Once warm weather rolls around, it’s hard for me to choose just one type of outdoor activity to do daily. My go-tos typically include fly-fishing on the river, backpacking in the deep woods, gravel biking on backroads, car camping with friends and family and hiking at nearby state parks. And when I don’t feel like putting on my rain gear, I’ll head to the gym to get my workout in.
With so many hobbies comes the challenge of not spending heaps of money on gear and apparel for every type of activity. But, no matter where my adventures take me, I always reach for one shirt in particular: my Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Shade Hoodie. The soft bamboo fabric is impressively stretchy yet keeps its shape, it boasts 50+ UPF protection to keep harsh rays from burning your skin and when I break a sweat, the fabric dries instantly. It even provides a light layer of extra warmth under my lightweight down jacket on chilly nights.
If you’re looking for a do-it-all shirt for any outing, you won’t regret making the Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Shade Hoodie your pick. I’ve worn mine fly-fishing in the Outer Banks of South Carolina, gravel biking on the edge of the Sahara Desert and day hiking on trails around the Midwest. It’s an essential piece of activewear that’s undoubtedly made my adventures more comfortable and enjoyable. Let’s get into why it’s my favorite adventure shirt of all time.
Simple, comfortable and protective, Free Fly’s Bamboo Shade Hoodie is more than your average activewear shirt. This ultra-soft, stretch knit hooded long sleeve wicks sweat, dries quickly and, above all, feels like butter against your skin. A high-performance blend of viscose from bamboo, polyester and spandex offers a four-way stretch for freedom of movement but bounces back to its original shape. Its UPF 50+ rated fabric protects you from sunburns too.
Both the men’s and women’s versions of the Bamboo Shade Hoodie come in a variety of colors, and both gendered designs incorporate thoughtful features like thumbholes to keep sleeves in place and set-forward shoulder seams for a more streamlined and comfortable fit.
What I liked about it
It’s made of a super-soft, high-performance bamboo blend
The Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Shade Hoodie is the most comfortable and breathable active shirt in my wardrobe. The bamboo-based fabric is soft to the touch and high-performing in demanding environments.
You don’t often hear about bamboo in activewear. That’s because garments made with bamboo viscose are relatively new, with Free Fly being one of the first outdoor brands to adopt the fiber across its entire apparel line. Bamboo fibers are high quality, eco-friendly and extremely smooth to the touch. The Bamboo Shade Hoodie has an incredibly soft texture that feels nice against the skin.
While fly-fishing in the saltwater flats of the Outer Banks, I was thankful to have a quick-drying performance shirt when my sleeves inevitably got wet from splashing waves and the occasional dip in the water. The soft stretch of the Bamboo Shade Hoodie also worked wonders in moving with me (not against me) while working my cast in windy conditions.
Bamboo fibers are known for their temperature-regulating properties in cold and hot weather, not to mention their antimicrobial functionality that combats moisture and odor. To test this, I went biking in 98-degree Fahrenheit heat in Morocco, and this long sleeve saved me from sunburns and kept me cool even while breaking a sweat. The hooded long sleeve was equal parts breathable and protective, and no matter how many days in a row I wore it or how sweaty I got, it never stank.
Surprisingly, Free Fly’s original design of the Bamboo Shade Hoodie used even more bamboo than the current version. According to the brand, product designers found the original blend resulted in a fabric that was so soft to the touch, that it felt more like pajamas than activewear. Ultimately, the brand scaled back the total percentage of bamboo, opting for 48% bamboo viscose, 49% polyester and 3% spandex. Today’s blend is a winning match for performance, comfort and elasticity.
Stretch that bounces back
It’s annoying and inconvenient when natural fiber shirts like cotton or wool stretch out after one or two days of use. That’s especially true in ever-changing outdoor environments where removing layers, rolling up sleeves and bending every which way is required. On backpacking trips, fishing excursions and bike rides, I look for a stretchy shirt that is form-fitting but nonrestrictive — and one that will keep its shape over a multiday trip.
The stretch and bounce-back of the relaxed fit Bamboo Shade Hoodie blew me away. It stretched and moved with me, even in demanding situations like casting into 13 mph winds on open water and navigating rugged trails with a backpack full of gear. There’s no restriction anywhere while wearing this shirt, which is a game changer for agility and comfort while exploring outdoors. I also love wearing this shirt at the gym. It’s ideal for lifting weights like kettlebells or dumbbells and for strengthening and cardio exercises that require arm and upper body movement.
It comes in a non-hooded version too
If you plan to partake in summertime outdoor adventures — like long days on the boat or high-elevation and exposed hiking — but don’t want a hood, you can opt for the Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve. The slightly more affordable, non-hooded Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve ($64) comes in men’s and women’s sizes, as well as multiple colors. It’s just as roomy and as comfortable as the hoodie and is also designed with a 50+ UPF-rated fabric to shield rays off your skin. You can also layer up with this long sleeve if the temperature drops unexpectedly.
What I didn’t like about it
It’s a challenge to pinpoint major negatives about the Bamboo Shade Hoodie, but after several seasons of testing, there are a couple of takeaways worth mentioning. Consider these functional insights before investing.
Heavier-weight material
One of the main reasons I like the Bamboo Shade Hoodie — its heavier, soft bamboo fabric — may deter others from wanting to wear it. The thickness of the bamboo fabric provides unmatched comfort but is also slightly heavier and a tad less breathable than other Free Fly-designed apparel. A heavier-weight shirt, especially in windy or chilly conditions, can come in handy for staying warm and protecting your skin from the elements.
But if you want a true, lightweight sun shirt, consider opting for the Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Lightweight Hoodie ($74) or the even lighter-weight and more technical Free Fly Apparel Elevate Hoodie ($88). The Bamboo Lightweight Long Sleeve is the brand’s original bamboo fabric shirt. It’s ultralight but has only 30+ UPF protection. The Elevate Hoodie uses a blend of 83% recycled polyester, 11% lyocell and 6% Spandex without bamboo. It’s more moisture-wicking and quick-drying than the bamboo fabric shirts but not as soft to the touch (in my opinion) as the Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve.
Signs of pilling
You’ve likely seen pilling on your clothing before; those pesky, small balls of lint that form on a fabric’s surface are a classic sign of wear and tear. After about three months of wearing and washing my Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve (it’s machine-washable, but the brand suggests turning it inside out, washing it on a cold, delicate cycle and hang drying), I noticed minor pilling under the armpit and on the forearm and elbow of the sleeves. These high-abrasion areas of the shirt are notorious for pilling in all activewear, so it’s not uncommon, and you’ll probably find this on a ton of your garments. I should mention that this pilling is very minor and hardly noticeable, and while it’s certainly not a deal breaker in terms of the overall quality of the shirt, it’s certainly something to note.
How it compares
At $74, the Bamboo Shade Hoodie falls in the middle on price point compared to other long sleeves and hoodies across Free Fly’s apparel collection. The more technical Elevate Hoodie costs $88, whereas the lighter weight and less sun-protective Bamboo Lightweight Long Sleeve costs $58.
If all of these price tags are too high, there are several other UPF clothing options to consider. The comparable REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie ($50) is slightly less expensive., and while it’s not quite as soft as the Free Fly bamboo shirts, the stretchy, polyester Sahara Shade provides equivalent protection from the sun with 50+ UPF fabric. If ultra lightweight is your goal, the Outdoor Vitals Altitude Sun Hoodie ($50) is affordable and impressively light, weighing in at a mere 4 ounces.
Other name brands known for their lightweight activewear and sun shirts, like Patagonia and Orvis, make great choices too. For a fine-tuned fit, the zippered Orvis Sun Defense Quarter-Zip ($79) is a top choice, and for eco-conscious consumers, the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Natural UPF Hoody ($99) is made entirely out of a bio-based, renewable fabric from spun beech tree cellulose.
Bottom line
With its stretchy and incredibly soft fabric, adventure seekers and active travelers will be hard-pressed to find a more comfortable sun shirt than the Free Fly Apparel Bamboo Shade Hoodie. This quick-drying and 50+ UPF-rated activewear top wicks moisture and protects your skin from the elements. If you’re looking for a comfortable fishing shirt or a casual top to lounge in at the campground or on your couch, this long-sleeve hoodie covers all the bases: comfort, technical design and performance.