
Yep, this is a product review post: some Kuhl active wear, (the shorts pictured above), as well as a Kuhl top and pair of pants, plus an Airbac Journey backpack.
And yes, it's a bit annoying when a blogger devotes a post to a bunch of pictures of herself wearing stuff she got for free and telling you what's good about them and what's not, but on the other hand...
Um, on the other hand....
Well shoot, at some point I'll figure out why it's not as annoying as it sounds.
So, what's the "sneaky"part?
Well, its not the Airbac review, there's nothing sneaky about that. I got an nice email asking if I'd like to test out a new kind of backpack designed to distribute heavy loads more ergonomically using an air bladder, and that sounded interesting, so I said, sure, send it the heck over and I'll lug some heavy sh-t around and see how it does! More on that below.
However, the Kuhl "review" is a different story.
Crabby Could Stand to Look a Bit More Kuhl
Some background: I am not an enthusiastic clothes shopper.
Anyone else? Or do you guys love buying clothes?
I hate going to a mall, hate that most things don't fit me, hate that the men's stuff is so practical but the women's stuff is so pointlessly irritating. I hate the dressing room lighting, the lines, etc, etc.
But one day at REI, I found a pair of Kuhl cargo pants that I loved. The black Splash Roll-ups.
They are incredibly comfortable, and have a TON of pockets and room to stash stuff. Women's pants are notoriously crappy about pockets, but these are awesome.
I was wearing them all the time. Laundry day was proving problematic! I found out that once you know your size via REI you can buy them online, and Kuhl doesn't seem to change the inventory every three minutes and stop carrying your favorite things like most retailers, so if you like something you can buy more without going to the mall, hooray! I was all prepared to do that.
However, in an unusually pro-active move, at least for a lazy blogger like me, I went begging to see if I could score another pair for free to "review" on the blog or even some other additional items.
Heh heh heh heh.
And, in a shocking development, it turns out I love the very same pants that I already loved! Who could have guessed?
Actually, I got a slightly smaller size the second time, since they loosen up a bit if you wear 'em around forever before you wash them, so I have one baggy pair and one that's snugger. They have tons of other pant styles too that look intriguing, and I suspect I'm going to be shelling out my own cash for more soon.
They also carry men's clothes too, which look similarly great, if you are a dude or have one in your life to buy for.
But I hadn't tried Kuhl's tops or shorts yet. Here's the deal on those.
A Rare Endangered Species: Women's Workout Shorts with Functional Pockets!
So these Kuhl Splash 5.5's may not technically be workout shorts, I think they are actually hiking shorts. But they are form-fitting enough not to chafe, partly because I wear them in an inappropriately small size for someone about to turn 53. But whatever.
My dilemma: I like to run, do the elliptical, go biking, hike around, etc with room for a walkman, a phone, a credit card, and a kleenex or two. Not possible with typical "running" shorts with no pockets.
But these rock in terms of what they can carry for a small pair of shorts! They've got two back pockets, two front pockets, and a zippered side pocket.
They have enough room to fit over the liner thing with the padded ass that I use for biking.
And I can play around in the basement gym, all quite comfortably!
Well, except for the exercise part. At least the shorts are comfortable.
Crabby finds a Top a Girl Might Actually Wear!
Yeah, this post is already too long for a digression about how butch my wardrobe tends to be, and why that is, and how come I don't give a crap anymore if anyone objects to that...but the main point here is that Kuhl has tops like the Ivia that are comfy and practical and machine washable and not too foofy, while actually looking... well...
Almost kinda girly!
Look at all that decoration stuff on the side!
An additional awesome feature I discovered is that you can take the shirt in a totally wrinkled state out of a suitcase, feel too lazy to do anything about it but hang it in the closet and frown at it, and lo and behold... by the next morning the wrinkles are gone!
And finally, What Did I Think about The Airbac Journey Backpack?
As mentioned above, Airbacks are constructed with fancy features, like an air bladder, to distribute the weight of a heavy pack in a way less likely to cripple you.
The Journey is one of the bigger, higher end models, and I gotta say, it does an excellent job of holding a lot of heavy stuff in the least miserable way possible.
I did a test comparing it to my smaller daypack:
And it was pretty much no contest when it came to hauling a 40 pound barbell around the room, should you have some weird need to do that. Were I a better blogger I would have taken it on a trip by now, but I didn't, but at least you know if you want to travel with barbells, this is the pack to get! The air bladder did seem to affect the way the weight was distributed and made for a lot less shoulder pressure.
The Journey has wide padded straps that are really comfy, a nice padded pocket for a laptop, water botttle holders, and lots of handy pockets on the outside of the pack and even a couple on the hip belt.
But fortunately, the inside is nice and roomy; they don't mess around dividing it up into dozens of compartments so that the backpack is already filled with dividers before you can even pack anything into it.
The one downside is that because it's got supportive hip and chest straps, and it's big, it's probably better for travel than for just taking your lunch and a sweatshirt in for a quick picnic in the park. If you don't strap in, there's a lot of dangly stuff.
Anyone else find shopping for clothes frustrating? Ever struggled with a backpack not designed to actually haul stuff efficiently?
ahh my life is one big backpack struggle and I have a CLOSET FILLED WITH THE REJECTS to prove it :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, a closet full of backpack rejects, bet you could do something creative/charitable/crazy with 'em if you ever get inspired, Miz!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteLove all the pieces on you (except for the "girly one" - I'm not into girly workout clothes AT ALL). You model them wonderfully with your hot bod', too! :-)
ReplyDeleteI like buying new clothes but I find it tiring. Might have something to do with the fact that I shop about only twice a year and then try on about 25 pieces. Ugh...
Good backpacks are worth the time spent shopping and the money spent!
Shopping once a year sounds about my speed too HSH! Problem is, I never manage to find a year's worth of clothes in any one outing. :( It's an endurance sport to be sure!
DeleteLiking the Kuhl gear, though I think the Ivia might look better in a different colour... As it happens I'm in need of some pants so I may have to check out what's in their range for bloke's!
ReplyDeleteFortunately I already found my perfect sports backpack a couple of years ago - neat, streamlined, well-designed, well made, takes a hydration bladder and the "Freeflow" ventilation system is pure genius. I can say from my occasional flirtations with run-commuting that you can do a sub-hour 10K with a full load of clothes and food and hardly notice you're carrying anything!
Gah! Kindly ignore the apostrophe abuse in "blokes"... I'm really not awake today!
Delete*hangs head in shame"
Ooh, that pack looks pretty great too Shadowduck! I hate the sweaty back thing. And I never contemplated run-commuting but what an awesome concept!
DeleteRun-commuting is great, but I haven't run at all for a while so I don't know if it'll be happening again... It takes a lot of motivation!
DeleteOne of the most "hardcore" fitness days I've ever had was; run 10Km to work, work for twelve hours (on my feet for most of it), run 5Km to jujitsu training, one hour of jujitsu, run 5Km home. I only did that ONCE!
Surely that adds up to a half-marathon? Or more, depending on work. But longer duration.
DeleteMary Anne in Kentucky, admiring from a safe distance.
Including the distance walked at work it was probably a good bit more than half marathon distance, but spreading it over the day makes it a LOT easier. I did the 10K to work and 10K home again thing once a week for a few months when I was running a lot, but I only incorporated the ju-jitsu training one time just to see if I could do it (and for bragging rights, of course!).
DeleteHoly crap Shadowduck, that's a lot of exercise! And I love that you're our eloquent spokesperson on the previous post for not feeling like one has to push limits all the time. Great demonstration that just because you CAN doesn't mean you have to!
DeleteI kind of like those shorts - they would probably look nicer running errands than my standard Nike tempo shorts!! And, I love the "girlie" shirt - looks great on you!!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this brand before - guess I will check them out on my next shopping trip (I love to shop!).
Not surprised you don't mind shopping Kim as you always look great on your blog!
DeleteI have not found my ultimate backpack. I carry a lot and I need the weight to be high on my back but, heaven forbid, nothing may touch my neck. I also need lots of straps to hold the pack close to my body because I hike and I once had a backpack shift take me over a cliff. Luckily tall, dark and unfortunately married was right behind me and he grabbed me!
ReplyDeleteOMG, Cindy, the shifting backpack cliff tumble tall dark handsome rescue adventure sounds like quite a story!
DeleteThose shorts looks amazing, though they don't make them in plus sizes, alas. Someone on Tumblr recently said that the next Doctor Who incarnation should be a woman, and that one of the running jokes would be that she's always having to find someplace to put her sonic screwdriver, like behind her ear, in a bun, down a sock, etc. because women's clothes don't come with useful pockets. I thought that was brilliant!
ReplyDeleteToo funny, Trabb's Boy, about the female Dr. Who looking everywhere trying to stash the screwdriver.
DeleteIt's weird though, because being a capitalist country one would think consumer preferences would make a difference, and I can only assume that if women wanted pockets, we'd have em. Are they considered "unflattering" or something? Could there really be so few of us who want to stash a few items without having to carry a purse around all the time? Sigh.
You look fantastic in the new clothes - don't you just love it when you find something you really love? Very cool that they responded to your request, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shelley, and yeah, I was shocked when they went for it! :)
DeleteI hate shopping. Hate it. And REI is so darn expensive, although at least much of their clothing lasts considering what I put them through.
ReplyDeleteI have those exact Kuhl pants and totally agree with you about them. They are a rare find in the world of women's hiking pants. I often buy men's because I don't know what REI sizes for in their women designs, but definitely not me. The Kuhl pants even shockingly are nice in the rear...a notoriously poorly designed area also in women's hiking pants.
Haven't tried the shorts. I loved the review on the pack as well!
Yeah, QD, I agree REI is pricey and I usually look for sales --in fact, these had been mistakenly put on a sale rack when I first bought 'em or I might not have taken them into the dressing room, but when I did... I loved them and bought them anyway.
DeleteThat's funny that you have the very same pants! I am now a fan for life and can only hope they won't discontinue them before I can stock up for the next few decades.
I buy good-quality workout clothes because they last longer, sure, but also because I don't want to have to shop for them more frequently! As I type this I'm wearing a pair of yoga pants I bought in 2006. :)
ReplyDeleteThe gear looks fab! Good to know of another company that makes comfy, functional clothes.
With pockets!!!!!!
Azusmom, I'm glad I'm not the only one who wears the same clothes year after year if I find something that fits and holds up! Good quality is hard to find.
DeleteOk - you look SO terrific in all this stuff, it makes me WANT to shop!!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny sometimes how - seemingly all of a sudden - something one would normally eschew (girly stuff) actually looks pretty wonderful?
I'm with you on how men's wear typically has all the great practical features, is better made and comes in better color selections. But, once it a while they get it right or the planets align and VOILA! A whole new thing :)
It sure helps, too, that you have sculpted yourself into a lovely, lean shape befitting the clothes. That's right... let's turn the perspective around...The clothes should be worthy of the wearer!
My challenge is that the things I admire on others or seem to gravitate toward aren't always the best look for me. Or - they just don't manufacture for the masses.
Plus - even after I determine what I want that might look good, finding it is a whole different endeavor:(. What ever happened to nicely tailored garments in natural fabrics and flattering colors? Do we all really need to resort to going to a tailor to have appropriate clothes made for ourselves? I just can't afford to do that. This frilly, over-adorned, tacky, often semi-skanky "style" so common on the racks these days drives me nuts. So - THANK YOU for alerting us to some really nice finds that are accessible! :):)
"This frilly, over-adorned, tacky, often semi-skanky "style" so common on the racks these days drives me nuts."
Delete--Drives me nuts too anon!!!!
Workout and outdoor wear is hard enough, but regular clothes are often even worse. I sometimes fantasize about a clothing line of women's wear designed like mens wear-- subtle colors, durable fabrics, nice lines, practical, tailored, yet made to fit women's smaller bodies. You think there'd be at least ONE company that could capitalize on this market!
I don't know where Ellen Degeneres shops; being a celebrity, she probably doesn't. But those are the kinda clothes I'd wear if I could get 'em in a department store without paying a fortune.
If I looked as good as you in shorts, those would be right up my alley. Alas, with my extra junk in the trunk, I like to cover that shit up as much as possible. I have been wearing running skirts and have been so comfortable my times have increased substantially. Love the girlie top, those details are fab.
ReplyDeleteps, I enjoy your (and lobster's) product reviews.
Hey thanks mrsmars, both for the compliments and putting up with product reviews!
DeleteAnd that's so cool that the running skirts work for you, even to the point of increasing your times.
I'm one of those unreformed tomboys who can not fathom wearing a skirt of any sort unless absolutely necessary, but if you don't have my particular phobia, sounds like a great workout wear alternative!
Thanks for the Kuhl's review. I despise shopping for clothes these days, but I was just checking out the Kuhl's Kaya shorts because I have decided that I must have cargo shorts. Unfortunately, the cost will require I land a new client ASAP, but hey, a girl's gotta have something to strive for, right?
ReplyDeleteYeah Cammy, these aren't bargain basement prices alas, but good luck landing a few new clients!!
DeleteI hate hate hate clothes shopping, too. I always have.
ReplyDeleteYay OtF, another gal defying the retail-addicted stereotype!
DeleteI loved looking at all the purdy pictures...you're so cute. ;)
ReplyDeleteJUST before I came to see this posting I was looking at undergarments on a Wal(cough)mart site. I have this loose skin that I am trying to figure out how to control better. Those Kuhl pants look more beddda.
Ok...enough with the weird writing...you don't have to have a give-a-way to entice me to read your blog....you are a pleasure to read with or without bribery. :)
Wait, Sherri, THAT'S weird writing? You gotta see some of the comments I leave especially before i've had my coffee. You aint seen weird yet!
DeleteYour quads are KILLER. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the blue color of the girly shirt suits you very well!
I enjoy shopping at my correct size MUCH more than I did during My Fat Life, but it kind of depends on the circumstance. If I'm just out and I find a few things I like, that's fun. But when I'm under pressure to find a specific thing to wear to, say, a wedding or a holiday or something, I usually end up wanting to rip out all my hair. I like shopping for workout clothes and sneakers a lot. :)
Ack, Norma, I agree, there is nothing worse than forced shopping for a formal event with a time deadline. Practically a guarantee there will be nothing remotely wearable in any store in the state. ((shiver)).
DeleteDear Crabby, your arms look awesome! Your arms look how I wish my arms looked. My arms are not awesome. Maybe by the time I'm 53? I've got 10 years to get there...
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of clothes shopping...in that I do like clothes. The reality is that things don't fit properly, and so much of it these days is polyester or has that annoying plastic stuff sewn into the seams, and having the uber sensitive skin that I have, I can't stand wearing any of it. So I do understand how exciting it is to find something that is exactly what you want! :)
Aww, thanks JavaChick!
DeleteAnd honestly, my arms don't look like that, really--not unless I'm posing strategically and have 97,000 photos to select from after a patient Lobster takes enough that I can find something flattering.
From the sides, unflexed, my arms look normal and undefined. I'm not willing to work out hard enough or get my body fat low enough to have all-purpose arms, so I content myself with posing for photos and pretending that's what I actually look like in the real world!
And we won't even mention the bloated belly strategically cut off in some of the photos... and I wasn't just stretching the ivia top out to inspect the decorations :)
I should probably put disclaimers in all my posed blog photos!
Anyway, good luck finding non-irritating clothes, it's always a struggle!
Ugh Crabby, no reason for a disclaimer. You work hard to look (and feel) as good as you do. It is such an inspiration to see and hear about heathy lifestyles. Regular followers know you have yet to get a big head over your success so enjoy the resulting compliments. It's easy to justify the "reality" vs the intranet world but you have shared some GREAT tips/tricks/habits and the compliments are well deserved. I hope JavaChick is happier with her arms when she is your age - which is 10 years for me as well-
DeleteSorry for the rant, I have been dealing with people lately who are having a difficult time accepting praise for the amazing things they have done and it's frustrating. Too many people want to knock others down so I feel like accepting sincere compliments is important for both the giver and reciver.
Wow, what a thoughtful comment Mrs Mars! I'm with ya on the accepting compliments thing in principle but hmmm, seem to need a bit of work in practice.
DeleteBut, I'm also one to go off ranting about how images we see in the media of women's bodies are not usually reality, and yet they have a huge negative impact on us, so it's a little hypocritical of me to select only the most flattering pictures of myself I can find to put on the blog!
Yet heck, I'm a regular flawed human, so I do it anyway. Thanks for the kind words and the food for thought about compliments!
I haven't gotten any free stuff in a while so sign me up!
ReplyDelete" hate that the men's stuff is so practical but the women's stuff is so pointlessly irritating."
ReplyDeleteAmen. I love their hiking pants...I picked up a few pairs of them before a hiking trip and am hooked. Comfy and pockets! I have trouble finding shorts I like and tend to go for pants that roll up in stead.
I trashed my backpack in Utah and have been looking for another one...I'll check out their air backpacks as a replacement.
You're a kuhl fan too geosomin? Glad to hear it! I always worry once I find a clothing line that I like that if I like it, then not enough other women will. And so they'll start taking off pockets, adding bows and ribbons and sparkles and puffy sleeves or go out of business.
DeleteMy Kuhl shorts and pants have accompanied me up every Adirondack mountain I have climbed so far. I won't wear anything else to hike. Worth every cent.
ReplyDeleteAnother Kuhl kid, yay barkeater! And mountain climbers have extra active-wear cred in my book.
DeleteAnother non-shopper...but I did like all the pics of you in your gear!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kimberley!
Delete" a digression about how butch my wardrobe tends to be, and why that is, and how come I don't give a crap anymore if anyone objects to that." Sounds more like a post than a digression to me. [I need a smily here suggesting that my ears are perked up.^&^]
ReplyDeleteI'm a hardliner. If it doesn't have pockets, I don't buy it. I loathe shopping anyway, so that rule only applies to thrift stores. I don't sew as much as I used to before I discovered thrift stores, because I loathe sewing, too, but at least that way I get what I want at the end of the suffering.
Mary Anne in Kentucky
Don't encourage me Mary Anne, or I might write that butch post! Though I already seem to spend most of my time on the blog nattering on about things unrelated to health and fitness.
DeleteAnd I tend to forget about thrift stores and yet they can be a great source for bargains... and good for you for your no-pockets no-purchase policy!
I must backpedal slightly on that policy--I do not demand pockets on my nightgowns.
DeleteMary Anne in Kentucky
Mass plantings can be handled very quickly
ReplyDeletefrom a tiller. Although you may be tempted, never use metal tools
or kitchen knives to recover scraps.
my web-site ... historia piwa
OK folks, I delete dozens of these a day, and my spam filters catch ten for every one of them that makes it on the blog. But I thought I'd leave this one just so you can appreciate the true weirdness that this blog attracts with the captcha thingy disabled.
DeleteYou're welcome!
I still think the "Night of the Spamming Dentists" comment thread from a while back was great...
DeleteBut now I'm at a loss - if I can't use metal tools or kitchen knives to recover straps, well wh... what SHOULD I use?! Don't leave me in suspense!!!!1111!!1!
Perhaps we're supposed to use dental implements Shadowduck! But now the spamming dentists are being filtered out, so we may never find out for sure.
DeleteThanks for the reviews. The cargo pants have me interested, as I have been looking for a good pair for a while now. Also, great job modeling ... was this a past job? :) Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteOh, and dearest Crabby, I noted the photo above with the bike. Very nice...Kuhl even. :D
ReplyDeleteI just enjoyed looking at all the pics of you having fun & so photogenic!!! YES, that top is girly & looks great on you & I love it!!!
ReplyDeleteI think you hit it good with these items & we got the benefit of seeing all the pics of you! :)
A most entertaining non giveaway... I'll give you that. Those items suit you.. good thing, eh? :)
ReplyDeleteHate shopping but order stuff from Rei online - it just lasts forever.
ReplyDeleteYou can never have enough packs, my wife thinks I have too many already, what's all that about?
I don't think the Airbac will last as long as some of my Kifaru workhorses will but looks good for a casual hiker.
Some nice products here. They look like really good quality but the green top is average!! The cargo pants interest me the most here.
ReplyDeleteI have been reading some of your posts and it’s pretty decent stuff. Very helpful, well written just awesome. Must come back to this blog
ReplyDeletethat's all awesome. I actually like these kinds of posts. There is so much to choose from out there and I love to have the opinions of someone I trust. I do like the idea of that backpack and anything that takes pressure of the shoulders is a big deal to me. It might be good for hiking and traveling with my family (husband and 6 year old). There is just so much stuff that a mom must pull out of her bag at any given moment.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures too. The shirt is purty. and you look great, especially climbing the rocks.
Because of you, I bought these exact same Kuhl pants. Love them!
ReplyDeleteHOLY SHIT YOU'RE 53????? You didn't mean 5'3'' and I misunderstood it as your age? I actually TRIED to continue reading after that sentence but could not focus on anything else. At the moment I am perseverating on it so I'll come back to comment more coherently when I actually absorb the rest of this entry. Without gushing nauseatingly, I'll just say a sedate "you look amazing, I never would have guessed and I'm sorry I didn't do whatever you did to hold on to THAT body".
ReplyDeleteAs for clothes, mall, shopping, all that, (can I decrease the font for this?) the last time I bought clothes they had shoulder pads. I just thought I'd sneak that in so I can participate in some way in that discussion but hoping the details will go unnoticed.Also, love cargo pants with lots of pockets, still wear the ones I got in '82. Sleeveless tops, not on your life (or anyone's live for that matter)
Thanks all for the additional awesome comments! Love reading 'em, even if I tend to get a bit lazy about responding individually after a certain point.
ReplyDeleteStill loving my new clothes and backpack, thanks again airbac and kuhl!
Sort of an irrelevant thought but your comment about women's clothes being pointless reminded me of this: I had a friend who was livid that little girls' clothes had zippers and buttons and ties IN THE BACK, you know, so they'd need help from someone to dress. She always made it a point to buy her granddaughters only items that they could manage themselves.
ReplyDeleteTo me, there is nothing annoying about a blogger getting any and everything s/he can in order to keep a blog active. I get information that is valuable without paying anything, so hell yeah, let the companies support the bloggers. By all means, PLEASE, do product reviews, show off the items on that awesome body and if any of it helps, I consider it a bonus. It's a win for all of us: the readers, the companies and the blogger. Also, since I only read bloggers whose writing style and personality appeals to me, I don't care what the topic of the blog post happens to be. I will enjoy reading about product reviews as much as I do about genealogy, an annoying morning at the DMV or a trip to Moscow.
Super, major, extraordinary pet peeve: companies that cannot leave the freak, well enough alone! I don't give a crap what color my sneakers (most important item among my belongings) happen to be but for god's sakes, leave the models ALONE! I go through about 6 pairs of sneakers a year and it is really hard for me to find a pair that fits just right. I've had my metatarsals broken twice, I blister and bleed and callous and have bouts of plantar fasciitis and bursitis on a regular basis. If I find a pair of sneakers that fits so I don't have any of those problems, I buy ALL I CAN FIND. Yes, I will have 12 pairs of the same sneakers and I start to break in a new pair months before I need them. I don't get why a company cannot keep the MODEL consistent and change the stupid colors and all those other irrelevant details, if they need to keep their product "fresh". K, rant over.
Apropos of absolutely nothing, Shadowduck's comments made me giggle. Finding myself unable to identify my errors until AFTER I click "publish", so yeah, totally endearing !