Long Sleeve Tee – Gold Standard

[Russ W]

So my Outdoor Research Echo Long-Sleeved tee is getting a bit long in the tooth. Quick drying and about  4 ounces for xl, it has been a stellar performer. Thinking about buying a  replacement and thought I would ask around to see if there is a new gold standard out there:

• light weight, less than 5 ounces for xl
• decent sun protection (> 20 spf)
• Quick drying
• Funk resistance would be nice

What would you recommend?

[W I S N E R !]

Nm

[Brad Rogers]

I still think the OR Echo is the gold standard for it’s type of garment.

[Jamie G]

Rab Pulse (if you can find one) is equally as good imo.

[Brad Rogers]

I think the Echo, Pulse, and at least one generation of lightweight capilene are the same fabric.

[YoPrawn]

The OR Echo was completely redesigned for 2022. It is now cut looser all around and the fabric is slightly different with less open space between the grids. It’s now a bit better as a sun shirt and less better as a base layer, which is the way it should be. It’s a sun shirt. There are a billion base layer shirts to choose from. Base layer people need to stop ruining our sun shirts. :)

Tight sun shirts make baby Jesus cry. ;(

If you used yours primarily as just a regular shirt and not for ideal hot weather use, then the redesign might not be your jam, but I have both the 2020 and 2022 models and find the loose cut to be better in hot weather.

[Brad W]

@Johan do you have both 2022 and previous version of the Echo? I’d love to see the material grid pattern comparison. According to OR it should breathe the same..

“The main update seen with the Echo fabric was in the blue sign approved polyester material as we try to move towards more eco friendly recycled products. 
This item should be just as breathable as the previous style with improved stretch!”

[YoPrawn]

I can’t get a photo close enough to show it, but the grid on the older version has thicker squares with more open space between them. The new one has slightly less dense squares and a little more fabric between them.

Both seem the same in terms of CFM/breathability.

It could be I am only seeing something that is cause by manufacturing variation, but I did read that they updated the fabric a little, so that makes sense.

The updated one also has a bit more stretch in the lower-stretch direction. So it overall stretches better in all directions.

The new one will also be more UV resistant over an even area. Since there is less variance between the grid squares and gaps between them, you don’t end up with bright spots and dark spots of light on the skin when in direct contact. For someone just laying out in the sun, not moving, the 2022 fabric should in theory be less likely to allow any small areas of skin to burn from UV more than others, if that makes sense.

[Joey G]

I have 3 OR Echos, 2 Rab pulses, 2 Fjallraven Abisko Sun hoodies, and 4 Arcteryx motus’s. Yes I have a problem. However, this is my everyday wardrobe as well. :)

I use the echos and pulses during summer. The echos are a little lighter IMO. I will say though they both get little fabric strings snaging out from them. Like gear will rub against them and pull out a string or something.

Both the arcteryx motus and fjallraven abikso sun hoody are thicker and I only wear them is temps are below 75.  Both seem very durable for backpacking trips. I haven’t tried the motus hoody yet, but I think that would be my favorite of all these.

[HkNewman]

If an extra 0.4 oz wouldn’t be a problem, I’ve been using the Patagonia Cool Daily Long sleeve (SPF was 50 but knocked to 30 on an older version).  As the name suggests the fabric actually cools in my 400 (so far) miles of mostly desert hiking in it.  I used the regular crew but added the sun hoody version too.  Has a soft feel too.   I went with it wanting a crew neck as my old Columbia button-down let my  neck-chest region get broiled .. and the sun protection has been great (no burn like other hikers got wearing  lesser garments and my prior “sizzle” marks are gone).  It’s also like wearing an A/C if there’s a little breeze.  About to test it in humidity though..

Speaking of Columbia, a couple years ago I did the same basic hiking using a Columbia version of a crew neck, sun-protective  wicking long sleeve (think some sort of “run” layer) which was even softer but every branch I hit caused a rip.

[Brad Rogers]

@Johan  – I think you are right.  I have a “Pebble” color short sleeve shirt from 2020 and just got a “Pebble” color hoody from 2022 and after a close inspection there is an ever so slight difference between the fabrics.  I’ll try and get a picture of it later and see if it shows up.

I hope the fabric performance is the same.  OR Echo shirts are my favorites for hot conditions, both backpacking and running.

[Brad Rogers]

[Link .]

I have not seen it in person but I know someone that has one of these KETL NOFRY SUN HOODIE and says he has high hopes that is going to like it better than his Echo hoodie, he is going to get back to me on it at the end of summer.

[YoPrawn]

2022 on the left and 2020 on the right? Seems pretty obvious to me. Didn’t think that would show in a photo. Kinda fail on my part, as I’m a semi-professional photographer of 3 decades. LOL

[Brad Rogers]

Correct 2022 on the left and 2020 on the right.

[Dustin V]

+1 for Patagonia Cool Daily. I nabbed a hoodie version relatively cheap in the back of REI. I can feel the cooling effect. It is stretchy, soft and the hood fits my noggin nicely. I sorta wish it had thumb holes.

[Brad Rogers]

Curious as to what makes the fabric cooling?  I’ve not seen one in person, but from pictures on the website it doesn’t appear to be as thin or breathable as the OR Echo material.  Is it made out of Polartec Delta (which is supposed to be cooling)?

[Dustin V]

I dunno how the cooling magic happens, but there is a noticeable difference between the Patagonia and a TNF Hyperlayer hoodie (also picked up cheap). I frequently choose the TNF hoodie for morning runs because it is a little bit warm, while the Patagonia just feels better in sunny conditions.

[Brad W]

@Brad did you size down for the 2022 Echo? I found them loose and kind of sloppy compared to the slimmer 2021 and previous fits.

[Brad Rogers]

I didn’t size down as I didn’t know they’d changed the sizing.  It’s brand new, tags still on it so I tried it on.  It is slightly bigger than my 2020 but since I am currently 175lbs instead of the 160lbs I used to be (and still should be) I think it will be OK for my use as a single layer garment in the sun.  If I was using as a baselayer, I would definitely size down.

[Russ W]

Thanks all for the responses. I couldn’t locate the RAB shirt but read these were on the slim size, so unfortunately that would knock it out for me.  The Ketl product was interesting but I’m not looking for a hoodie. It is an interesting brand though and worth keeping an eye on.

Sounds like the OR Echo and Patagonia Cool Daily will both fit the bill and I’ll likely get both to compare and contrast.

Thanks for the insight.

[Mike M]

I still think the OR Echo is the gold standard for it’s type of garment.

I concur; I haven’t bought a new one yet as I have about 5 of the older ones :)

shoulder/winter season I use a Sitka Core Lightweight hoody- almost as breathable/fast drying, just slight heavier fabric (grid fabric)

[Brett Peugh]

It is good to see that OR is making a hoody in white-ish again.  Too bad the Pat Cool Daily is not but their long sleeve shirt is.  Wasn’t Steve Sebeer talking about a shirt that breathes even better than the Echo?

[Brad Rogers]

I agree about the light colors.  I always wonder who buys a black (or other dark color) sun hoody.  It seems the market for the Echo hoody – a super thin, light, and breathable hoody is for sun protection in warmer environments and light colors make a huge difference in those conditions.

[Keith T]

Does anyone know the difference between the Echo material and the ActiveIce material?

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