“The best thing to do would be to get the Montbell one, remove (or modify with a split) the pocket, and possibly put in a full-length zip.”
Or to pick up an inexpensive loose poly or 60/40 poly cotton shirt from a thrift shop, Walmart, etc. and combine it with a Sunday Afternoons, Solumbra or other brand hat that has a wide brim and flexible back-of-the-neck tail, like my SA Adventure Hat.
I want to believe there’s a very cool lightweight shirt like the Montbell out there that really works in hot weather, but I’ve been disappointed so many times. The thinnest synthetic L/S shirt I have is an REIÂ attempt at a Patagonia Silkweight Capilene-like material, and it’s unbelievably hot to wear in warm weather. Speaking of which, there was some Patagonia hot/sunny-weather tropical synthetic L/S collared button-down shirt they marketed years ago which felt like wearing a plastic bag – returned it immediately. For all the talk of testing it’s as if not a single person tried it in hot weather before it was sold.
Many of these types of tops have spandex for stretch and that just seems to make clothes feel hotter.
I know you’re looking for the hoody + hat. You could probably get similar coverage from a hat with a neck cape that meets at your chin.
Has anyone compared the latest versions of the Patagonia L/S hot weather hoodies with the Montbell for coolness in hot sunny weather?