REI Sahara Shade Sun Shirt Review

Bottom Line

The REI Sahara Shade (men’s / women’s) has held a spot on our guide to the best sun shirts of the year for a long time. We’ve had many CH gear analysts cover thousands of miles trashing this top, and the jury is in: it’s a buy.

Not only has it been awarded Best Budget Buy two years in a row, but it is also a simple, comfortable, and flattering top. Having said that, this is not a technical shirt and won’t dry, breathe, or wick like other shirts within the review. While it can work as a base layer during colder months, it is not ideal for this. 

This shirt is a great value for casual, bluebird day hikers who like to hike an average of 6 miles per trip and return to the car before the sun sets. It also would be a great value for those who would wear this around town as well. 

In full disclosure, gear analyst Helena bought this shirt two years ago and wore it for her 2022 John Muir Trail thru-hike. Notes from her experience there are included throughout this review.

How We Tested

To test this year’s version of the Sahara Shade, our gear analysts took this shirt on a number of adventures, including road biking, long walks, and easy hikes under 10 miles. These tests were completed during varying temperatures and weather.  

Comfort

The REI Sahara Shade rates very highly for comfort. Its knit body has excellent stretch, good fit, and a soft handfeel. 

What stands out the most about this top is the flattering fit. The shape of the body is accentuated by the exaggerated shirttail hem, though not all reviewers were fans of this. 

The fabric is comfortable and soft, crafted from a polyester and spandex blend that ensures stretch and durability. The fabric is also bluesign approved, which indicates that REI adhered to or ensured strict safety and environmental requirements were followed during production. This is another top that you just sort of forget you’re wearing because it is so easy and comfortable. 

Though this shirt washes well and without any fussy settings, it does tend to hold residual smell after strenuous activity.

Sun Protection

The REI Sahara Shade also outperforms a lot of other shirts in the sun protection category. This shirt offers great sun protection through an UPF 50+ rating, a hood with a high neck, and thumbholes. 

50+ is the highest UPF rating of sun protection a garment can be awarded. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, this means that your skin is protected from 98% of the sun’s rays. The foundation says this UPF rating is “excellent.” 

The hood was nice and fit really well. We found that it did not fall on our faces or fall off while hiking. A drawstring at the hood opening aids in adjusting the size to fit the needs of each hiker. When the hood is up, it also pulls up fabric to cover the neck. This coverage is great, and the fabric doesn’t pull or press on the neck at all.  

When hands are put through the thumbholes, the sleeves pull up to completely cover the hands.

Breathability & Wicking Power

Breathability, wicking, and drying time are not where the REI Sahara Shade shines. You’re getting what you pay for here. 

During an 8 mile walk on a super windy, cold day, we layered a fleece and puffy over it, but then overheated. Taking off the layers didn’t solve the temperature regulation issues because then the shirt feels extra cold when it’s wet with sweat. 

While hiking the JMT in an older version of the Sahara Shade, we would soak this top with sweat. The result wasn’t ideal; we would be soaked at the summits where wind would rapidly cool the wet shirt. The way down would feel slightly cold. Then it would take a while to dry.

On warmer outings, we find that we are constantly taking off thumbholes and pushing our sleeves up to free ourselves from the heat and sweat trapped within this shirt. Because it isn’t the best at breathing or wicking, this is not the shirt we reach for if we know we are going to break a sweat.

Versatility

Though this fronts as a no-frills, straight-forward sun shirt, the REI Sahara Shade has a beautiful style that looks just as lovely paired with jeans to wear around town as it does covered in sweat at the summit. 

If we haven’t made it abundantly clear, this sun shirt wins major versatility points for its townie transferability. However, it is not the ideal choice for year-round wear. For something that layers well and feels comfortable, look for something with a more breathable and wicking fabric.

Should You Buy the REI Sahara Shade Sun Shirt?

The REI Sahara Shade is a great pick for those looking for a casual hiking shirt that has excellent sun protection and comfortable fit. Though it doesn’t breathe, wick, or dry quickly, this top is still perfectly comfortable for the hiker. It is also a great value as the cheapest on our sun shirt guide but also can be squeezed for all of its value. It transitions easily from trail to town and withstands a brutal amount of time on trail. 

This shirt is probably not the best fit for those looking to tackle larger adventures as its lack of breathability and wicking can cause some discomfort during strenuous activity. 

What Other Sun Shirts Should You Consider?

Below are more highly rated sun shirts from our annual guide to the best sun shirts: 

Cotopaxi Sombra Sun Hoodie Review:  This is one that feels cute and looks good and provides great sun protection and will take you farther on the trail is Cotopaxi. This is not a knit, however, so it won’t have the same handfeel that the REI delivers. 

Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long Sleeve Hoody Review: This knit is lighter and dries quicker than the REI Sahara Shade, but retains excellent sun protection and silky soft fabric. The fit of the Mountain Hardware isn’t as favored as the REI, but its great stretch makes up for that. 

Minus 33 Micro Weight 1/4 Zip Sun Hoodie Woolverino Review: If you like the soft and stretchy feeling of a knit fabric but want more technical features, the Minus 33 is a great option. Natural wool delivers an ultra lightweight fabric that breathes, wicks, and helps regulate body temperature. This option does not have the relaxed fit of the REI, however.