Kuhl Freeflex 10" Cargo - Women's Review

With a 10-inch inseam, these shorts are one of the longest in the bunch. Regardless of length, the fabric is light, weighing in at 8 ounces, and is made with KUHL's own 100% FREEFLEX polyester. While 8 ounces isn't in the realm of being ultralight, we've certainly tested heavier pairs and would rate these as effectively lightweight. This model is made with six pockets, of which 4 have metal snap closures. The waistband is a standard zipper fly with metal button closure and has an internal drawstring plus belt loops. The design is classic for the category but comes with a twist, incorporating tech fabric and an updated overall style.

Performance Comparison

This model performs well in two metrics and fairly average in the other two, with comfort, drying time, style, and versatility being the top qualities. This model is outshined by other competitors in durability, pocket accessibility, and general breathability.

Comfort and Mobility

Overall comfort is one of the major pluses of the Kuhl Freeflex 10" Cargo shorts. The fabric provides enough stretch to facilitate more than adequate mobility, including high-stepping and squatting. However, our testers noted one feels the fabric needs to stretch from its close-to-the-skin position, which contrasts notably with other pairs that feel even freer and received top scores for mobility due to their looser fabric and wider leg openings. But all-day wear around town or on hikes is the Freeflex Cargo's strong suit. Its waistband has some stretch to it, matching the give in the rest of the design. This is much appreciated by anyone who needs a little extra space to slide the relatively slim-fitting garment over the hips. We found the sizing to run true to size, and we measured the leg opening circumference to be 22 inches, which is a bit on the slimmer side.

For this metric, we also consider pocket accessibility and how their use may or may not impact the fit of the shorts and the wearer's experience. Unfortunately, we found the Kuhl Freeflex 10" Cargo shorts came up short here. Our testers discovered it was somewhat difficult to squeeze their hands into the front hand pockets once worn since the entire design of these shorts is rather form-fitting, and the pockets sit a bit too close to the body. This made them far less easily accessible or as functional compared with what we saw on competitor pairs. While there is stretch within the material itself, the cut of the shorts is less flexible and forgiving. So, although pocket access isn't impossible, it is a bit of a frustration to have it be this difficult. There just isn't enough room to utilize them as intended. This includes holding our tester's phone, which did not fully fit into any of the options. We would have loved to see the snap-closure cargo pockets sized deep enough to hold a modern-day Smartphone, as this seems like the perfect use for such a feature. But in testing, the pocket was not accommodating unless you really want to force things and then deal with an uncomfortable fit (especially when high-stepping) as a result. This is a huge bummer for us, just as we are sure it will be for others. Most of us require the option to carry a phone somewhere in our pants pockets while in motion.

Fabric Performance

Among the strengths of this model is the relatively quick drying time of the material during our testing. In testing, we soaked 4 inches of one leg and timed how long it took to completely saturate the fabric. KUHL doesn't explicitly state that this pair has been treated by a DWR (durable water repellant), but we did notice that there was some resistance to absorption, likely an inherent design feature of the Freeflex material. It took about 1 minute and 45 seconds to fully saturate, which is not an uncommon length of time, and it landed these Kuhl shorts squarely in the middle of the pack across the board. In contrast, when it came time to air dry, the Freeflex 10" Cargo shorts took 34 minutes to feel dry to the touch. Most other models took much longer, with just a few drying more quickly.

Another feature of this fabric is its UPF 50+ sun protection rating. This means that out of all the available UV radiation that exists when spending time outside, less than 2% is able to penetrate through the fabric. Pretty cool, right? But when we step back and compare this fabric to the rest of the group, it isn't as breathable or quite as high-performing as the top-rated options, even if it's still above average overall. We note that the pockets lack a mesh lining, which would help with venting. It is a design choice incorporated into other options and something we would have liked to have seen here for temperature control and airflow. This doesn't mean the fabric fails to meet our needs, however, because that would be far from the truth.

Versatility and Style

This is a metric where the KUHL Freeflex Cargo shines. When considering our lineup in total and assessing each pair of shorts for its appeal for in-town wear, especially when coming straight off a hike, this model tops the list. If you have a casual lunch date or don't want to bother changing your attire when you need to pop into town after a hike, we feel the slender look of this model will fit right in. Easily paired with a nice blouse, your friends might even be surprised to discover such stylish shorts are technically designed for hiking. Our testers also really loved the color we recently tested, slate grey, which they found easy to dress up or down and transitioned seamlessly between activities. Kuhl offers several other earthy colorways, each of which could make an easy addition to a summer wardrobe.

Because of the relative stretch and sportiness of this design, their potential for use expands well beyond hiking. Casual bike commuting, easy scrambling, and light stretching are all activities that would suit the 10" Freeflex Cargo shorts, in addition to afternoons in town. While technical enough for more strenuous hikes, we recognize there are more athletic designs out there. Yet, because of the inseam length, these are among the few options that are likely to be useful as the seasons start to change and temperatures drop. The 10" design is as perfect for early-morning summer ventures as it is for midday romps in the fall (assuming you're not yet buried in early snow). However, we should note that their care instructions require washing on a delicate cycle for the best results. More often than not, hiking shorts in our lineup simply require being washed on cold and then tumbled dry at low temperatures. So, the special care required of the Freeflex Cargo shorts diminishes their versatility in our eyes, as many users will prefer options they can just throw in with the rest of the wash without taking any special precautions.

Construction Quality

Our assessment of build quality in the KUHL Freeflex breaks down into three main considerations: a visual and tactile evaluation of all key features, a measurement of the stitching — counting how many loops exist per inch along a seam — and finally, how well the fabric holds up against a paperclip during our snag test. As critiqued above in our discussion of comfort, the pockets in these cargo shorts are not as accessible or functional as what we find in other pairs that come with extra deep pockets. This is a detriment to their use. Metal snaps on these pockets are an integral feature of their styling, making them unique and more like a pair of fashion shorts than hiking shorts. Yet such details can also be interpreted as unnecessary since they add weight and bulk when one's objective in hiking is generally to lighten the load. Then again, these snaps are easy to use, and the pockets themselves have a feminine cut and overall design.

To assess strength in construction, we also measured one-inch segments of stitching loops in the seam on various places of the shorts, making sure to consider the waistband, hemline, pocket stitching, and more. We found 8-13 stitches per inch on the Kuhl Freeflex Cargo shorts, depending on the section of seam we were evaluating. The sections with only eight stitches come in toward the very bottom of the spectrum of stitching for all pairs in the lineup. After evaluating all pairs for this component in construction, we found ten stitches to be both the average and the sweet spot for strength. This became our threshold for assessing which shorts were of good quality in that regard. However, some sections of the Freeflex Cargo stood out with high marks, utilizing 13 stitches per inch. The spread in stitching is quite large, meaning some sections are notably sturdier and better reinforced than others. There is only one other pair in our current lineup that has a similar range. In both cases, we docked their score a bit in recognition that there are vulnerabilities that may lead to separation or fraying along seams with use. For the rest of the group, we found typically only a difference of 2-3 stitches per inch and, generally speaking, a minimum stitch count of 10 or above. Thus, this model is a tad underwhelming.

Our final test involved running a paperclip along sections of the body material to see what the results might be in the event of a snag along tree branches or other obstacles one will face when out on the trail. The results on these Kuhl shorts were faint markings showing where the scratching had occurred across the surface and tiny snags in the fabric. Although nothing significant, the performance was nothing impressive. Between the stitch count, snag test, and our general assessment of included features, the Kuhl Freeflex Cargo shorts came in with a rather average score for this metric across the board.

Should You Buy the KUHL Freeflex Cargo?

If you're used to shopping for fashion purposes or high-tech athletic gear, then the high price of these shorts (among the highest of our entire lineup) shouldn't surprise you. Thankfully, what we've seen over our years of testing is that the top performers do not always sell at the highest prices. Yet sometimes, there is value in spending a bit more, especially if you have a specific need or performance trait you are shopping for. In this case, if you're willing to pay a little more money to add a streamlined, trail-to-town-ready option with easy-to-style good looks to your closet, we think the price won't be a deterrent. The Kuhl Freeflex 10" Cargo shorts strike an excellent balance between high-tech performance and style — by far the most fashionable of all the cargo designs we've recently tested. While a bit expensive, you're getting excellent comfort and fair mobility wrapped up in an attractive, versatile design.

What Other Hiking Shorts Should You Consider?