REASONS TO BUY
Loose fit is breezy
High cut sides for ventilation
Soft fabric
Drawstring on hood
Comfortable thumbholes
REASONS TO AVOID
Very baggy
No pockets
Thicker fabric
REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie - Women's Review
A loose-fitting shirt with great coverage that makes the most of the breeze but keeps your hood up when you need it
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Our Verdict
The REI Sahara Shade Hoodie is a smooth shirt with a loose fit that takes advantage of the slightest breeze and is on the more affordable side of options we tested. Made of thicker material that's a tad less breathable and takes a smidge longer to dry, it relies on its cut to keep you cool. Low drop hems in the front and back with high-cut sides facilitate ventilation, and a relaxed fit provides plenty of room for you to breathe without exposure to damaging UV rays. A hidden drawstring inside the hood helps keep it in place, even on a blustery hilltop. Extra-long, stretchy sleeves make the thumbholes comfortable to use. Though perhaps not the lightest or most stylish option, this cozy top is great for sunny, windy days.
Editor's Note: We updated this article on January 24, 2024, to reflect the latest information and comparisons from our most recent round of side-by-side testing.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $50 List $49.95 at REI | $45.49 at Backcountry | $65 List $44.93 at REI | $36 List $32.95 at Amazon | $20.00 List $19.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A very relaxed shirt with excellent coverage that capitalizes on breezes while still keeping your hood in place | This straightforward, brightly colored top performed well across the board, proving itself to be versatile and comfortable | We feel this shirt is well made for a wide variety of situations and activities | This excellent rash guard provides comfortable protection in the water | A decent shirt for casual wear that won't break the bank |
| Rating Categories | REI Co-op Sahara Sh... | Mountain Hardwear C... | REI Co-op Sahara Lo... | O'Neill Basic Skins... | Baleaf UPF 50 Crew... |
| Comfort and Fit (30%) | |||||
| Sun Protection (25%) | |||||
| Breathability (20%) | |||||
| Versatility (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | REI Co-op Sahara Sh... | Mountain Hardwear C... | REI Co-op Sahara Lo... | O'Neill Basic Skins... | Baleaf UPF 50 Crew... |
| Sun Protection Level (UPF) | 50+ | 50 | 50 | 50+ | 50+ |
| Coverage | Long sleeve, hood, thumb holes | Long sleeve, hood, thumb holes | Long sleeve, scooped cuff, collar | Long sleeve, crew neck | Long sleeve, crew neck |
| Features | Drawstring on hood, shaped hem | Scuba-style hood | Chest pockets (Velcro), tab sleeves, back vent, sunglasses loop, seams removed from armpit | Flat seams; rash guard placement | Flat shoulder seams |
| Fit | Relaxed fit | Trim fit | Classic fit | Performance fit | Relaxed fit |
| Material | 92% polyester, 8% spandex | 88% polyester, 12% elastane | 94% nylon, 6% spandex (bluesign approved) | Polyester spandex blend | 100% polyester |
| Odor Control? | No | No | No | No | No |
| Available Sizes | XS - XL | XS - XL | XS - 2XL | XS - XL | S - 2XL |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Sahara Shade Hoodie is a stretchy sun shirt with a very relaxed, loose fit featuring low drop hems (front and back) with high-cut sides. It's made of Bluesign approved 92% polyester and 8% spandex and has thumb holes as well as a drawstring inside the hood.
Performance Comparison
We weren't sure about the baggy fit of the REI Sahara Shade Hoodie at first, but it really grew on us during our several month testing period.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Comfort and Fit
The Sahara Shade is comfortable in the same way an oversized, baggy t-shirt is comfortable. It runs large by design, sacrificing style for functionality. Soft, smooth fabric that's stretchy in all the right ways adds to its relaxed comfort.
While at first, the long drop hems in front and back paired with surprisingly high-cut side slits seemed like an odd choice, the slightest breeze proves their worth on a hot day. If you want something your friends and family will think is cute, this relaxed top might not be the best option. But if you want a soft shirt that's easy to wear for days in a row, with sleeves that are long enough to actually use the thumb holes, the Sahara Hoodie is a pretty comfy choice.
The crossed neck in front isn't as bothersome as we feared it might be and offers some extra sun protection we came to appreciate.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Sun Protection
It seems that most sun shirts anymore advertise a UPF of 50 or 50+, and the Sahara Hoodie is one of them (UPF 50+). By crossing the fabric in front of the neck, REI has added a little extra coverage to a spot often overlooked when applying sunscreen. The hood itself has a drawstring, helping you keep it on and/or closed in pretty much any situation. It lacks a toggle but pretty easily stays put when you pull it — or it can be overhand knotted in a pinch.
This top also has long enough sleeves with comfortable enough thumbholes to not just boast back-of-hand protection but actually be something we're willing to wear for long periods of time. However, on hotter days, the thicker fabric of this shirt can sometimes feel like too much, and we found ourselves often pushing or rolling up the sleeves.
This shirt has long sleeves (which we love), wide cuffs (which we love), and comfortable thumb holes (which we love).
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Breathability
The Sahara Shade is made of a thicker, heavier fabric than most sun shirts we've tested. However, it's so smooth that it feels slightly cool against the skin. We also appreciated this extra thickness for paddle sports, where getting splashed is part of the deal.
Rather than phenomenally breathable fabric (though we want to stress that this fabric isn't not breathable), the Sahara relies on its unique, almost extreme cut and fit to introduce a breeze and help make up for what the fabric lacks. Even in just the gentlest wind, we found this method exceptionally well-designed to mitigate a slightly thicker fabric and keep us cool. It's not the shirt we enjoy using for midday runs, but it works well enough for hiking and light outdoor activities.
While a unique look, stepping into the barest breeze quickly proved the value of these high cut sides combined with the very loose overall fit of the Sahara Shade Hoodie.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Versatility
On the style side of things, the baggy fit and oddly shaped hem fall solidly into the realm of “athletic” or “comfy” rather than something our panel of testers would describe as “cute” or “flattering.” If you're the type of person who appreciates the slightly oversized look, this might be right up your alley.
Across activities, though, we found a lot of use for this top in more casual to moderate uses, including day hikes, gardening, and taking the dog out for a long mid-afternoon walk. As long as it wasn't too blisteringly hot outside, we found there were plenty of activities for which the Sahara Shade is well-suited.
The REI Sahara Shade Hoody has high-cut sides and a very loose fit that facilitate airflow inside the shirt, keeping you cool and protected, even if it sacrifices a couple of subjective style points.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Durability
Upon close scrutiny, the fabric and seams of this sun shirt appear well-executed. We had no issues wearing it for months of testing, adventuring, meandering, running, exploring, laundering, and hanging out without it looking any worse for the wear. Its thicker fabric proved resistant to snagging on rocks and branches during our several months of testing.
Though one of the listed features of the Sahara Shade is an antimicrobial treatment meant to hinder the growth of odor-causing bacteria, it doesn't stand out as particularly odor-resistant. We put all our sun shirts through the run-seven-miles-then-leave-it-on-the-floor-overnight test, and while some impressed us with their lack of stench the next day, this one smelled exactly like we hoped it wouldn't.
The fabric and seams both proved up to the task of everything we threw their way - sometimes literally.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Features
In addition to thumbholes and a front-crossed hood, the Sahara Shade also has a hidden drawstring inside the hood to keep it up even as you pound out the miles. It lacks any pockets, but with such a baggy fit, we wouldn't want one anyway.
The crossed neck helps the hood stay in place, but if that's not quite enough, there's also a drawstring inside.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
Should You Buy the REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie?
The Sahara is on the less expensive end of sun shirts we've tested, though we wouldn't call it “cheap.” It combines a solid all-around performance with a very reasonable price, making it a good value. If you love baggy clothes and don't want to give that up just for the sake of athletic performance, we think you'll love this sun shirt and find it well worth its price.
What Other Women's Sun Shirts Should You Consider?
If you think you'll be finding yourself in truly hot weather and want something with thinner fabric, the Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake is a fantastic choice for not too much more. For those on the hunt for a very breathable sun shirt to wear happily on sunny summer hikes and midday runs, the Outdoor Research Echo has got you covered.
From sunny trail runs to bright walks in the park, the Sahara Hoodie is comfortable and protective, even if it's not the most stylish.
Credit: Maggie Brandenburg
—
Maggie Nichols
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