We continue our reviews of Kuhl gear from the outdoor clothing company based in Salt Lake City, Utah:
This week, we check out the Firekrakr Hoody:
Ah, to have it all: to be thin, warm, and good-looking.
Of course, I’m not talking about people. I’m talking about a winter layer.
We tested Kuhl’s Firekrakr Hoody and learned that tops can have it all.
As with the Stella Full Zip, we’re coming to appreciate that Kuhl designers strive to make utilitarian garments that also flatter. They’ve succeeded again with the Firekrakr.
First, let’s talk about the features that make this a Go-To top when temperatures are nippy, but not too nippy (20-50 degrees):
The Primaloft Gold Active insulation is optimal for movement in the cold. There is the same stretch you’d find in your most comfortable sweater (Does anyone where sweaters anymore?), but with exponentially more warmth.
That same feature also has everything to do with the jacket’s tailored look; the stretch is only when you need it. I particularly appreciated the knit underarm gussets that allow hay tossing and manure shoveling with total freedom of movement. Otherwise, the jacket looks, acts, and feels like a smart city jacket.
Kuhl got the zipper right again. It is attractive and oversized, making it easy to adjust with gloves on.
The feminine cut:
The Firekrakr jacket comes in at the waist and its hem falls at the hip and is slightly higher on the sides than the front and back. Wide vertical stitching runs down the back and compliments the bold, matte finished YKK zipper on the front. The exposed zipper means two things: there is no pleat to get caught in the zipper and it gives the jacket a slightly urban appearance.
The grey stretch fabric easily shed hay and horse hair.
The only quibble I have of the Firekrakr is the available colors (limited to grey and black) and cuffs (a too simple, narrow elastic binding).
Check out our review of the Stella Full Zip
Coming up, we’ll review:
Men’s Lined Burr JacketRecently, Kuhl visited and dedicated gear and support to Heroes and Horses, a Montana non-profit that works with veterans and horses. (Coincidentally, Best Horse Practices Summit host West Taylor is starting mustangs for the organization.)
The filly likes the Firekrakr, too