Thanks for the comment and recommendation, Allan. I’ll look at Ketl Mountain’s stuff.

Hi Vicki,

Definitely one of the lightest sun shirts, like the Himali Eclipse or Outdoor Research Echo. Good luck.

Hi Bill,

I agree with your observations about the pros/cons of a wide-brim hat versus the hoodie. The hoodie is also more packable when you stuff it into a pack than a hat, too. I’ll sometimes bring both, especially someplace with very hot sun, like the High Sierra or the Winds in the peak of summer.

I find the lighter hoodies cooler to wear than a nylon shirt. With a ball cap under the hood, I can pop the hood off at times when I want to cool off and pull it up when needed. Some hoodies shield the side of the face just a bit and mostly cover the face when combined with a ball cap. But they obviously don’t have the coverage of a wide-brim hat.

In cooler conditions, a midweight or warmer hoodie works nicely and you can wear a beanie-style warm hat under the hood for added warmth.

I think some brands are now making light, nylon shirts that just breathe better than earlier generations of those products and the mesh venting may not be very popular with consumers, unless it’s placed so that it’s not very noticeable to the wearer.

Honestly, I virtually always bring a sun hoodie, and I have several so I choose one based on how warm or cool I want it to be. I bring a wide-brim hat much less often but on trips when the sun may be very intense for several hours a day. I don’t think either replaces the other but they can sometimes compliment one another: You may prefer one over the other at different times on a trip.

I hope that gives you a little more perspective. Thanks for the question.

A brim helps reducing the amount of sun on the face. Don’t see that with hoods, unless so big it interferes with side vision. Adding a baseball hat underneath a hoody just makes it hotter. On the other hand, a hoody has much better airflow. I much prefer a hood vs a hat in cold conditions, unless wind becomes an issue. Any suggestions for choosing between the 2 alternatives?

I couldn’t agree more, Matt. I see more and more backpackers, dayhikers, trail runners, skiers, and others wearing sun hoodies for protection for all the reasons you state. I routinely wear them for all of those activities. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

Hi Eliza, fleece would be for much colder temps than the sun shirts reviewed here for summer use but thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks, Kurt. Having used the Outdoor Research Echo and the Himali Riverstone Eclipse Sun Hoodie, which are the two lightest and thinnest sun hoodies in this review, I would say the same of both of them.

The OR echoe Hands down the thinnest and most breathable. Great for hot weather

Yea, it’s a nice one, I’d just be careful about a backpack wearing through that light fabric quickly with a lot of use.

Thanks for that suggestion, Nick. It looks interesting.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with these tops, Timbo.

The unfortunate thing about many of these is that they snag and run too easily. The OR ActiveIce Spectrum titanium grey and navy blue seem to snag and run easier than the fatigue heather for some reason. Also interestingly, the fatigue heather weighs less than the both. I have in all three colors, and the fatigue heather weighs the least, followed by titanium grey, then navy blue. Pretty odd. I would opt for the fatigue heather in any of the OR ActiveIce Spectrum line (hoody, t-shirt, LS) since it weighs less and seems to snag/run less than the navy blue and titanium grey.

Hi and greetings to Germany, Steve. We have friends in Germany.

I have requested but not yet received the new Arc’teryx Cormac Hoodie. I’m eager to try it out and I expect that I’ll review it because it does look good: lightweight, very, breathable, good sun protection. Watch this review for an update.

Thanks.

Grettings from Germany!

Thanks, Evan.

The Echo and ActiveIce Spectrum hoodies are both great pieces. As you read in my reviews, I happened to test both in the Grand Canyon, where the sun and heat get intense. One big difference between them is that the Echo is quite light—the best choice for hot temps but it doesn’t offer much warmth. You could, of course, layer it. The ActiveIce is thick enough to provide some warmth but also remained comfortable as the temp rose and the sun got intense. For the Colorado Rockies, where you’ll likely hit a range of temperatures and have intense alpine sun, I’d lean toward the ActiveIce for its better range.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

cheers!

Hi Brent,

Thanks for the compliment, I’m glad you find my blog helpful. The simple answer is that these sun shirts, like most outdoor apparel, will vary in durability largely proportionate to their weight; heavier fabric often lasts longer.

While I’ve owned and worn these models for varying amounts of time, I’ve generally seen little to no wear and tear on them and I only consider the OR Echo Hoody so light that long-term wear from backpack straps would affect the fabric. But the Echo is really made primarily for high exertion in sunny, hot conditions, like running or dayhiking; and the packs used for those sports are light enough to not likely affect that shirt much. For backpacking, I’d get one of the other models.

Thanks for the question.

Thanks for the reviews and list of sun hoodies. Great resource.

Q? How durable are these sun hoodies in the long term, particularly around the shoulders with a backpack?

They’re all basically the same: None repel insects but their coverage of your torso, arms, and head provide a lot of protection. Arguably, the heavier and thicker sun shirts are better than the lighter, thinner ones.

Thank you.

Thanks for the suggestion. Rayward’s sun hoodie is over 10 ounces, which may be quite warm for being active; it looks more intended for leisure wear sun protection. It’s also nearly 50 percent cotton, which may make it more comfortable, but it would hold sweat.

Hi Nejc,

These reviews and the complete reviews indicate which have some kind of odor control but I can tell you that I’ve used all of them numerous days and through numerous launderings and none have developed an odor yet. In my experience, higher-quality base layers are generally made to resist odor buildup these days.

which of those hoodies has the best odors control?
I have some good experiences with clothes that are treated with Polygiene (Millet t-shirts). It works after a 5 years.
Also, I bought Montane Dart long sleeve t-shirt treated with Polygiene, it worked for a while but after a few washes the Polygiene washed away and shirt stinks after one use.

Thanks and best regards!

Thanks, Baryn. I’ve looked at the sun shirts offered by NRS. I’m not sure which one you’re saying is lighter than a Mountain Hardwear model. I prefer a hoody to keep sun on your head, and the only NRS hoody is the Varial Hoodie, but it’s 12 ounces, much too warm for hiking; it’s described as best for fishing. The NRS Baja Shirt is only slightly lighter, at 11 ounces, too warm for hiking, lacks a hood, and is also probably best for fishing.

If you want a sun shirt for being active, I think any of the models in this review are much better choices.

I hope that’s helpful.

Hey I did Philmont when I was younger it was awesome! I really like my NRS sunshirt and it’s lighter than my mountain hardwear. Also consider short sleeve and sunscreen if you tend to get hot. When I did Philmont the majority of us just used cotton scout shirts and they were fine. Really I’d recommend taking a light short sleeve shirt a hooded sun shirt, and definitely a change of clothes for when you get back after your first shower. Also a nice set of warm tights (, long johns) cause you can use them on cold nights in your bag and use them under your pants too if it gets chilly. Also look into a sleeping bag liner it’s awesome to travel with and keeps your sleeping bag from getting super funky/dirty. Make sure to wear those boots in too (or hiking shoes, I prefer boots) and if you can’t for some reason take some inner thin slippery stocks to keep from blistering. I messed up and took a super high capacity bag so while everyone else in the troop filled up their 45-70 liter bags I was filled up over 90 and I was a little dude .. anyways it went fast besides the pot I mostly had food. Good luck you’ll have a great time if you haven’t already.

Hi Carl,

Well, five of the six reviewed here (all but the OR Echo Hoody) have a UPF rating of 50 or higher, so those all provide good sun protection. For high heat, I think you’d want one of the lighter ones, like the Mountain Hardwear or the Arc’teryx.

Great choice, William. Have fun at Philmont.

Thank you for your advice! I just purchased the Mountain Hardwear Crater
Lake, the Remige hoodie seemed a little warm. Really looking forward to wearing it.

Hi William,

Thanks for writing and your question. I can see the Patagonia being warm for some people in hot temps. You should get one of the lightest-weight sun shirts in my review. The OR Echo Hoody is the lightest but also doesn’t have as high a UPF rating as the others—it’s best for aerobic activity like trail running.

I think you might prefer either the Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long-Sleeve Hoody or Arc’teryx Remige Hoody.

Enjoy Philmont.

The temperatures at Philmont, northern New Mexico, can easily reach above 90 degrees. I recently purchased the Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoodie and found it way too hot. It was extremely comfortable material wise but super hot. I am based on the East coast and used it in 85-degree weather. In the shade it was fine, but in the sun it was unbearable and I couldn’t imagine wearing it in the 90+-degree weather of New Mexico.

Do you have any recommendations for a sun hoody that would provide ample protection for the hot New Mexico sun but still stay cool enough for 90+-degree heat?

Thank you.