Voormi River Run Hoodie Review
Reading Time: 7 minutes The Voormi River Run Hoodie is a long-sleeve, lightweight wool blend hoodie with thumb loops, a relaxed fit, and a 30 UPF rating. It’s great for shielding you from the sun whilst enjoying and frolicking in the outdoors.
Based in Colorado (but expanding into Montana), Voormi makes a wide selection of apparel, and the River Run Hoodie was my introduction to them. I discovered the hoodie a year ago in my search for a new lightweight wool hoodie (after Icebreaker discontinued their Sphere Hoodie) and I’ve been wearing it ever since.
Testing Conditions
I used the River Run Hoodie hiking 1,000 mi / 1,600 km on the Pacific Crest Trail and on numerous shorter trips including the Wonderland Trail and the Lowest to Highest Route. Basically, I’ve spent a lot of nights in it in wildly diverse conditions (rain, snow, desert, back of a car, etc.)
River Run Hoodie Notes
- I am 5’10” / 178 cm tall and weigh 185 lbs / 84 kg. I have the River Run Hoodie in a large and feel like it’s the right fit for me. The arms were a bit tight when I first got it, but they’ve loosened up with time. My torso probably could fit into a medium, but I would be worried about the arms being too tight (on me).
The Specs
- Fabric Weight: 100 g/m2
- Weight: 7 oz / 186 g
- Fabric: 57% wool / 43% polyester
- UPF Rating: 30
- Sleeve Length: Long
- Hood: Yes
- Thumb Loops: Yes
- Colors: Black, Chalk, Denim, Pebble, Sapphire, Harvest, Blowdown, Cloud, Red Rock, Silver, Mineral
- Country of Origin: USA
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
- MSRP: $129
The Features
- Naturally UV protecting, thermally-regulating merino wool
- Thin layer of moisture-wicking synthetic fibers underneath for exceptional performance
- Relaxed, full-cover hood
- Integrated thumb loops
The Good
The Comfort: The Voormi River Run Hoodie is comfortable. I sleep in it most nights (when on overnight backpacking trips) and rarely take it off during the day. The hood is large and comfortable (and fits over the brim of my hat if I need it to – wind, etc.) and the “relaxed fit” is an accurate description of the hoodie. Again, I have the River Run in a large.
The Drying: The River Run Hoodie dries quickly. I’ve had no problem getting it completely soaked via either exposure to rain or jumping into the water with it (paddleboarding) and then wearing it comfortably until it dried. Wringing it out and then drying it at night (in the case of hiking into the night while it’s raining) hasn’t proven to be an issue either.
The Smell: As I mentioned above, I’ve literally worn the River Run Hoodie for a week without taking it off – exerting myself all day, every day during said week (i.e. lots of sweat). I’ve had tops in the past that have begun stinking to the point of people around me complaining about my stench. I’ve encountered no such issue with the River Run. That is not to say that it will keep you from smelling bad (or that the garment itself will smell good), but it is to say that the hoodie will not serve to amplify your stench.
The Okay
The Fading: The material of Voormi River Run Hoodie has faded over time and you can see a distinct line where my backpack sits. I have the “Red Rock” color which is fairly light to begin with. I imagine the discoloration would have been more dramatic had I gone with a darker color.
The Stock: One real problem with the River Run Hoodie? It’s hard to find all sizes and all colors in stock at any given time (this includes the stock on the Voormi site). I ended up with Red Rock color because it was light (I didn’t want to unnecessarily soak up UV rays), but also because it was the only color available when I went to purchase it. This is also why I went with a large instead of a medium (but I think this ended up being a good thing).
The Sleeves: I found the sleeves on River Run Hoodie to be a little tight when I first got it. I usually pull the sleeves on my hoodie up when I’m getting hot and this was difficult with the River Run. That said, after a number of washes and many days (or maybe weeks) or wear, The sleeves now come up no problem.
The Bad
The Price: The River Run Hoodie is expensive at $129. You could get some version or nearly every other piece of backpacking gear for that price. That said, it’s a small domestic operation with their eyes set on a premium-quality product, so you can at least know that the price is worth it. I have yet to have an experience with Voormi customer service. The website does not explicitly mention any warranty but they state in the Returns/Exchanges section that “Repairs will be done at a reasonable charge, if not under warranty.” So I guess we can assume their garments are covered for defects.
The Thumbholes: The River Run Hoodie has thumbholes. Excellent. However, these are actually small elastic loops that your thumbs can go through and not the traditional gap in the seam of the sleeve type thumbholes. I really don’t like it. I end up having to use them because I find it weird to just have the elastic hanging free at the end of the sleeve, but it feels a bit strange and it gives you an even stranger tan line. Maybe there’s some other activity where these types of thumbholes are advantageous, but they feel cheap to me (that said, I have yet to break one of the elastic thumb bands).
Who is it for?
The River Run Hoodie is for everyone looking for a comfortable top to protect them from the sun whether it’s for hiking through the desert, high alpine environments, or paddling down a river. The large hood fits over hats or helmets making the River Run a versatile piece of gear. Too warm? Roll up the sleeves. Don’t like the thumb straps? Cut them out. I am considering getting myself a second one at the moment (if only they were in stock).
Most-Popular Alternatives
| Hoody | Weight | Price | Fabric Weight | Materials | UPF | Thumbholes | Hood Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridge Merino Solstice | 8.7 oz / 247 g | $85 | 145 GSM | 87% Merino, 13% Nylon | 30+ | Yes | Drawstring |
| Ridge Merino Solstice Pro | 9 oz / 255 g | $99 | 150 GSM | 87% Merino, 13% Nylon | 30+ | Yes | Drawstring |
| Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily | 6.3 oz / 179 g | $65 | N/A | 100% Recycled Polyester | 20+ | Yes | None |
| Free Fly Elevate | N/A | $88 | 175 GSM | 83% Recycled Polyester, 11% Lyocell, 6% Spandex | 30+ | Yes | None |
| Voormi River Run | 7 oz / 186 g | $139 | 100 GSM | Blended Wool | 30+ | Yes | Button |
| Smartwool Hoodie | 8.1 oz / 230 g | $100 | N/A | 50% Merino, 50% Cotton | 40+ | Yes | None |
| Smartwool Active Mesh Hoodie | N/A | $100 | N/A | 53% Merino, 47% Lyocell | N/A | No | None |
| Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake | 4.2 oz / 119 g | $70 | N/A | 88% Polyester, 12% Elastane | 50 | Yes | None |
| Patagonia Tropic Comfort Natural UPF | 9.35 oz / 265 g | $99 | N/A | 96% Modal Sun, 4% Spandex | 40+ | Yes | Button |
| Backcountry Tahoe | 7.2 oz / 204 g | $69 | N/A | 74% Polyester, 14% Cationic Polyester, 12% Spandex | 50+ | Yes | None |
| REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie | 8.8 oz / 250 g | $50 | N/A | 92% Polyester. 8% Spandex | 50+ | Yes | None |
| NRS H2Core Silkweight | 11 oz / 312 g | $75 | N/A | 85% Recycled Polyester, 15% Recycled Spandex Blend | 50+ | Yes | Button |
| Kuiu Gila LS | 6.7 oz / 190 g | $79 | 135 GSM | 92% Polyester 8% Spandex | 50+ | No | None |
| éclipse 37.5 Hoodie Shirt | 7.9 oz / 224 g | $93 | N/A | 87% 37.5 Polyester, 13% Spandex | 50+ | Yes | None |
| Town Shirt Sun Hoodie | 8.5 oz / 241 g | $85 | N/A | 88% Polyester 12% Spandex | 50+ | Yes | None |
| Beyond Clothing Geo-T LS | 8.2 oz / 233 g | $30 | N/A | 84% Polyester, 8% Ionic, 8% Elastane | 50 | Yes | None |
| Western Rise Session Sun Hoody | 5.2 oz / 147 g | $88 | N/A | 100% Polyester | 50+ | No | None |
Conclusion
Despite its strange thumbhole solution and lack of stock, the Voormi River Run Hoodie is an awesome hoodie and is still one of my favorites. If you’re looking for an awesome and breathable top to protect you from the sun (even in high temperatures), then I suggest you give it a look.
Check out the Voormi River Run Hoodie here.
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