REI Co-op  Flash Shade Hoodie - Men's

I had been on the lookout for one of these for fishing and summer hikes, so this promotion was well timed. Would I buy this? Yes, and I will in a lighter color (I was sent gray). It's a pretty straight forward item and is good for temps above the high 60's. I can see the gray color getting a bit warm in the summer, thought. It's breathable, flexible, and most of all, keeps the sun off. It's looser fitting which I want as it helps with the breathability factor. Improvement wise, I'd like to see a chest pocket for stashing my sunglasses or holding my leader line spool when I'm tying-on. Otherwise, it's a great alternative to something like a Simms.

I'm usually a small, but tend to size up for coverings since I have long arms. The medium still fits very well and isn't too baggy (though still room for potential layering), with the arm length just about perfect. The material is nice and soft and there's no sign of pilling or fraying after a wash and some use. It is a bit on the heavy side and perhaps a little less breathable than I'd like, but still worked well in the 80s with a good deal of humidity. When temps get to the upper 90s+ I might reach for something lighter if I don't need the UV protection as much, but I do expect the wicking to help there. I expect that I'd be comfortable down to the 60s (or upper 40s-50s in full sun and minimal wind), at which point I'd recommend adding layers. The hood fits well as is, but some cinches or a drawstring would've been nice to have to make it more versatile in colder weather. The pony tail hole was a nice touch.

I got this to help keep cool in the sun and keep the sun off my head and neck. Being that it is still winter, I am not sure how well it performs for that. I will say, in the house it seemed like it would be good. I felt like it wasn’t super breathable as I got pretty warm having it on in the house. Again, may perform better actually being outside. The one area I did not like was the sizing. I ordered a XXL. I am 5’10” about 300 pounds. Fit decent in the shoulders and chest but I felt it was short. Other brands the XXL is much longer and I feel they fit better. Overall, not a bad shirt. I think it would do what it is advertised to do, but the fit feels off.

Previously I have been in love with the REI Sahara Sun hoodies. When I saw this new Flash hoodie on the website my interest was piqued. Once seeing it in person in the store I was sold. The fabric is so much lighter and breathable. The hood provides better coverage leaving only my face exposed. With a baseball cap sun coverage is excellent. Using this for all of my recent hikes I have found it wicks and dries quickly. The breathability of the material is way ahead of my old Sahara sun hoodies. The material feel is not too slippery, and there is a slight texture from the grid pattern in the fabric (though not annoying or noticeable in use). Layering under an R1 Air fleece jacket was surprisingly a breeze. Usually long sleeves with any sort of fabric friction will want to grab on to the fleece and ride up your arm as you slide through the sleeves. Durability wise I took a tumble which led to abrasions on my arms and side but the fabric stayed intact with no tears evident. Cleaned up super easy too! I'm 6'1" and 260lbs and the XXL fits perfectly. Sleeve length feels long until you use the thumb holes and it sits perfectly down to the knuckles. There is just enough elastic in the cuff that you can easily scrunch them up your forearm and they stay in place. The hood opening frames my face just right without feeling claustrophobic or snug. There is a slight sheen to the fabric in the sunlight. With the green colorway it really looks nice, but the blue and grey show it as well. Nothing crazy, but it has just a little extra pop in outdoor lighting. Overall a great sun hoodie for outdoors adventures. I've only used it hiking so far, but could see myself taking this on cycling and kayaking adventures easily. This will be my go-to this summer. Maybe switching to the classic Sahara Sun hoodie when the temps drop and a little heavier material would be welcome.

The Flash Shade Hoodie has a good quality feel to it. The fabric is light and keeps you cool in the sun. It's a nice shirt for walks or wearing on the water. The hood wraps close around the face to keep off, which makes it great while kayak and fishing. The sleeves have thumb holes for a little additional sun protection.

I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. Me: 61 years old, active outdoors, runner, 5-11, 175, mostly athletic build, with a couple extra # in the middle Disclaimer out of the way, I liked this hoodie for what it is, an outer-layer shade hoodie. The fabric is soft and breathable with an attractive mesh look, but enough there to provide a 50 SPF. I believe that it will dry quickly. I am going on a dive trip in March, and will make good use of it. The downside for me is that I have long arms and like outdoor gear that goes to the wrist or even a little past... this hoodie is cut fairly generously, so for me it was cut a little baggy around the torso to use for running or other very active sports (this is likely to make it good for layering!). While I sometimes switch to an M, I am guessing that the arm length, which was perfect with the L, would then be too short for me. Nonetheless, I believe that I'll be wearing this frequently as a comfortable, quick-drying, top layer, in spring & fall, and around the water when sun shade is necessary

I received the REI Flash Shade Hoodie as part of the Trailblazers program and am providing my honest review. I’ve worn the REI Sahara Shade Hoodie throughout the summer last year and was very pleased with the performance. When REI provided the opportunity to test out a lighter version that was a little more technical, I was all on board. Similar to the Sahara Shade Hoodie, the Flash Shade Hoodie is a lightweight sun protective hoodie with an SPF rating of 50, so it should provide good protective coverage. Unfortunately, my opportunity to test in the bright sun has been limited, but I don’t expect it to perform less than its rating. REI chose to use a micro grid fabric, which allows the fabric to be a little lighter, with a softer hand, but just as robust a material (I've included a photo showing the cuffs of the two products and materials so that you can see the difference between the Sahara and Flash Shade Hoodies). Everything is securely flat lock stitched and I did not run into any issues with unraveling. I was able to test it hiking and disc golfing, and at no point did I notice any restrictions in my movements. I felt like the material breathed a little better than the Sahara’s, but still offered a little warmth on the milder days I wore it (temps in the 50s). The micro grid fabric performed well at wicking moisture and keeping me dry and a chill off. I will say that it runs just a tad big. I received a medium (which is my usual REI size) and a small would have probably fit just a little better, or at least a little less billowy.

I put it on during my hike in the mountains. The product is soft, and comfortable. It provided me with protection from the sun and kept me cool and dry. The product is easy to wear and flexible. It provides Sun protection which is great!

Loving it so far. Used it over a T for running on a 40 degree day, used it under an insulating layer running on a 10 degree day. Looking forward to taking it on long hikes and bike rides when the sun is shining. Fit is nice — I’m 188 lbs 5’11” athletic build and Large is great. Thumbholes are well placed.