The KÜHL INTERCEPTR jacket is a fleece jacket with clean lines and a trim fit. The fleece is ring-spun, giving it a slightly knitted look with a soft feel. It is at once a signature KÜHL design yet it also exudes a casual warmth.
You should know that I’m a fan of KÜHL’s specialized line of outdoor clothing — it all started a few years ago when I stumbled onto KÜHL RYDR pants. Read KÜHL Review: ‘Once You Go KÜHL, You Never Go Back’ if you want the full story.
While you can find a handful of KÜHL styles in a variety of brick-and-mortar outlets, KÜHL is a fairly small company out of Utah. To get us a closer look at the INTERCEPTR, KÜHL sent us a review unit to check out.
KÜHL INTERCEPTR Review: Surprisingly Soft
The photos on the KÜHL web site don’t quite show off the main feature of the INTERCEPTR — it’s surprisingly soft and thick. It feels more like a sweater than a jacket, but the overall trim and cut is far more jacket than sweater. It’s basically an acrylic, polyester, rayon blend woven in different areas to create a functional jacket you can put to work — or relax in.
It’s great for wearing around town when you want a casual jacket with an outdoor vibe that is not covered in some shiny, maybe even waterproof technical exterior. Let’s put it this way: If you’re wearing a rain jacket in a bar, and you meet a woman who is at least slightly interested in you and your engaging conversation skills, she is far more likely to touch your arm if you’re wearing the KÜHL INTERCEPTR than if you’re wearing some slick waterproof shell. The KÜHL INTERCEPTR vibe is casual comfort in a winter cabin yet it also implies that the wearer is ready to get outside and go.
When you put the KÜHL INTERCEPTR to use, it’s great on cool, not cold days. It’s thick but definitely not windproof. As a synthetic, it doesn’t mop up water like cotton, but it’s not rain proof. As a layer underneath a waterproof or water-resistant shell, it’s pretty great.
KÜHL does a great job of creating a good fit — the armpits stick close to your armpits while the sleeves don’t give you a lot of unnecessary bulk. The articulated sleeves fit well, and the sides are slightly thinner, reducing bulk and enhancing breathability when you’re active. I think the INTERCEPTR fits true-to-size, which is to say it fits a bit trim. (Stick with your usual size unless you’re looking for a lot of torso space.)
All-in-all, the KÜHL INTERCEPTR is more style than outdoor action, yet it does function well as a layer, and the thumbholes help give you a bit extra coverage in the sleeves. One type of cool-weather shirt I wear often are outdoor-focused 1/4-zip polar fleece shirts. The KÜHL INTERCEPTR is a big leap up in style and functionality over a pullover: I imagine the kind of guy who would appreciate the KÜHL INTERCEPTR is the kind of guy who can appreciate the simplicity of a polar fleece shirt or jacket . . . yet wants to amp it up every now and then with a bit more style. If that sounds like you, check out the KÜHL INTERCEPTR.
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