Voormi Men's River Run Hoodie

A super-comfortable and versatile Merino blend hooded shirt, excels as a sun or wind shirt. This is the first time I’ve really tried a long-sleeved sun protective shirt, and I was pleasantly surprised how comfortable it is in warm conditions. Though it is marketed as a sun shirt, it is much more than that.

Having read several super positive reviews about this hoodie, I wanted to give it a try, but was put-off a little bit by the price tag. But having recently moved to the Sierra foothills, where it is generally colder than the central valley, I went for it anyway, and was not disappointed. 

Fit and Comfort: I would consider the fit to be on the "athletic" side. I wasn’t quite sure whether to order the XL or the XXL. While I usually fit XL in most shirts, occasionally they can be a little tight (Icebreaker shirts are a good example of this. I always have to get XXL with them). I ended up ordering the XL, and it fits just right... close enough for good moisture transfer, but relaxed enough to not feel constricted. The shoulders and sleeves have plenty of give in them when using poles in steep terrain, and my movement never felt constricted.

Voormi calls the merino/polyester blended fabric “DUAL SURFACE™ UL Precision Blended Wool,” which puts a layer of polyester (43%) against your skin, and transfer moisture to the outer layer of merino (57%). At 100 g/m, the silky fabric is incredibly light and airy, and one of the most comfortable shirts I’ve ever put on. When I first got it, I found myself looking for excuses to wear it!

The hood fits comfortably, giving good coverage even to my big head, and in fact may be just a little too roomy. But, I found I could even wear it over a cycling helmet, and never felt tight. I would think it would fit equally well over a climbing helmet.

My body type is long waist and short legs, so my only complaint is that the hem could be a little longer.

The only fit thing which I’m not quite sure about are the “integrated“ thumb loops. Other similar tops I own have a reinforced hole in the fabric itself. The River Run has an independent piece of stretchy trim stitched to the end of the sleeve. I find that it occasionally rubs against my hand when using poles or on a bike, and can be a little uncomfortable over time.

Adjustability: The River Run hoodie has no adjustability of any kind. Occasionally, I find myself wanting to zip the neck open a little bit, but that’s a very minor issue.

Breathability/Temperature regulation: The lightweight merino/polyester blend is super breathable. I tend to get VERY warm when I hike or bike, and can work up a good sweat pretty quickly. I found that the hoodie really kept me dry, even in the warmest conditions.

In the past, I’ve tried hiking in long-sleeved tops on sunny Sierra days. I’ve always found that  I can overheat pretty quickly, so I’ve always gravitated towards short-sleeved shirts and lathered up the sunscreen. This is the first long-sleeved top I’ve been able to use in warm and sunny conditions, without feeling like I’m getting broiled.

I’ve also used the River Run Hoodie for warmth on chilly mornings walking the trails near my Sierra foothill home. It has just the right amount of warmth, without feeling like I’m wearing a heavy top, and I‘ve also found it useful as an outer layer over a shirt on cool morning commutes.

Layering: As I mentioned above, I‘ve found the River Run Hoodie useful as a light outer-layer on cool foothill mornings. 

The wispy thin fabric layers nicely under my Arc'teryx Squamish Hoody when the wind kicks in, and also works very well under a rain shell. On a backcountry snowshoe day near Lake Tahoe, I found it to be just right under a light shell, in varying conditions from sunny to overcast.

Construction & Durability: The River Run Hoodie is made in the USA with wool from Rocky Mountain sheep, and the workmanship is impeccable. After ten months of use, there is hardly a loose thread or point of wear anywhere. Despite its silky light weight, the fabric has held up really well so far, and it feels like it will give me many years of service. 

This shirt is machine washable (cold water/delicate cycle). Voormi recommends hang drying, but also says that it can be thrown into the dryer at low temperature if needed.

Versatility: This shirt works well in so many ways. A great base layer in a variety of conditions. Also a light outer layer over a base layer shirt. At the end of a recent hike, I replaced a sweaty t-shirt with this for my usual post hike winery stop, and it was perfect.

Conclusion: While I was having a bit of sticker shock initially, I have found that the usefulness and versatility of this hoodie is worth the dollars. 

p.s. My wife keeps asking “why did you buy a pink hoodie?” Voormi calls this color “Red Rock,” though because of the way it is woven, it does come across more pink than it showed on the website.

Background

Chilly morning walks in the foothills near our home. Snowshoeing in the Tahoe Sierra. Hiking in warm and cool conditions in the Sierra and the Coast. Chilly fall bike rides.