Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie Solar Shirt Evaluate

Backside Line

The standout characteristic of the Free Fly Bamboo Shade (males’s / girls’s) solar shirt is its consolation. The silky, delicate material is unparalleled out of all our favourite solar shirts we examined this yr. The match, solar safety, stretch, and flexibility all charge nicely for this high, however we discovered that it wasn’t the quickest drying, greatest respiration, or good at wicking. 

Whereas mountaineering with this shirt, we stored returning to the softness of the material. Our notes repeated time and again how nice the material felt towards the pores and skin. The relaxed and easy-going match was comfy, as have been the hood and thumbholes. 

Because the hike grew to become tougher, we instantly seen how a lot sweat was accumulating on our pores and skin and the again of this shirt. We didn’t really feel nice airflow by means of the shirt and seen it took some time to dry. 

Regardless of this, we consider it is a good possibility for the common hiker who enjoys informal, front-country adventures.

How We Examined

This solar shirt underwent a number of checks in numerous temperatures and climate. We hiked in it on sunny, heat afternoons with a day pack on. We wore it as a working shirt for ~4-mile runs throughout chilly, wintery dusks. We additionally did a lab check by sporting it for a 20-minute stationary bike experience. After every exercise, we made certain to clock the dry time and the stench.

Consolation

Once we put on this high, we make everybody really feel the material as a result of we’re in love with its softness. We will pull and stretch the material with ease, and the way in which it suits is top-notch consolation. 

The Free Fly Ladies’s Bamboo Shade Hoodie II has a really comfy, silky-feeling material that gives a softness that stays with you all day. This implausible high quality comes from the viscose fibers used within the material. Although don’t be confused by the labeling– this viscose is produced from bamboo however just isn’t thought-about a pure fiber due to the in depth processing it undergoes. 

The material strikes freely throughout varied outside actions and outings. Free Fly says this material has a four-way stretch, which we corroborate. Whereas working, we particularly discover how nicely the sleeves transfer with our arms, accommodating actions. This stretch makes this shirt straightforward to put on on and off the path.  

One caveat is the strict washing directions. We did throw its cousin –– the Free Fly Males’s Bamboo Light-weight Hoodie / Ladies’s Bamboo Light-weight Hoodie II –– into the common wash and seen that it misplaced a few of its softness and stretch and shrunk. We have been comfortable to see that the Bamboo Shade Hoodie II didn’t lose form or softness after washing. 

If consolation is a high precedence in your subsequent sunshirt, you received’t be upset.  

Solar Safety

The Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie II provides dermatologist-approved solar safety. It has a UPF 50+ score, cuffs that cowl the palms fully when the thumbholes are worn, and a hood. 

UPF 50+ is the very best score potential for sun-protective clothes. The Pores and skin Most cancers Basis considers this score “glorious” as a result of it blocks 98% of UVA and UVB rays. 

The thumbholes assist maintain the cuffs in place, masking the palms fully to the knuckles. Whereas mountaineering, they’re comfy, however the sleeves pull on the thumb crotch when our arms are outstretched. Bending right down to tie sneakers felt barely uncomfortable, however this was not noticeable when arms have been on the sides. 

The hood is free and roomy—good for sporting a hat beneath—but it surely isn’t so free that it falls into our eyes or off our heads when mountaineering or working.

Breathability & Wicking Energy

Breathability and wicking energy are the place the Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie II misplaced testing factors. On low to reasonable exertion mountaineering, it feels okay. However as soon as the grade will get steep,  sweat accumulates, and there isn’t nice breathability to assist cool us off. 

In one other check, throughout a 20-minute stationary bike experience, sweat pooled on the again of the shirt and our pores and skin. It didn’t really feel like a lot air was coming by means of the material(even with the ceiling fan on!). The sweat that stayed on our our bodies made it really feel much more humid and gross. On this lab check and through subject testing, the material turns into clingy and heavy as soon as it’s saturated.

Dangle drying can take greater than two and a half hours, which is harmful in variable climate or when it’s your solely high on backcountry journeys. For that reason, we don’t counsel it for sweaty eventualities.

Versatility

This shirt completely transitions into city and works nicely for many informal outside actions. We thought it labored superb in fall climate by itself, however we wouldn’t advocate this as a base layer for intense actions. We additionally seen that this was the smelliest shirt out of our favourite solar shirts after exercise. 

We like sporting this shirt round the home and below sweaters to run errands. The shirt is informal however acceptable for settings round city with a smooth design that appears convincingly like a median lengthy sleeve. We even wore this to a gathering at a espresso store and felt comfy.  

Although it could actually look nice on the town, take heed to the odor earlier than you meet buddies. This shirt held on to the mountaineering stench lengthy after we left the path. 

Whereas we wouldn’t advocate this as a technical base layer, its thicker material makes this hotter than many of the different solar shirts in our evaluation and a superb option to put on below a puffy for a fast outing.

Ought to You Purchase the Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie Solar Shirt?

This can be a stable selection for the common hiker who isn’t on the lookout for something technical however needs good solar safety. It wins our hearts for its comfy match and unimaginable material.  The fabric feels comfy at temperatures as little as the mid-40s however could also be stuffy below fleece layers throughout colder temperatures. For taking over 6-mile, frontcountry adventures in gentle temperatures, this high is a good selection. 

This high wouldn’t be a sensible choice for somebody who wants a technical shirt that breathes and wicks nicely. We’d not advocate this high for somebody who wants a dependable base layer for intense actions like backcountry snowboarding. 

What Different Solar Shirts Ought to You Take into account?

Should you’re contemplating the Free Fly Bamboo Shade Hoodie II, ensure to take a look at our high picks in our solar shirt gear information. 

Milk & Whiskey Chaser Evaluate: The Milk & Whiskey is the same solar shirt to the Free Fly. It provides nice solar safety, delicate material, a straightforward match, and all-day consolation. Nonetheless, the Milk & Whiskey does charge larger for breathability, which may be price contemplating for hikers seeking to go farther or more durable. 

Cotopaxi Sombra Solar Hoodie Evaluate: The Cotopaxi charges extremely for breathability and better on wicking/drying time versus the Free Fly. It suits in another way as a result of it’s woven. This shirt floats away from the physique as an alternative of draping on it, which we discovered helps us maintain cool throughout demanding hikes.  

Minus 33 Micro Weight 1/4 Zip Solar Hoodie Woolverino Evaluate: Although the Minus 33 doesn’t present the nice solar safety that the Free Fly does, it acts as a extra technical layer whereas conserving the softness and ease of a knit. This solar shirt is a good layering piece and helps regulate physique temperature when mountaineering.