Shirts

Featured review by G00se

Outdoor Research’s Echo Hoodie is an ideal alternative to the grease and chemicals of sunscreen. Weighing in at 4 ounces, the Echo Hoodie provides SPF15 sun protection, with material that wicks sweat and keeps you comfortable when the sun is beating down on you. This hoodie and a ball cap completely negated my need to carry sunscreen (and bug spray) over the summer.

The Echo Hoodie became my go-to shirt for all outdoor activities this summer. I hiked in it—a lot. I ran in it. I rappelled into a cave in it. I mowed my yard and took a follow up nap on my deck in it. I even wore it on a winery tour for style and sun protection.  Balk Knob, Shawnee National Forest Rock Island State Park, Tennessee Cumberland Mountains, eastern Tennessee Initial Impressions Right out of the package, I was surprised by how light and thin the hoodie was. The shirt packed down to the size of a softball in my hand and only weighed 4 ounces.  The fit was just right.

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Featured review by Adam Jepson

I've had this fleece since 5th grade. I'm now four years out of college (that's 15 years!) and it hasn't begun to show wear. Just buy one.

For those of you who still want to know more about this fleece after reading the opening summary, it is true...I've had this thing for 15 years and I've worn it in all sorts of weather doing all sorts of activities. Yard work, hiking/camping, wearing it to football games, you name it. This thing has been with me through lots of life — campfires with friends, long hikes for contemplation, a first date with my (at the time) future wife, and it collected all of the shedding hair from the puppy we brought home a few years back.

Read more: Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T Pullover reviews (5)

Featured review by Ashleigh

The Patagonia R1 is the ultimate mountain shirt. It is great as an insulating piece in cold weather and a great stand-alone fleece in cool weather. It can be used for almost any cold weather activity. I personally used it mostly for backpacking and hiking, but I have also seen many climbers wearing R1 Pullovers and hoodies.

The Patagonia R1 is a staple in my backcountry gear. It goes on every trip with me. I love it so much that I bought two! I wear it as a stand-alone fleece from 45-59 degrees. I could wear it while hiking/running at 20-40 degrees. I wear it as a baselayer (under a puffy) when the temperature drops into the 30's. It is a very minimalist piece that has no pockets, hood or adjustablilty, but it only weighs 9.7 oz. If you are interested in a hood, try the R1 Hoody. If you are interested in pockets and would like a little more room, try the R1 Full Zip Jacket.

Read more: Patagonia R1 Pullover reviews (4)

Reviewed by Mary Beth Skylis

The Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie is a terrific outdoor companion to anyone who values high-quality activewear made from natural fibers. The midweight, wool hoodie is great at moderating temperatures and resisting odors, while providing you with an eye-catching, cozy mid-layer. It's also a versatile piece for year-round performance—as a nighttime layer around a summer campfire, as a hiking layer in cool temps, or as part of a system of winter layers.

Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie If I could make every garment I own out of wool, I probably would. I love the material for its sustainability, efficiency, and general comfort. And the Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie is perfectly demonstrative of these points. Available in men's and women's sizes, the hoodie is made from 230 gsm, midweight merino wool, which is an environmentally, biodegradable fiber (although some dyes prevent previously biodegradable fibers from degrading). Plus, it’s one of the coziest garments that I own.

Read more: Showers Pass Basecamp Merino Hoodie review (1)

Reviewed by Jake W

The OR Astroman Sun Hoodie is an extremely lightweight, long sleeve, hooded shirt designed primarily as a sun layer for climbers. However, I believe this shirt has uses far beyond that—biking, exposed peaks, glacial travel, on the water/ paddling, travelling, and as a wind layer. The shirt boasts a UPF rating of 50+, full coverage hood, packs tiny, and weighs in at 6 ounces (no reason to leave it at home!). The thin fabric requires a little extra care around rough rocks, thorns, etc to ensure it lasts.

 *This review is for the Astroman Sun Hoodie (available in men's and women's), however Outdoor Research also makes an Astroman S/S Sun Shirt and an Astroman L/S Sun Shirt, both in men's and women's.*   As you can see the fit is quite boxy, not much tailoring, great for airflow.  FIT/ COMFORT The fit of the Astroman Sun Hoodie definitely airs (pun intended) on the boxy side. There is plenty of room underneath for air movement to keep the user cool. I've worn the hoodie both directly against the skin (it's uber soft) and with a thin merino tee, with a high level of comfort in both.

Read more: Outdoor Research Astroman Sun Hoodie review (1)

Reviewed by Jake W

The Smartwool Merino 150 Pocket Tee is an active wear, base layer made up of 87% merino wool and 13% polyester. The high wool content maximizes one of nature's greatest insulator's ability to regulate temperature, ward off the multi-day stink, and manage moisture, while the polyester content adds durability and comfort. A lightweight wool tee allows for an endless amount of uses—from a thin sun shirt on hot summer days, to an excellent next to skin layer as part of a clothing system in winter. I've worn this from the trail, to the crag, to the pub, to the lake, to chasing the kids around the yard; it is really just that versatile. The fit is a little baggier than I would like, but that one constructive criticism is more than offset by the comfort, function, and versatility of this tee.

  First off, a disclaimer—I am an unabashed wool fan. It's amazing to me that man has made so many "revolutionary" fabrics designed to do, well...exactly what wool does. Mother Nature has shown us the exact fibre to be using for years. Our ancestors knew it, most experts that make a living outdoors know it, walk through the Scottish Highlands/Canadian North/Siberia, and see what their clothes are made off- natural materials.  Wool is, by nature, "scratchy" to some people. It has come a long way from the ragg wool of past, and high quality, low micron wool, like the kind used in this tee, are a lot softer.

Read more: Smartwool Merino 150 Pocket Tee review (1)

Reviewed by Jake W

The Montane Dart Zip-Neck is a long-sleeved synthetic shirt that is an ideal year-round base layer (a short-sleeved tee is also available). It wicks moisture away from the body very quickly, is exceptionally tailored, and protects the skin with a high UPF factor. If you’re looking to start your cold weather kit from skin out, I’d highly recommend it.

Long-sleeve Dart Zip Neck on the left, short-sleeve Dart T-Shirt, also reviewed, on the right FIT AND COMFORT The Dart fits exactly as I would design an active base layer to fit. Slim, without being restrictive, and with a little extra length in the hem. I am 6 foot, 170 lbs and the size large fits perfectly. This is one of the main selling points to me, compared to a cheaper competitor's synthetic shirt. There is no extra baggy fabric around the stomach/chest/arms to bunch up and the extra length keeps it tucked in under a waist belt or harness.

Read more: Montane Dart Zip-Neck review (1)

Reviewed by PhilNC

Patagonia's Capilene Cool Trail Shirt is a great T-shirt for backpacking, hiking, and running in warmer seasons, and even in shoulder seasons for folks with a high metabolism. It is very comfortable, dries quickly, and doesn’t stink after a few days. In addition, this Patagonia Capilene fabric shirt is Fair Trade Certified and meets Bluesign sustainability criteria, and is now on the top of my T-shirt pile for hiking and other activities. The lightweight construction may wear faster than heavier t-shirts, and the trim fit means take care with the sizing.

I like to wear T-shirts most of the year until it really dips consistently below freezing. For me they are a good base layer top for everything but deep winter, as I generate heat really quickly and prefer only my torso to have full layers leaving the arms with less layers for additional venting. The Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Shirt is now one of my go-to's after several months of use. Fit: The Patagonia sizing chart was quite accurate. They call this a "Regular" fit. Their Large size fit me (6'0"/183 cm, 170 lbs/77 kg) perfectly.

Read more: Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Shirt review (1)

Featured review by Andre B

The R1 Hoody is one of Patagonia's iconic fleeces for a reason: Just the right amount of features, and expertly laid out. While the latest version (2021) isn't as warm as previous years, the added length and even better "mini gloves" are just too good to pass up.

What's left to say about this—a clothing article bound to be included on the Mount Rushmore of Patagonia clothing (and perhaps on the entire outdoor industry's Mount Rushmore for that matter)? As it turns out, just a bit more! Patagonia has updated one of their iconic pieces. And, just as they've done throughout the past 10+ years of the R1 Hoody, they've continued making tweaks here-and-there. The basics of any R1 Hoody (now called the R1 Pullover Hoody on Patagonia's site) include the use of Polartec's comfy PowerGrid fleece, a snug-fitting balaclava hood, a deep 1/2 zip front, chest pocket, and thumb loops to keep it all in place.

Read more: Patagonia R1 Pullover Hoody reviews (11)

Reviewed by Andrew F.

A winning fleece layer from Patagonia. It’s light, soft, warm, and wicks moisture well. Despite the fluffy appearance, appears to be very durable. Great outer layer on cooler days, mid-layer for colder situations.

INTRODUCTION Patagonia R1 fleece has been around for a long time. I first wore one twenty years ago. Light to mid-weight, extremely versatile for layering, it’s absolutely no surprise that it has remained, in evolved form, in Patagonia’s lineup. R1 Air Crew   The R1 Air merges the familiar R1 concept with a design idea the company has been using for a number of years, on and off, with its Capilene Air baselayers, formerly known as Merino Air—the yarn is fluffed up, creating more opportunities to wick moisture away and trap air if worn under a shell.

Read more: Patagonia R1 Air Crew review (1)