty of other pants choices on their site, for men and women, from hard-core to casual to ones meant for yoga/exercise. There’s a wide variety of shirts for all seasons as well.
Kuhl Outdoor Clothing for Cool Climates
As I mentioned earlier, Kuhl was founded and is located in the Rockies and many of their biggest fans live in or near the mountains. So the brand has a lot to offer for warding off the cold, from base layers to long-sleeve shirts to coats.
One item I love that I’ll be packing for Chile is this Team Merino Quarter Zip sweatshirt. It’s warm and cozy and since it’s made primarily from merino wool, I won’t have to be in any rush to get it washed.
The same goes for this dressier AeroKnit Merino Button Down pictured at the top that will work well for sitting out on a lodge deck but also for meetings I’ll be attending after the adventures are done. This nicely fitting shirt with metal buttons has become one of my favorite pieces of cool-weather clothing and after months of travel with it, the soft shirt still looks new.
I don’t have any heavy-duty coats from Kuhl because I’m sitting on enough of them to last forever: my two home bases when I’m not traveling are Mexico and Florida, so I only end up wearing more than a light jacket once or twice a year. This company has an enticing array of attractive coats I’d be happy wearing though, whether on the ski slopes or walking around trendy Park City near their home base. See the winter coats options for men or coats and jackets for women at those links.
Shorts and Short-sleeve Shirts
I’ll be layering up in Patagonia in October, but as I write this it’s shorts and sun weather in much of the world, so I’ve been wearing summer Kuhl clothing instead. That means some shorts that will work for any situations, a sun hoody that was my top of choice while exploring California last month, and a nice short-sleeve shirt that kept me looking good at restaurants while traveling.
The problem with buying shorts from this company is that there are a lot of them to choose from. As in 22 versions at the time I’m writing this, all available in different colors. Some are available in different inseams too, which I really appreciate because I hate long shorts that come down to my kneecap. I’m not sure who started that trend, but please stop!
I’ve been wearing two styles. All summer my go-to ones have been the Dissipatr Air Short version, a drawstring pair with an elastic band. I usually wear an untucked shirt unless I’m going out somewhere nice, so I like the fact that this is one less bottom I need a belt for. These are super lightweight and easy to pack but there’s nothing wimpy about them: you still get double-stitching around seams, tough fabric that dries quickly, and a zippered back pocket. There’s also a drop-in side pocket for a cell phone or glasses and the mesh pockets help my legs stay cool. They come in five colors.
The other pair that I got more recently is the Suppressor Short, a similar drawstring style that has one back zippered pocket, two front ones and two side pockets. It comes in five colors and three inseam choices, one of them thankfully being six inches so they’re not on the verge of looking like capri pants.
I’ve really liked wearing the Engineered Hoody so I could avoid slathering on so much sunscreen when outdoors for a while. It provides better sun protection than a cream and it’s soft and comfy on the body. This is going to be a packing staple anytime I’m headed somewhere sunny for hiking or lounging by the pool.
The nice shirt I was talking about is the Persuadr, a short-sleeve patterned shirt that comes in 10 patterns and colors. It’s got UPF 50 sun protection, odor protection, and tk, but it dries quickly and stays wrinkle-free after a sink wash, making it a great one for travel.
See all men’s short-sleeve shirts here.
This is just a small sampling of Kuhl adventure clothing you can pick up for your travels and if you’re seeing this a year or two later, some new styles might have replaced these. One thing I like about this company though is they tend to stick with what’s working and keep the same staples available for years. So if you loved a certain pair of pants and want to get another in a different color, it’s not the case like you see with some brands where they feel compelled to put out a whole new catalog each year, replacing the old items that everyone loved.
See more at the official website or find them where you live at quality outdoor clothing and gear shops.
