KUHL Shift Amphibia Short Review

Travis GneitingApparel, Reviews

KUHL offers a wide variety of summer clothing including shorts and shirts that are great for outdoor recreation. The Amphibia short is one that we have recently been trying out. It’s a soft stretchy shorts that is great for wear around town or a quick dip in the pool. Keep reading to see why it’s become one of our favorite shorts this summer.

The Shift Amphibia Short has quickly become my favorite short of the summer. Its dual-purpose short and swimming trunks make it ideal for trail or everyday use. The quality and material of the shorts are something I’ve come to expect from KUHL and was not let down by the comfort and fit as well as the thought that went into the Shift Amphibia short.

One issue I’ve had in the past with traditional rear pockets in soft fabric shorts is the pocket gap. It feels like anything placed in the rear pocket would easily fall out. I also don’t like the look of a back pocket hanging open. KUHL has the Industry first pocket that stays level and flat called EQUALIZR. I don’t know how it works but it does. The pocket lays flat, and stays closed for a clean looking backside.

Designed to get wet

The KUHL Shift Amphibia as the name hints makes a great in and out of water short. The pockets have drain holes and the FreeRyde waistband keeps the shorts up even when they are wet. They drain and dry quickly because of the Nylon, Polyester and Spandex blend.

The FreeRyde waistband has an internal draw cord. They are elastic and stay tied when wet, what more could you ask for?

KUHL calls the side pocket a stealth cell phone pocket. I have a large cell phone and it’s a bit snug, I prefer to use the waist pocket. However, I like the style and functionality of the additional pocket on the side.

KUHL Shift Amphibia Construction

The shorts are made from 54% Nylon, 41% Polyester, 5% Spandex. Most seams are double stitched, with the bottom hem single stitched. The fabric blend and fit of the shorts are really what stands out to me most. The options KUHL offers are really something I’m not used to with other brands. Just the Amphibia short comes in 5 colors, 11 waist sizes, and 3 inseams. I am 5’10” and weigh about 165 lbs, I’m wearing a size 32 with a 10-inch inseam and they fit me exactly the way I like.

I paired the KUHL Amfib short with the KUHL Outsidr T (shirt) size Medium. Much like the shorts, the shirt fits just the way I like it. The Outsidr is an organic cotton T with a silk screen graphic on the back.

The T shirt has a bottom hem that allows it to stay down and it’s slightly longer cut.

Conclusion

KUHL has a number of different shorts from extremely durable for your next multi-day backpacking trip to many like the Amphibia short that is great for wearing around town or in the water and really comfortable to lounge in. The quality and materials used by KUHL stand out as premium clothing and I would recommend these shorts to anyone looking for a comfortable, stretchy short that can transition from the streets to bike to pool all in the same day.