Best sun hoodies?

I'm one of those people who burns pretty easily so I try not to rely solely on sun screen for everything.  So I'm in the market for a sun hoody/base layer.  I've been using my MH Super Chockstone softshell for sun protection and while it is pretty light, I need something that breaths a little better.  Any recommendations?  

Matt S. wrote: I'm one of those people who burns pretty easily so I try not to rely solely on sun screen for everything.  So I'm in the market for a sun hoody/base layer.  I've been using my MH Super Chockstone softshell for sun protection and while it is pretty light, I need something that breaths a little better.  Any recommendations?  

I recently got a Marmot Sunrift and have been very happy with it. Breathability is excellent, and the hood is comfortable under a helmet while being big enough to cover the top of your face kinda like a hat.

One of my climbing partners spent an afternoon baking in the sun and glaring at me in my shaded, UPF-shielded glory before finally asking where he could get one. 

I swear by the Rab Boreas/Borealis/Ventus (borealis is current version) for all conditions, including warm weather backpacking and climbing. Breathes well enough that I would prefer it over a "sun" clothing piece that many companies make. If its too hot for this shirt, its too hot to be doing something that active, IMO.

BD Alpenglow, 3 months in RR with no sunburn, no holes either.

I would be skeptical of any fishing hoody or whatever actually lasting more than a season if climbing sandstone chimneys, bushwhacking, etc 

Outdoor Research Echo Hoody.  Or honestly, I occasionally hit up fishing outfitters and get longsleeve fishing hoodies designed for long days on the water in full sun.  They work great on glaciers, are cool (temp) and come in a variety of interesting/obnoxiously visible designs.  Often a little cheaper than the mountain stuff too.

I have the BD and OR ones, both are great. The BD is lighter and breathes a little better, I will wear it as my only layer when its baking, and the OR when the temp might drop a little bit as it keeps me a tiny bit warmer. I wear these things year round now!!! For the black diamond, I get a size smaller than I normally would; it is probably the only size L shirt I own, everything else is xl or xxl!

A while back I got a patagonia tropic comfort and a sunshade technical hoody, OR's Echo hoody and a BD alpinglow hoody to try.  

Splitting hairs on any of these as they're pretty similar.  Main concern with the BD one is the material seemed maybe a little more snag-prone.  Echo had annoying hand glove things built into the sleeves that made it harder to get on and off.  

Returned all but the Tropic Comfort because it seemed to be the one that let the most air through in spite of the fact that it's a heavier fabric than the Echo.  Probably the baggier cut.  No real durability concerns, as it's basically just standard capilene daily AKA cap 1, so I'm sure it'll hold up fine in the very long run.  I've got old capilene t-shirts that are all 5-10 years old and still free of any visible wear.

Bought a second one after my first climbing trip with it.  I've since worn it all over the place and have been comfortable even on sweaty 90 degree days in the Red and on super sunny days out west.  It gets sweatier than a t-shirt on humid days, but once you get past that it's not any hotter than a t-shirt in the shade and it's cooler in the sun.  Hood works over my helmet and keeps the fabric off your neck when it's up, giving you a little more airflow. At the end of a long day in direct sun I don't have that brain-dead zombie feeling.  Super comfy around camp at night and does a great job of keeping bugs off after a soaking in permethrin.

I'm a big fan of my Patagonia Tropic Comfort II, although admittedly its the only sun hoody I've worn.  Good big hood for getting over a helmet. I've put mine through the Epinephrine chimneys twice with no holes. It does seem to stain fairly easily, so they get grody looking fast.

i love my Tropic Comfort hoody

I really like my Patagonia Houdini. I have had it for almost 2 years and it is still running strong. Its a very thin layer and is very compact. Only downside is its not great in hot weather. Everything else should be perfect with it

Second PatMas - Patagonia Tropic Comfort, great hoody for glaciers but gets stained easily.

David N wrote: I have the BD and OR ones, both are great. The BD is lighter and breathes a little better, I will wear it as my only layer when its baking, and the OR when the temp might drop a little bit as it keeps me a tiny bit warmer. I wear these things year round now!!! For the black diamond, I get a size smaller than I normally would; it is probably the only size L shirt I own, everything else is xl or xxl!

Same on BD alpenglow!  I'm a medium on OR and pretty much everything else.  that BD in medium was Huuuuge!  definitely downsize 

ExOfficio Sol Cool Ultimate Hoodie

I live in mine. The major distinctive plus for this one is the hood zips up on to your face, & the mesh makes it easy to breathe through. You can really hide in it & its well vented.

Perfect timing!! I'm looking for a sun hoodie right now too.  Anyone used  a RAB Pulse or the  Arc'teryx  Phasic Sun Hoodie? They are pricey but look good.  I've had great luck with Arc'teryx fabrics. They are superb for their durability and fad resistance.

Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoody. https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-capilene-cool-daily-hoody/45310.html?isSearch=true&dwvar_45310_color=FEA I've worn one on my past few trips, and climbing. It breathes well, wicks well, and isn't baggy like the BD or Tropic Comfort.

I'd recommend the Mountain Hardwear Metonic hoodie. The fabric is fairly thin and breathes super well so it feels about the same as wearing no shirt, minus the sunburn.
Wish I could compare a bunch of them, but it's the only one I've had so that's my limited two cents

Another vote for the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II. Used it for a year mostly on glaciers, love it, haven't really used anything else though. Yes it's baggy but that's OK; the hood fits over a helmet well.

abandon moderation wrote: I've tried these:

1. Patagonia Tropic Comfort (14 months) - this one is my favorite, has holes but surprisingly durable, as it's been up many chimneys/offwidths
2. Marmot Sunrift (2 months) - heavier than the tropic comfort; I like this one for alpine stuff where it can double as a base layer and provide a bit more protection against the elements.
3. Deep Varsity (2 months) - this one is nice, as cool as the tropic comfort and great for face climbing. If you're doing chimneys, the fabric is mostly polyester and feels like it would get ripped on rocks (untested, since I don't want to rip it...) Also my go-to for other other non-abrasive sports. I'm not really sure why the Tropic Comfort and Deep Varsity fabric feel so different, when they're basically the same ratio of polyester/spandex.

Now that I've said the Tropic Comfort is my favorite, I just bought two more of the Deep Varsity today. Sierra trading post has them for $15 or if you're medium $10 - at that price I can burn through several of them before buying a new patagonia hoodie...

Thanks for the Beta. Just went and bought the last Deep Varsity in Med from Sierra Trading Post. Also got a Cova Undercover Sun Shirt to try as well. Will see how they hold up. I'm getting them for Costa Rica this year but will want them for the crag as well.

I have a few of these as I am getting ready for a trip. Ive had multiple occurrences of skin cancer so they are pretty important to me.

My favorite is the Arc'teryx Phasic because it fits me the best. I got it 25% off and it still cost 2x what any of my others did.
The lightest weight is the OR Echo, but its only UPF15 so I can only wear it on cloudy days.
The best bang/buck is the Baleaf Hoodie on Amazon. Its 22$, UPF 50 and quite stretchy but its also a lot baggier in the waist area than the others, and has shorter sleeves.
I also have a Columbia one that is ok, forget the name, and an older Eddie Bauer FA one as well. They are serviceable but feel heavier than those mentioned above.
I picked up a new MH hardwear one, Crater Lake I believe but it was super baggy and bunchy, sent it back. 

OR Echo Hoodie. Just took it on a trip to the Cascades, it was 93 one day and I was able to wear the off-white one all day! That being said, if any humidity, like any other jacket it'll be too much, but if you're in arid areas this thing breathes well and keeps you pretty cool! 10/10 love mine.

Prana Calder Hoodie is lighter, keeps me cooler, and dries faster than most all other brands I've tried, though I haven't tried the newest BD.  The hood on the Prana Calder has a really nice cut too, sitting loose and flowy with or without a hat or helmet.