Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Shirt Review

Bottom Line

An approachable intro into the world of technical fabrics, the Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie (men’s / women’s) is a comfortable and fun sun shirt that won CleverHiker’s Best Overall Sun Shirt designation in our complete guide to sun shirts. 

Let’s get the bad out of the way; the women’s top has a shorter torso than we expected. We only notice it when raising our hands or in an outstretched position, like riding a bike. However, its short length is just about our only “orange flag.”

Its body is loose and fits well. The fabric is breathable, wicking, and lightweight. It kept up during intense ascents and climbs—we didn’t notice any oversaturated parts of the fabric, stuffiness, or discomfort. The great fit and fabric help airflow, even when layered over a fleece. 

This shirt’s sun-protective features are excellent. It has a UPF 50+ rating, thumbholes and sleeves that fully cover the hands, and a scuba hood with fabric covering the neck.

How We Tested

This sun shirt was tested over several miles and adventures. Excursions like an 8-mile hike with over 2,500 feet of elevation gain stressed the fabric’s breathability and wicking properties. We also tested how it wears while backpacking with a loaded overnight pack. Finally, we lab-tested how long it took to dry after a 20-minute stationary bike ride. 

Comfort

The Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie has that everyday comfort. The woven fabric doesn’t have the ultra-soft, silky feel that other sun shirts we tested have, but it is by no means uncomfortable on the skin. 

The shirt has a boxy fit through the body, allowing for plenty of room. The sleeves don’t hug the arms, either. The top has plenty of stretch to flex in all the right places.

The only piece of the fit that might not feel comfortable for everyone is the shorter torso. This length did not feel comfortable while biking unless paired with high-waisted leggings. Besides biking, the shorter length did not bother our gear analysts while wearing a loaded overnight backpack or when layered under a fleece. 

The fabric is very light, adding to the top’s airiness and great movement. It is ideal for keeping cool on warmer days.

Sun Protection

The Cotopaxi Sombra has one of the best sun protection offered by any lightweight shirt that we tested this year. It has a UPF 50+ rating, thumbholes, and hood with a neck gaiter. 

When hiking, the hood kept falling into the top of our sunglasses. It never flew off –– the hood’s hem helps weigh this down. While obnoxious at the time, this is easily fixed by wearing a hat underneath. The best part of the hood is its scuba design, which covers the neck.

The thumbholes pull the sleeves enough to cover the back of the hands completely to the knuckles. The thumbholes sometimes feel tight, especially if extending arms to tie a shoe or drive a car. Otherwise, we don’t notice any discomfort while hiking.

Breathability & Wicking Power

The Cotopaxi’s fabric is so light and porous that it breathes really well and dries quickly. We don’t feel overly sweaty or stuffy during strenuous hill climbs. Overall, this shirt does a great job of keeping us feeling comfortable and cool.

However, when testing on a stationary bike in a still room heated to 64 degrees, it felt like sweat wasn’t wicking as well and started to pool up. The great benefit of this is that the shirt didn’t get wet, and my skin dried quickly. This is especially beneficial for regulating your body temperature during temperature fluctuations in the wild. 

This shirt also felt very comfortable layered under a fleece. During hikes where temps quickly drop around dusk, this shirt wasn’t overly cooling us as some synthetic fibers can do.

We were also impressed with how it remained breathable when hiking uphill with a fully loaded overnight pack on. Like on the stationary bike, it did begin to feel like sweat was pooling on the skin, but it never felt suffocating, stuffy, or overheated.

Versatility

Initially, we weren’t sure that this shirt would stand up to activities beyond day hiking and traveling around town. Because of its short length on women’s versions, we feared it wouldn’t wear well with a backpack on or underneath layers (men’s versions seem to have a more traditional length). 

However, when we took this out on a long hike carrying an overnight backpack, we found it perfectly fine. The only place it might not work well is for biking unless paired with high-waisted pants or an indifferent attitude. 

This shirt looks playful and modern and works well in town. It is rated in the middle of the pack for odor resistance and is treated with a Polygiene anti-odor finish. We feel confident hopping off the trail and wearing it in town without forcing people out of the brewery with our stench. 

Best of all, this shirt has a zippered pocket at the side. This pocket isn’t as large as other options on our sun shirt gear guide, but it will still fit keys, ID, or small snacks

Should You Buy the Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Shirt?

The Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie is a fantastic product that works well in a variety of settings and activities, making it a great bang for the buck. Day hikers and backpackers can enjoy its features, like its security pocket, great breathability, quick dry fabric, fantastic sun protection, and all-day comfort. 

This shirt feels approachable and easygoing. It can be worn every day on the trail or in town and easily withstands fall and spring temperature changes.  

This might not work for women looking for a sun shirt for mountain biking or bike packing. The shorter length tends to ride up the back while cruising around.

What Other Sun Shirts Should You Consider?

We think the Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie is like a sunrise hike, you won’t regret going for it. Still, you might want to check out the other top-rated shirts in our guide to the best sun shirts. Here are a few that give the Sombra a run for its money:

Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down Review: Technical, lightweight, breathable, wicking, and fun, the Jolly Gear is a great alternative for backpacking. This shirt has an amazing chest pocket large enough to fit an iPhone 14+ and the versatility of a button-up shirt. 

Arc’teryx Taema / Cormac Hoody Review: This technical sun shirt can go the distance. Unlike the Cotopaxi, it is long enough to cover past the hips. Its breathable fabric doesn’t have the softest touch or greatest comfort but works well to keep you cool and dry and layers well during winter. 

Minus 33 Micro Weight 1/4 Zip Sun Hoodie Woolverino Review: The Minus 33 is another shirt that bridges the gap between a technical woven shirt and comfort-forward knit shirt. The wool fabric naturally helps regulate body temperature, breathes, wicks, resists odors, and gets softer with each wash.