Mens Travel Clothing: KÜHL Resistor Lite Chino Short

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KÜHL’s RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT combines feather-light comfort, serious durability, and everyday travel styling. With UPF 50+, a PFC-free water-resistant finish, and seven thoughtfully placed pockets, this short is built for hot weather trips, city walking days, and trail detours—all without feeling bulky in a carry-on.

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KÜHL Clothing Review: (Jump To)

• Overall Review

• Weather Resistant

• Easy To Pack

• Breathability and Comfort

• Pockets and Storage

• Material and Construction

• Fit and Sizing

• Care and Durability

• Final Thought

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Overall Review:

The RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT hits the sweet spot between performance and a clean chino look. It wears like a lightweight golf short, moves like a trail piece, and still looks dialed in for cafes, quick dinners, and travel days. The fabric feels soft out of the box yet has the high abrasion resistance you want when your itinerary includes everything from museum steps to a gravel trail with an epic viewpoint. Price at publish: $99.

Weather Resistant:

Summer travel often means surprise drizzle, boat spray, or sweaty train platforms. The short’s fluorine-free water-repellent finish helps moisture bead up and roll off instead of soaking in. It won’t replace a dedicated rain jacket, but for light rain, dewy benches, or accidental splashes, it dries fast and avoids that clingy, damp feel. That quick shed matters when you’re bouncing between outdoor sightseeing and indoor attractions without time to change.

Easy to Pack:

At 176 GSM (grams per square meter—a measure of fabric weight), the RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT is firmly in the lightweight camp: they fold flat, pack small, and don’t hog space in a carry-on. I can roll one pair into a compact bundle and still fit a second without crowding out other essentials. They come out of the bag looking presentable after a quick shake, and if you sink-wash on the road, they’ll dry overnight on a hanger with a small travel fan or decent air circulation.

Breathability and Comfort:

Hot, humid days are where this short earns its keep. The fabric is highly breathable, and the stretch with rebound means you can climb stairs, kneel for photos, or hop on a bike without fighting the waistband or cuffs. The interior hand feel lands closer to cotton than tech nylon, so it never reads “gym short” in photos. UPF 50+ protection is a real perk for long sun hours on walking tours or ferry decks.

Pockets and Storage:

There are seven total pockets in the RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT, including two low-profile drop-in phone pockets. The phone sleeves sit along the thigh so your device stays put while walking or sitting, and it doesn’t swing or jab your hip on curbs or bus seats. Front hand pockets are cut deep enough for a wallet or small notebook, and back pockets keep a slim profile so you don’t look overloaded. It’s practical storage without the cargo-short silhouette.

Material and Construction:

The fabric blend (cotton/nylon/spandex) pairs a soft hand with high tear strength and abrasion resistance. Stitching is tidy and consistent with KÜHL’s trail-meets-town approach—clean lines, reinforced stress points, and a modern chino shape. The stretch rebounds well after long sits on trains or planes, so the short holds its form instead of stretching out.

Fit and Sizing

RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT sizes run from 28 to 42 with three inseam choices: 8, 10, and 12 inches. Pick the 8-inch inseam for above-knee mobility, the 10-inch for a classic everyday length, or the 12-inch for added coverage on bikes or hikes. The cut reads as a true chino fit—trim without being tight—so your usual waist size is the right place to start. If you prefer more room through the thigh for trail days, consider the longer inseam to keep coverage when moving.

Care and Durability

This is easy care travel gear: machine wash cold on a delicate cycle, tumble dry low, no bleach, and low-temp iron with no steam. The fabric sheds dust and dries quickly, so it’s simple to refresh between wearings on longer trips. The combination of high abrasion resistance and strong tear performance means it can handle stone steps, bus benches, and day hikes without fuzzing up or thinning out.

Final Thoughts:

If you want one short that covers city touring, casual dinners, and a quick hike, the RESISTOR LITE CHINO SHORT belongs in your bag. It looks like a classic chino, breathes like a performance piece, and the pocket layout is smart for travel days when you don’t want to carry a sling. Water resistance, UPF 50+, and real stretch add up to a summer travel workhorse that won’t feel out of place on camera or in a nicer cafe. Resistance might be futile; leaving these out of your packing list kind of is too.

Note:

We sometimes receive sample products from brands for testing with no promise of a positive review or additional payment. Opinions are our own, and we only recommend items we’d pack and wear on real trips.

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