Lightweight, breathable hoodies are my go-to for all-around adventures. While Black Diamond has made the Alpenglo Hoody as a climbing piece, I’ve loved taking it on a variety of adventures (and non-adventures) for more than 6 months. It’s become a staple in my regular routine — hiking, trail running, travel and everything in-between.
Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody Features:
- UPF 50+ sun protection
- BD.cool in-fabric cooling technology
- Underarm gussets for added range of motion
- Under-the-helmet hood
- Polygiene odor control treatment
- Regular fit
- MSRP: $95
Light, comfortable and breathable hoody
Arriving just in time for an Alaskan cruise in July, the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody immediately became my go-to for cold flights and cool Alaska summer weather. Pulling it on, the polyester/elastane fabric is immediately-comfortable and breathable. Intended to be a sun hoody, the Alpenglow features a highly-breathable mesh fabric that stretches and moves with you. It offers a loose, comfortable fit that isn’t restrictive and just feels great.
On the flight from Salt Lake to Seattle, the weather was in the 90’s in Utah, but much cooler in Seattle. Airplanes are notoriously cold and I went comfortably from the dry heat to the cool air of an Alaska Air flight and the Alpenglow breathed well in the heat and remained comfortable and then added coverage and slight warmth on the flight. I think I’ve found the ultimate travel hoody.
Aside from travel goodness, I’ve appreciated the Alpenglow for trail running and hiking in the Wasatch Mountains — Black Diamond’s home turf. Whether wearing it with the Black Diamond Sierra Shorts for hiking, climbing or around town or the Patagonia Endless Run Shorts on a trail run, the Alpenglow Hoodie is an easy grab-and-go layer.
For warm weather, the mesh BD.cool material breathes well in the summer and provides sun protection. For added coverage, the hood can be pulled up to protect from the sun’s rays. The hood isn’t quite large enough to wear over a climbing helmet, but it’s pretty darn close. Compared to the Arc’teryx Motus AR Hoody, this hood is seemingly made for Megamind’s gargantuan blue noggin. When in use, it covers with plenty of room to spare and when not in use, it does tend to flop around — sometimes annoyingly. I’d say BD needs to decide if the hood is form-fitting or helmet-compatible because it’s squarely on the almost-helmet side of the spectrum.
One particularly-cold morning, I did have to pull the hood on top of my running hat to add as much warmth as possible. On that run, I was grateful for the extra large diameter hood as it fit over my hat and provided added coverage when I needed it. Other than that, I’d prefer a little more streamlined hood.
The mesh fabric does dry out in a jiffy, even after being saturated on a long trail run. And, I’ve found I can wear it on multiple runs without it becoming too stinky. Polygiene for the win! Again, this material is optimized for warm-weather use, but it does work well in cool weather.
Fit: I’m 5’11” and 175 lbs wearing the size medium.
The Good:
- Versatile fit for all-around use
- Mesh fabric is comfortable next-to-skin
- Awesome layer for year-round use
- Sun protection aplenty
The Bad:
- Sleeves could be a little longer and thumb loops would be nice
- I’d appreciate a more form-fitting hood
The Bottom Line: Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody
A staple and regular in my weekly repertoire, the Alpenglow Hoody is easy to love, use and abuse. As a summer layer, it breathes well and provides ample sun protection in the mountains or on the water. I love it as a travel layer and appreciate the comfortable fit for daily use.
Buy Now: Visit BlackDiamondEquipment.com
