Backside Line
The REI Sahara Shade (males’s / girls’s) has held a spot on our information to one of the best solar shirts of the yr for a very long time. We’ve had many CH gear analysts cowl hundreds of miles trashing this prime, and the jury is in: it’s a purchase.
Not solely has it been awarded Greatest Finances Purchase two years in a row, however it’s also a easy, comfy, and flattering prime. Having mentioned that, this isn’t a technical shirt and gained’t dry, breathe, or wick like different shirts inside the assessment. Whereas it will probably work as a base layer throughout colder months, it’s not excellent for this.
This shirt is a superb worth for informal, bluebird day hikers who prefer to hike a median of 6 miles per journey and return to the automotive earlier than the solar units. It additionally can be an ideal worth for individuals who would put on this round city as properly.
In full disclosure, gear analyst Helena purchased this shirt two years in the past and wore it for her 2022 John Muir Path thru-hike. Notes from her expertise there are included all through this assessment.
How We Examined
To check this yr’s model of the Sahara Shade, our gear analysts took this shirt on a variety of adventures, together with highway biking, lengthy walks, and simple hikes beneath 10 miles. These exams have been accomplished throughout various temperatures and climate.
Fast Specs
REI Sahara Shade Hoodie
Greatest Finances Solar Shirt
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.4/5.0
Value:
$50
Weight:
8.8 oz. / 6.4 oz.males’s / girls’s
UPF Ranking:
50+
Material:
92% polyester, 8% spandex
Professionals
- Value
- Delicate & cozy cloth
- Flattering
- Nice solar safety
- Inclusive sizing
Cons
- Some dislike the hem on girls’s model
- Takes longer to dry than different solar shirts
Consolation
The REI Sahara Shade charges very extremely for consolation. Its knit physique has glorious stretch, good match, and a tender handfeel.
What stands out essentially the most about this prime is the flattering match. The form of the physique is accentuated by the exaggerated shirttail hem, although not all reviewers have been followers of this.
The material is comfy and tender, crafted from a polyester and spandex mix that ensures stretch and sturdiness. The material can also be bluesign authorized, which signifies that REI adhered to or ensured strict security and environmental necessities have been adopted throughout manufacturing. That is one other prime that you simply simply form of neglect you’re carrying as a result of it’s so simple and comfy.
Although this shirt washes properly and with none fussy settings, it does have a tendency to carry residual odor after strenuous exercise.
Solar Safety
The REI Sahara Shade additionally outperforms a number of different shirts within the solar safety class. This shirt provides nice solar safety by an UPF 50+ ranking, a hood with a excessive neck, and thumbholes.
50+ is the best UPF ranking of solar safety a garment could be awarded. In accordance with the Pores and skin Most cancers Basis, which means your pores and skin is protected against 98% of the solar’s rays. The muse says this UPF ranking is “glorious.”
The hood was good and match very well. We discovered that it didn’t fall on our faces or fall off whereas mountain climbing. A drawstring on the hood opening aids in adjusting the dimensions to suit the wants of every hiker. When the hood is up, it additionally pulls up cloth to cowl the neck. This protection is nice, and the material doesn’t pull or press on the neck in any respect.
When fingers are put by the thumbholes, the sleeves pull as much as utterly cowl the fingers.
Breathability & Wicking Energy
Breathability, wicking, and drying time should not the place the REI Sahara Shade shines. You’re getting what you pay for right here.
Throughout an 8 mile stroll on an excellent windy, chilly day, we layered a fleece and puffy over it, however then overheated. Taking off the layers didn’t resolve the temperature regulation points as a result of then the shirt feels further chilly when it’s moist with sweat.
Whereas mountain climbing the JMT in an older model of the Sahara Shade, we might soak this prime with sweat. The end result wasn’t excellent; we might be soaked on the summits the place wind would quickly cool the moist shirt. The way in which down would really feel barely chilly. Then it could take some time to dry.
On hotter outings, we discover that we’re continually taking off thumbholes and pushing our sleeves as much as free ourselves from the warmth and sweat trapped inside this shirt. As a result of it isn’t one of the best at respiration or wicking, this isn’t the shirt we attain for if we all know we’re going to break a sweat.
Versatility
Although this fronts as a no-frills, straight-forward solar shirt, the REI Sahara Shade has an attractive model that appears simply as pretty paired with denims to put on round city because it does coated in sweat on the summit.
If we haven’t made it abundantly clear, this solar shirt wins main versatility factors for its townie transferability. Nevertheless, it’s not the perfect selection for year-round put on. For one thing that layers properly and feels comfy, search for one thing with a extra breathable and wicking cloth.
Ought to You Purchase the REI Sahara Shade Solar Shirt?
The REI Sahara Shade is a superb decide for these on the lookout for an informal mountain climbing shirt that has glorious solar safety and comfy match. Although it doesn’t breathe, wick, or dry rapidly, this prime continues to be completely comfy for the hiker. It’s also an ideal worth as the most cost effective on our solar shirt information but additionally could be squeezed for all of its worth. It transitions simply from path to city and withstands a brutal period of time on path.
This shirt might be not one of the best match for these trying to sort out bigger adventures as its lack of breathability and wicking could cause some discomfort throughout strenuous exercise.
What Different Solar Shirts Ought to You Take into account?
Beneath are extra extremely rated solar shirts from our annual information to one of the best solar shirts:
Cotopaxi Sombra Solar Hoodie Overview: That is one which feels cute and appears good and gives nice solar safety and can take you farther on the path is Cotopaxi. This isn’t a knit, nonetheless, so it gained’t have the identical handfeel that the REI delivers.
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Lengthy Sleeve Hoody Overview: This knit is lighter and dries faster than the REI Sahara Shade, however retains glorious solar safety and silky tender cloth. The match of the Mountain {Hardware} isn’t as favored because the REI, however its nice stretch makes up for that.
Minus 33 Micro Weight 1/4 Zip Solar Hoodie Woolverino Overview: In case you just like the tender and stretchy feeling of a knit cloth however need extra technical options, the Minus 33 is a superb choice. Pure wool delivers an extremely light-weight cloth that breathes, wicks, and helps regulate physique temperature. This selection doesn’t have the relaxed match of the REI, nonetheless.
