Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody

Review by Erin Trail

The Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody is new this season to the Marmot spring/summer line.  It features lightweight, UPF 50 fabric to give women a protective but breathable layer for warmer weather activities.

Sun hoodys are gaining popularity as a way to cover up when being active.  The sunblocking properties elimited the need for sunscreen and the breathable sleeves and scuba hood can help people stay covered while being active in warmer climates.

The Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody is made from 100% Pre-Consumer Recycled Polyester.  The fabric is light and soft while also being pretty durable.

The shirt has a scuba hood that’s secure fitting but not uncomfortable.  The sleeves have thumb holes at the wrists, allowing for some extra sun protection over the wearer’s hands. There’s also a small pocket on the right lower side of the shirt, not big enough for a phone, but big enough for a small snack or an ID card.

Detailed Review

I’ve been wearing the Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody during my spring lunchtime runs, while mountain biking, and while on a camping trip in Fruita, Colorado.  I love sun hoodies because of their flexibility.  You can wear them for cooler and warmer activities. They also make a nice looking layer for casual settings.

According to the Marmot size guide, I’m a pretty solid size medium.  I find that the Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody runs big and ordered a size down.  I think it’s because the shirt has a boxy shape, making it fit a little looser. I often am wearing shirts like this under a running vest or bike hydration pack, and extra fabric just bunches up. I like a bit more fitted shirt and found that a size smaller worked for me.

The fabric is light and breathable. It’s also durable.  I’m one of those crazy cat ladies, often indiscriminately picking up my cat.  The Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody can survive my cat’s claws – it doesn’t pull or tear.  The shirt also doesn’t collect dirt.  I had a decent mountain bike crash while wearing the shirt.  The dirt came right off with a few brushes of my hand and didn’t show any damage from the crash.

I didn’t wear any sunscreen while testing this shirt.  Most of my activities were in the 1-2 hour range. I’m very pale and usually sunburn easily.  I’m happy to report that the Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody kept my skin sunburn free.

I thought the wrist openings of the Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody were the perfect diameter.  Not too big and loose, but not so tight that I couldn’t pull my sleeve up to look at my Garmin watch. I could do without the small side pocket, mostly because I usually wear a pack or have other clothing items with pockets.  I did find that the pocket opening didn’t interfere with my bike hydration pack, so if I wanted to use it, I could.

Closing Thoughts

The Marmot Women’s AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody is a 100% recycled polyester shirt that is breathable, soft, and durable. This shirt is really comfortable for a wide variety of activities, offering both coverage and sun protection to it’s wearer. The shirt is designed to fit looser, so if that’s not your vibe, order down a size.

Erin Trail