Used everywhere, for all weather and conditions, the Outdoor Vitals Ultralight Merino Hoodie has become a staple for early morning trail runs, around town or as a layering piece. With stretchy comfort and fantastic performance, you can add this one to the list of great hoodies to have.
Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Hoodie Features:
- Merino wool bled using Nuyarn spinning technology
- Lightweight fabric for summer use or winter layering
- Flat-lock seams throughout
- Raglan sleeves
- Minimalist hood
- Bacteria and odor resistant
- UPF 36+
- MSRP: $84.97
Going full Tern
Using the latest Merino wool blending technology developed by Nuyarn, the Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Hoodie has all the benefits of natural wool fibers with the best aspects of synthetics. This spinning technology is built to take Merino wool even farther than before. Having tested just about everything made from Merino wool in the past 15 years, I’m a huge fan. But, it’s not perfect. Tops on that list is that it tends to lose its structure when saturated — making things a little frumpy on a long trail run.
While every Merino garment is built with some sort of synthetic blend, each one is unique. So, what Nuyarn is bringing to the table takes those blends and applies additional twist (er, non-twist) to it. It actually drafts the Merino fibers alongside a filament core. The result is added loft, increased moisture flow, improved dry times, increased elasticity and more. In essence, Nuyarn is taking Merino to another level of performance, and it shows in this hoodie.
Outdoor Vitals is a scrappy team, with a focused product line, so the Term Ultralight Hoodie fits right in. A lightweight hoodie is essential for year-round use that can add a little warmth in the winter or sun coverage in the summer. Plus, hoodies just look cool, right?
Upon closer inspection, it’s awesome to see just how the Nuyarn fibers are woven to make this hoodie. It’s a thin fabric, but the details of it reveal that the inner weave differs from the outer. So, even with something as thin as this, the performance is optimized for next-to-skin comfort and moisture management and outer airflow, stretch and durability. And, flat seams stay out of the way of straps and reduce discomfort.
I’ve been happily using the Tern Ultralight Hoodie for winter trail running, under an outer layer, like the Outdoor Vitals Vario Jacket and various other outer layers. The only negative with the hoodie is it can become clunky with a snug jacket. Do I drop the hoodie outside or leave it inside? Beyond that, the hoodie still remains a positive feature and something that comes in handy should additional coverage be needed (sun or cold).
No matter the conditions, the benefits of Merino come into play — with added warmth in the winter and cooling in the summer. I can go from cold/dry conditions in Utah to humid and hot conditions in Minnesota with this hoodie. When saturated, it does get a little saggy, but it does maintain structure better than other Merino shirts/hoodies I’ve got. I love how well it breathes and how quickly it dries. The overall fit is a little more generous than other Outdoor Vitals pieces, so I went with a medium, which fits perfect. With a drop-tail, I get a little more coverage too.
Merino wool is renowned for its antimicrobial properties. Most shirts can be worn several times without getting too stinky. This one does a better job than lesser fibers, but isn’t the best of the Merino shirts I’ve tried. I’d say the Ibex Merino Tencel Short Sleeve is among the best in that regard.
Fit: I’m 5’11” and 175 lbs, wearing the size medium.
The Good
- Nuyarn technology offers increased performance
- Always-comfortable and ready for all conditions
- Breathes well and dries quickly
- Less odor issues than most fabrics
- Raglan sleeves keep the seams off the shoulders
The Bad
- Odor performance is good, but not best-in-class
- Hem tends to flare a little
The Bottom Line: Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Hoodie
For such a small outfit, Outdoor Vitals has really benefited from smart fabric choices and solid partnerships. Choosing to use Nuyarn to make the Tern Ultralight Hoodie was a smart choice and results in a great overall package. The Tern is one of my favorites and has been a staple for trail running from winter and now into summer.
Buy Now: Available from Outdoor Vitals
