Howdy, my name is Kevin, and today I’m reviewing the AirKuhl Hoody, by Kuhl based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. I’ve heard of Kuhl and seen them at various gear shops, but never personally owned a piece for myself until now. Full disclosure, this top was given to me by Kuhl, but I’m in no way compensated for this review. I’m simply like many of you, a trail runner who enjoys trying out cool gear that I can get sweat and dirt on. I’ll go over some of my likes, my dislikes, and my overall impression of the gear. So let’s dive right in:

What I like about it:

The premium synthetic fabric is soft to the touch. Even straight out of the packaging I’ve slept in it on multiple occasions before washing it.
With 50 SPF+ and a 5-panel hoody, its primary design intent is to provide plenty of sun protection for long days out on the trail or water. I was worried without a drawstring that the hoody would be too loose, but they were able to incorporate enough spandex where it stayed on my head quite nicely.
It’s also a great semi-technical piece to have when you’re traveling and need to pack light. For women, they have a similar option called the Kuhl Engineered Hoody. I personally like the women’s version more because of the additional kangaroo pouch; to each their own.

 

How the AirKuhl Hoody looks on me.

 

What could be improved:

Boxy/Loose fit: At 5’8″, 135lbs, and built leaner, I tend to like my clothes to be more slim fit/tapered cut. I understand this hoody is ultimately a sun shirt and not designed for aerobic performance, so the fit is really up to the individual consumer and their own liking.
Sweat-wicking: Though the tech fabric is soft, it feels a bit on the thicker side in my opinion. This comes from the perspective of wanting this to be a running long sleeve during the shoulder seasons and winter months. I could absolutely see this as a secondary base layer or thin mid-layer for ski touring, snowshoeing, or hiking in colder months/early mornings, but not something I would workout with year-round.

Who is this shirt for?

Now that I’ve had this shirt for several months, my main use for this hoody is mostly post-run/adventure leisure wear as I go to my favorite local brewery or lounge around the campfire after a long day on the trail. Or perhaps enjoying a paddle board session and spending the long summer days out in the sun, this is a great piece to have.
Final thought: As someone who tries to be more intentional about the amount of gear that accumulates in their closet, I would recommend taking a quick inventory of your own closet and see if you don’t already have a similar equivalent. If not, as always, support your local gear shop first. Thanks for reading. Cheers for now.

 

 

This post may contain affiliate links, for which Northwest Dirt Churners receives a small commission from any sale when clicked from this site. These commissions will provide entry fees for youth runners in Northwest Dirt Churners trail races.