KÜHL Solis™ Hoody
Review by Erin Trail
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody is a lightweight, performance driven layer that moves well and offers UPF 30+ sun protection.
Details
- Lightweight | 140 GSM
- Odor-resistant
Stretchy, soft, durable, and breathable - UPF 30+
- Snap at hood (neckline) for more coverage
- Ponytail opening
- Concealed zippered pocket for stashing essentials
- KÜHL signature thumb loops
- Hang loop
- Raglan sleeves for ease of movement
Review
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody has become my go-to layer for summer evening mountain bike rides where temperatures start warm and (sometimes) cool off as clouds roll in.
I am a size medium on the KÜHL size guide and found that the Solis™ Hoody is true to size. The fit is athletic, but there’s plenty of stretch and room to move. The sleeves hit just below my wrist, giving great sun coverage and access to the thumb holes.
The hood also fits well. It easily goes over a trucker cap and the pony tail hole is high, aligning with the gap in the back of my hats, making for an easy pass through for my unruly hair.
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody has a zippered pocket, located along the side seam at the hip. It’s not large enough for a phone, but it will definitely fit a car key, small snacks and your ID securely.
Differentiating itself from other sun hoodys is the fabric of the KÜHL Solis™ Hoody. It’s textured, looking slightly like seersucker. The fabric is also very lightweight while being durable. This shirt has been exposed to cat’s claws and scratchy brush oak and it still looks great. I’ve also worn this shirt beneath a run pack, and there’s no signs of wear at the typical high-contact spots.
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody has been a great option for my weekly Thursday night mountain bike ride. I often start my ride around 5 PM, which is usually about the warmest part of the day. I’ll ride until 7 PM, and sometimes things stay warm…. and sometimes the clouds roll through. This hoody has been a great one shirt solution for managing our variable weather during these rides.
For me, this shirt is really best at the bike park, where high elevation means extra sun exposure. I like to wear long sleeve shirts at bike parks, so I have additional skin protection. I was really pleased to find out that, while the arms are athletic, there’s plenty of stretch to accommodate elbow pads without restriction when riding aggressively. It breathes incredibly well, meaning I can stay covered up even in direct sunlight.
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody is the perfect hem length to accommodate a hip pack. There’s not so much fabric where it flares out at the bottom. There’s just the right amount of hem length, preventing the shirt from creeping up and popping out above the pack.
While I mainly wore the KÜHL Solis™ Hoody mountain biking, I think it would perform well hiking, trail running, and for water activities. The color I received (Grenadine) is also wonderful. It’s saturated and bright, which makes it difficult to take great photos while outside, but it looks fantastic in real life.
Closing Thoughts
The KÜHL Solis™ Hoody is available for women in three colorways (white, grenadine, and lilac). The Solis™ line is also available as a women’s t-shirt and long sleeve shirt.
Erin Trail
Trail Boss of Stoke
Erin is a former Montana park ranger with a degree in environmental engineering. She loves getting into technical details while putting her gear (and herself) through the paces. She shares her home in Colorado with her husband, Will, and her 3 cats (Zipper, Brewtus, and Simcoe).
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