Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down Sun Shirt Review

Bottom Line

The Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down (men’s / women’s) is an excellent choice from our guide to the best sun shirts for someone looking for a shirt that blends performance apparel, outdoorsy style, and wearability.  Thoughtful design elements –– like oversized chest pockets and adjustable hood, add to the overall wearability. 

The style choices are outrageous, from the ‘80s-inspired Kaleidoscope pattern (see photos in this review) to the Pool Party pattern (pretzels, popsicles, and donuts) and invite that trail party spirit. At least, I told a friend if anyone ever kidnapped you on trail, witnesses will know if and when they passed you leading up to it. 

While on the more expensive side of the sun shirt world, the quality and engineering put into this top is worth the extra dough. 

It’s also made by a small, independent company, which is reflected in the price. I also found the company’s customer service extremely helpful and prompt in their response.

How We Tested

Our comparison testing included day hikes, some without a pack and others with a fully loaded, overnight pack. These hikes included some stormy weather, while others were clear, sunny, and cool. The shirt was also tested while road biking through the hilly streets of Reno, Nevada. 

Comfort

If your sun shirt isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t matter how well it protects you from the sun. That’s why comfort is the first and foremost metric here. The Jolly Gear dominates in this category. 

From first touch, this shirt made us happy. The silky material on the arms feels great against the skin, as does the lightweight, woven body. The body and arms are loose and flowy, providing a comfortable fit. This shirt helps air circulate well, has excellent ventilation, and has one of the lowest GSMs (grams per square meter) out of the shirts we tested. The material is a blend of polyester and spandex that helps keep the shirt dry and gives the body a gentle stretch.

Before taking it out to test, there was worry that this shirt would not be comfortable under a pack, especially after noticing how it started to bunch up while slouching on the couch. The concern was that its structured design and low stretch through the arms and shoulders, paired with its looser fit would pull out of place with a pack on, demanding constant adjustment. However, this shirt was zero fuss while wearing a loaded overnight pack. It stayed exactly where it needed to be.

Sun Protection

While UPF 30 does garner this a Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation, it isn’t as high as other picks in this category. The shirt a hood and extended cuffs with thumbholes to increase sun protection. 

The button-front design allows wearers to button the shirt as high as they like, providing some sun protection at the neck. The loose fit means that no part of the fabric hugs the body, making us feel like it gives some better protection –– UPF ratings degrade if a fabric is stretched. 

Though the thumb holes at the cuffs pulled the sleeve well past our knuckles, they were tight and uncomfortable. While hiking with this shirt, we often found it more comfortable to unhook thumbs altogether. Even with the thumbs out of the holes, the cuffs do a good job of keeping the hands covered. 

The hood cinches at either side, but it felt like it was falling all over the place even with these adjustments. It would fall back at the slightest wind. Like most sun shirt hoodies, the hood fits better with a cap underneath.

Breathability & Wicking Power

This sun shirt ranked highly on both breathability and wicking scores because of its unique mesh fabric on the body. As documented in photos, the mesh pattern allows air to flow, providing a cooling touch when performing strenuous activities. 

We never felt overly sweaty, mucky, or gross when tested on a sunny, 50+ degree day with a fully loaded overnight pack on and then again on a challenging bike ride. Bonus: once we finished our activities, we found hardly any saturated spots on the shirt.

Versatility

The features of the Jolly Gear make this a standout. A favorite is the two large chest pockets secured with a zipper. These pockets are large enough to fit an iPhone 14+ (6.33 in by 3.05 in) –– an anomaly in outdoor gear, especially for women’s specific styles. Even with this brick of a phone in the pocket and a fully loaded overnight pack on, this shirt showed no signs of discomfort. 

It has a ponytail slot in the hood so that users with long hair can sling hair through, giving greater options for keeping cool. The button-front design certainly acts as a feature as wearers can adjust the openness of the body. The button cuffs (complete with thumbholes) allow adjustments to customize the fit.

Though the features are amazing, this shirt might not be the most comfortable design to fit under layers like a puffer for cooler weather, so it tends to be most versatile in the summer.

Should You Buy the Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down hoodie?

If you are a backpacker, this is the adventure top for you. When testing this shirt, fantasies of future thru-hikes distracted the miles. The pockets alone make this a win. 

Though it doesn’t have as great of a UPF rating as comparable sun shirts, it still provides good coverage and the Skin Cancer Foundation’s seal of approval. Pockets to stash phone, snacks, and maps at the chest is a golden ticket. No more worrying about the size of your hip belt pockets or what fanny pack to supplement your quick-grab necessities.

Because of the lightweight, breathable, and wicking fabric, this thing will make you feel your best after long ascents with a pack on. It will dry quickly so that as you hike into evening temperatures, you’re not putting yourself in an uncomfortable or potentially dangerous situation.

What Other Sun Shirts Should You Consider?

The Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down is only one of many amazing sun shirts to consider for your next adventure. Find other options below and on our complete sun shirt guide. 

Outdoor Research Echo Review: If breathability, wicking, and dry time stood out in the Jolly Gear Triple Crown Button Down, the Outdoor Research Echo is worthy of your attention. This sun shirt is the lightest we tested and one of the most breathable of the bunch. It dries within ten minutes of inactivity and feels like you are wearing nothing. This choice, however, has a lower UPF rating (15-20) and is see-through, which might not be comfortable for all. 

Minus 33 Micro Weight 1/4 Zip Sun Hoodie Woolverino Review: The Minus 33 sun shirt has a comparable ability to breathe and wick. Though this is a knit top, it has an ultra-light wool fabric that reigns with the natural powers of this fiber. It is a good option because the wool fabric helps regulate body temperatures to keep up on steep climbs and chilly descents. This shirt has a snugger, body-hugging fit and takes a bit longer to dry. It is also more expensive than the Jolly Gear. 

Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie Review: The Cotopaxi is a great option for a backpacking shirt that will keep up on long thru-ikes because it has a relaxed body style, excellent UPF sun protection (50+), technical woven fabric, and similar features (pocket, hood, and thumbholes). It is slightly shorter than the Jolly, which might not work for everyone or every outdoor activity, but it’s cheaper.