The RAB Girls’s Power Hoody is a light-weight and breathable technical layer created for lively use in different out of doors situations. Made with fast-drying Motiv material and handled with an odor management end, it’s designed to remain recent over a number of makes use of, making it a superb alternative for something for a thru-hike to an in a single day adventures. This hoody offers solar safety and luxury, interesting to hikers, backpackers, and climbers looking for a flexible and breathable possibility for his or her adventures.
The constructing clouds would ultimately soak the hoody, which dried after about 40 minutes of direct daylight.
The RAB Girls’s Power Hoody At-a-Look
Weight: 5.3oz / 149g (For a Girls’s Measurement 10)
UPF: 35
Value: $75.00
Match: Slim
Obtainable Colours: 5
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Supposed Use
The Girls’s Power Hoody is finest for these climbing, backpacking, path working, climbing, or in any other case simply spending time within the solar. Its light-weight, fast-drying material and built-in solar safety make it perfect for warm-weather actions or as a snug base layer in cooler situations. Hikers who worth solar safety and a shirt that stays recent over prolonged use will discover it significantly helpful.
Circumstance of Evaluate
I put the RAB Girls’s Power hoodie by way of its paces over a sequence of a number of backpacking journeys. My fundamental focus was how effectively it held up throughout lengthy runs and multi-day journeys right here within the Rocky Mountains, which meant evaluating the hoody’s efficiency in intense solar and enormous temperature swings.
For working, this hoodie was my go-to. Temperatures swung fairly a bit throughout these runs, from chilly 40°F begins to heat 90°F noon stretches. I wore it each by itself and as a base layer once I wanted an additional wind shell.
On the backpacking facet, the hoodie grew to become the bottom in my layering system for a few overnighters and weekend journeys by way of Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks and Sangre de Cristo ranges, reaching elevations over to 14,000 ft. Evenings dipped into the low 30s°F, whereas daytime climbing noticed issues heat as much as 80-85°F. The hoodie actually took a beating from steady put on, pack straps, and every kind of mountain climate, together with gentle rain and gusty winds.
The hood is massive sufficient to suit over a hat and comfortable sufficient to not bunch or rub beneath a pack, even beneath the hip belt.
Options
Shut-fitting Hood: Options stretch binding and a excessive neck for efficient solar safety.
Flatlock Low Bulk Seams: Improve energy and supply consolation subsequent to the pores and skin, decreasing chafing throughout motion.
Twisted Aspect Seams and Dropped Shoulder Seams: Designed for consolation when carrying a backpack, stopping strain factors.
Hidden Stretch Thumbloops: Assist preserve sleeves in place and provide further hand protection.
Odor Management Therapy: Built-in into the Motiv material to maintain the garment recent throughout prolonged use.
Quick-Drying Motiv Cloth: Light-weight and breathable, making it appropriate for various temperatures and fast moisture administration.
Utilization
I targeted a lot of my consideration on two key components of the hoody: the match, the texture of it in opposition to my pores and skin, and its means to carry as much as an extended, smelly backpacking journey.
The Match
The match of the hoodie was distinctive to different solar hoodies I’ve tried, largely as a result of tight match within the forearms. It’s athletic with out being restrictive, permitting for a full vary of movement throughout runs. There was no extra material to flap round or get caught, which is a typical annoyance for me. But, it additionally layered comfortably beneath a shell when the climate turned. The hood supplied good protection with out obstructing peripheral imaginative and prescient, a particular plus when navigating tough terrain.
Nonetheless, be aware of the “slim” sizing. Whereas great beneath a shell, the sleeves and torso are a bit too tight to suit effectively over a base layer. In sure circumstances, that is nice! No dishevelled sleeves hanging down and getting snagged on branches! Nonetheless, should you like to make use of your solar hoody as a layer on high of every part else, it’s possible you’ll wish to measurement up.
I appreciated the cosy match on scrambles and overgrown path, as issues snagged on rocks and branches much less often than I’m used to. Nonetheless, if I ever wished to put on one thing beneath the hoody, it might be an uncomfortably tight match. Contemplate sizing up if you would like a looser really feel.
The Really feel
Towards my pores and skin, the material feels very light-weight. I wouldn’t describe it as “buttery clean” or “silky”, and as an alternative consider this materials as having extra of a quick-drying, barely there really feel. This was significantly noticeable on longer runs the place chafing could be a difficulty with much less forgiving supplies; I skilled none with this hoodie.
It additionally managed moisture effectively, wicking sweat away successfully, so I didn’t really feel clammy even throughout lengthy hikes. The light-weight materials contributed to its snug really feel, making it simple to neglect I used to be carrying it in any respect.
The Stink
That is the place many efficiency layers fall quick, however the RAB hoodie genuinely stunned me. After a number of lengthy hikes—some pushing eleven hours in scorching climate—it resisted odor remarkably effectively. Even after a three-day backpacking journey, the odor was removed from offensive. It retained an affordable degree of freshness, undoubtedly extra so than different artificial items I’ve worn, making it a viable possibility when laundry entry is difficult to search out.
Professionals
Consolation with Pack: Snug design with flatlock seams and dropped shoulder seams, perfect for carrying with a backpack or a working vest. I by no means felt any seams rubbing in opposition to my pores and skin.
Light-weight Materials: Breathable and fast-drying Motiv material for lively use. After getting caught in a short storm, the hoody nonetheless managed to dry earlier than I crawled into my quilt, which is a should for me on an extended backpacking journey.
Tremendous Light-weight: Light-weight (5.3oz/149g), making it simple to pack and carry. Whereas, for longer journeys, I might use this as my fundamental layer, it does pack down small if wanted.
Minimalist Thumbloops: Hidden stretch thumbloops (low-profile) for added protection. At first, I used to be upset that the hoody didn’t have thumbloops, however I simply wasn’t trying arduous sufficient! Although I used to be skeptical of the consolation of the minimalist loops, I now love them. Not like earlier hoodies I’ve worn, the thumbloops don’t pressure the sleeve to stretch additional as you employ them, making me suppose this hoody will maintain up slightly higher to the repeated put on and tear of a thru-hike.
Moral and Clear Practices: Sustainability options, together with a fluorocarbon (PFAS) free material and product, and better than 50% recycled supplies.
I’ve grown to like this type of thumb loop, the place the minimalist elastic prevents the sleeve from stretching out with repeated put on.
Cons
UV Safety: A UPF ranking of 35 is sweet, however for devoted solar safety in uncovered, high-altitude environments, a UPF 50+ would provide extra complete protection and peace of thoughts. That is particularly related for lengthy days above treeline the place solar publicity is intense. On one, 11-hour hike, I did discover some redness on my shoulders after I bought house. I don’t know if this might be my go-to shirt for a high-altitude, uncovered thru-hike just like the CDT. Nonetheless, I’m extremely delicate to the solar, and others might not have this expertise.
Sturdiness Issues (Minor): The light-weight nature of the material would possibly elevate slight issues about long-term sturdiness, significantly if subjected to frequent abrasion from pack straps or scrambling over tough rock. I seen very minor pilling in high-friction areas (principally the place my pack rubbed in opposition to the shoulders) after prolonged use, although nothing that compromised efficiency. Once more, for an extended thru-hike, I’ll both depart this one behind or settle for the truth that I’ll want a shirt alternative after just a few thousand miles.
Restricted Options: The minimalist design, whereas nice for weight and packability, means an absence of further options like a zippered pocket. Whereas not deal-breakers for everybody, these could be good additions for some customers looking for safe storage for small gadgets, like keys or chapstick. Relying on who you might be, this may very well be a professional! This hoody is the definition of ultralightweight: every part you want and nothing you don’t.
The one characteristic I genuinely missed was a small button on the neck for a hood closure. The hood is spacious, which is nice, however there isn’t any slit for a ponytail to undergo and, in excessive wind, I discovered that the hood would constantly blow off. Fortunately, that is a simple at-home DIY repair, however I’m each busy and lazy, doubtless gained’t make the change, and can as an alternative proceed to complain concerning the hoody itself. These with a smaller quantity of hair might not have this subject.
If I saved my hair beneath the hood, it might be unbearably scorching (if you realize, you realize). After I pulled the braids out the entrance, the burden of them pushed the hood again on my head a bit. In robust wind, this led to the hood slipping off usually.
General / Worth
The RAB Girls’s Power Hoody is a well-designed and versatile piece of technical attire, providing solely a very powerful options at an affordable worth level. Its deal with consolation, solar safety, fast-drying capabilities, odor management, and sustainability make it a priceless base for a layering system throughout a wide range of actions. It presents good worth for its supposed use and options.
Would I put on it on a thru-hike? Sure, however not one with important solar publicity. The colour choices are superb (hey, all of us wish to look good on the market!), the match is nice, and it has my favourite characteristic on a solar hoody (thumbholes). That stated, there are some caveats. I want there was a approach to cinch the hood tighter for top winds— my largest criticism— and that the material provided larger solar safety.
If you happen to like a looser really feel, you’ll want to measurement up, because the torso and the sleeves are slim becoming.
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Comparable Solar Hoodies
Outside Analysis Echo
MSRP: $75
UPF: 15
Girls’s Tropic Consolation Pure Solar Hoody
MSRP: $99
UPF: 40+
Disclosure: product was donated for objective of assessment.
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