Running Tops

Recent Running Top Reviews

Banner & Oak Coyote T-shirt

True to size and washes great, the Banner and Oak women's Coyote t-shirt is a great buy! Super soft and lightweight. From time to time I get to review gear in exchange for the product. I was able to review this shirt as a result. I love this shirt for its flattering and comfortable fit. The fabric is a combination of cotton and poly which gives it nice stretch, breathability, and dries quickly. The torso of the shirt is a touch longer than other shirts I've gotten over the years which I like as… Full review

Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody

Great sun protection and versatile base layer. Sun hoodies are becoming increasingly popular so I thought I'd try one out. I like versatile systems and in the past have used baselayers along with an OR Sun Runner Cap which uses a snap-on/off neck cape. That approach has worked fine too. But I found the Alpenglow to be an attractive option (e.g., the attached hood means no fiddling with attaching/detaching the cape or retrieving a hat that blows off during an unexpected gust). The fit is good—not… Full review

REI New Route Henley T-shirt

This merino/nylon blend shirt is the pleasant surprise of the season. Though advertised for casual wear, it is a fine shirt for warm weather hiking.                 A warm spring day in the foothills Being a Merino wool lover, I was looking for a casual henley style shirt for everyday wear. Seeing that it was described as having a "Merino Wool/nylon blend mesh" weave, I thought it might be a comfy shirt in warm weather, so I ordered it up. After wearing it a couple of times, I thought I… Full review

Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail Shirt

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… Full review

Simms BugStopper Hoody

A comfortable, technical hoody that keeps you cool and blocks biting bugs and the sun. I purchased my first Simms Bugstopper Hoody, last spring. Although I bought it specifically for fly fishing, the Bugstopper quickly became my go-to choice for sun and insect protection for all of my outdoor activities. The Bugstopper is a technological marvel of clothing. The polyester fabric is treated with several of the latest in high tech fabric treatments. These include; Insectshield, a process that binds… Full review

Fjallraven Koster Sweater

A fantastic winter warmer that looks great and is made from natural fibres, though it comes with a hefty price tag. I absolutely love this jumper and I wear it for almost everything in the winter months. It oozes "Scandi-cool," which is very on-trend at the moment. Having heard about the presence of micro-fibres from fleece material in the press I am increasingly turning to items of clothing made from natural fibres. The Fjallraven Koster is made from lambswool with G100 reinforcements on the shoulder… Full review

Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Long Sleeve

If you're tired of stiff performance shirts, this shirt is a great soft and lightweight option. The bamboo polyester blend feels more like a cotton shirt than other performance tops I've found. It is so comfortable that I also wear this shirt around the house and to bed (in addition to hiking, biking, and backpacking). I don't do that with other performance tops. I've had two of these shirts for over three years and I love them. They have no bells or whistles (outside of UV protection). They are… Full review

ioMerino Ultra Tee

The Ultra Tee is a comfortable Merino wool T-shirt that’s great for hiking, running and global travel. I’ve been travelling for the last 18 months and the Ultra Tee has been a great shirt for working out on the road. My Usage Having minimal gear with me whilst travelling makes life so much easier. I like to try and stay healthy on the road and exercise regularly so I pack running shorts, my Altra Escalantes, and the Ultra Tee as my workout clothes. I throw on the Ultra Tee every couple of… Full review

Patagonia Sunshade Technical Hoody

Fantastic option for sunny summer days when sunscreen is either not an option or not enough. I had the opportunity to test the Patagonia Sunshade Technical Hoody during the summer of 2018 in Northern New Hampshire. As someone with a tendency to burn during the summer while also running hot when wearing layers, I was eager to see how this shirt would perform and I was not disappointed by the result. Almost every time I went outside to fly fish, hike, bike, or hang out on the water, I ended up pulling… Full review