Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody Review

When you want it all – great sun protection, top-notch breathability, tons of features, and comfort to spare –- then look no further than the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody. No single detail was overlooked when designing the Alpenglow Pro; because of that, it has something for everyone. This top-tier hoody is perfect for fisherpeople, thru-hikers, and those simply looking to soak up a little less sun on a hot summer's day.

Sun Protection

The BD Alpenglow Pro delivers excellent sun protection, starting with its UPF 40+ rated fabric. Extra-long sleeves, thumb loops, extra-long torso, drop hem, and an extra-large hood (with the front zip to cinch it up against your neck) all combine to make sure this protective, UPF 40+ fabric covers your whole upper body.

The hood is roomy enough to be comfortable whether we were wearing a climbing helmet or a ball cap, and we appreciated the elastic strip around the edges that keeps it from blowing off when we topped windy ridges. The Alpenglow Pro would make an excellent fishing shirt, given its full coverage fit.

While past versions of this shirt had an exceptional UPF 50+ rating, it has dropped to 40+ in this year's iteration. However, we did a rough check using a simple photochromic UV intensity card, and it still shows results comparable to those of the 50+ rated shirts in our lineup. We would hazard a guess that 40+ UPF is a conservative rating for the Aplenglow shirt, and in any case, it is still miles better than our control, a UPF 5 cotton shirt.

Our ultimate field test was a multi-day spring backpacking trip along the Continental Divide at its highest point outside Breckenridge, Colorado. The cloudless sky, the altitude (above 14,000 feet), and the snow's reflection all amplified the sun's blistering intensity. Yet we escaped relatively unscathed, in large part thanks to the UV protection provided by the Alpenglow Pro Hoody, supplementing its coverage only with a neck buff and some roll-on sunscreen for our face.

Comfort and Fit

This is one area where the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro falls short compared to past versions. Not that it's uncomfortable, its just not as airy and silky feeling as other shirts we recently added to our lineup. It has fallen slightly behind the pack.

Still, the shirt is loose-fitting and stretchy, and pinch points are unimaginable, thanks to the relaxed yet, somehow, technical fit.

Extra-long raglan-style sleeves allow for full freedom of movement through the shoulders and arms. Even when we used the thumb holes, the sleeves never felt too tight, and we never felt annoying pressure or irritation between our finger joints. The fabric is stretchy enough to easily allow the sleeves to be rolled up past the elbow without being too tight around the bicep.

The cuffs don't come down quite as far (some models cover down past the knuckles), but we appreciate that they don't feel stretched tight either.   Credit: Justin Simoni

The overlapping construction of the thumb loops is more accomodating for different sized hands.   Credit: Justin Simoni

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The extra-long torso and drop hem have your back covered, whether you're walking tall up a mountainside or doubled over by the effects of altitude. We never got the “belly shirt” effect, even with our arms raised overhead.

As seen here, belly fully covered, in the BD Aplenglo Pro.   Credit: Justin Simoni

Even with arms fully extended, there was still plenty of wiggle room in sleeve length.   Credit: Justin Simoni

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Breathability

One of the usual compromises of great sun protection is oftentimes poor breathability. Tighter knit and heavier fabrics block out the sun better than lighter fabrics but can also be stifling. The Alpenglow Pro has one of the best balances of breathability and sun protection, and it was made even better in this year's version (we suspect this may be related to the lower UPF rating). The fabric, despite having a tight weave, allowed an impressive amount of air to pass through in our air permeability tests. This is an indication of how much of the breeze will make it to your skin when you're huffing up that steep section of trail.

We found the core fabric of the shirt takes longer to dry than many other shirts we tested, but this is to be expected from more protective and durable shirts. However, the Alpenglow uses a mesh-like fabric panels in the armpit area that provide additional ventilation. This material dries much faster, and is strategically placed to cover the parts of your torso that get sweaty and stinky faster, but aren't as exposed to the sun. It's the closest thing we've found to pit zips without actually adding zippers. Plus, it's treated with a silver-based antimicrobial –- HeiQ Pure Odor Control -– which helps keep stink levels at bay.

Speaking of zippers, the front half-zip is the final feature that tops off the superior breathability of the Alpenglow Pro. It goes a long way to help dump out extra heat without taking the shirt completely off. This shirt has the potential to be a multi-season baselayer, since the half-zip allows you to dump or trap body heat as the temperature demands.

A slightly heavier and warmer sunshirt, like the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody may be more appropriate for long-term use out in the summer sun, or when out in the alpine where the sun's intensity is often multiplied by the reflecting snow.   Credit: Justin Simoni

The quarter zip on the front of the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody really helps with thermoregulation.   Credit: Justin Simoni

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Durability

Tough fabric is just the start of why we rated the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro with high marks in durability. The fabric is durable and extremely stretchy, making it less likely to rip when snagged on a passing branch on the way to your secret fishing spot. Our harsh abrasion test caused surface damage to the shirt, but not enough to rip through the fabric. This hints that any damage you inflict to the shirt on a long-distance trip can be easily patched up using readily available materials.

The shirt's flatlock seams are extremely strong and -– since they lay flat against the fabric –- are practically unnoticeable. The front zip is beefy for a sun shirt. We're happy to see that, as smaller zippers tend to have teeth that are easily damaged. Even the mesh panels under the arms are lined with full-sized seams that look indestructible. The toughness of the BD Alpenglow Pro is certifiably ready for a multi-week backpacking romp through the American Southwest or across the hinterlands and tussock tundra fields of Alaska. The fabric and stitching require little hand-holding.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Alpenglow Pro Hoody?

When we pick out a sun shirt for the day, we naturally gravitate towards the Alpenglow Pro. It does not come off as a casual piece, but it's doubtful your like-minded friends will mind if you saddle up next to them at the local watering hole while donning it. The small chest pocket is perfect for carrying essentials like keys, phone, sunscreen, and lip balm, without having to rummage through your backpack, and the half zip is a feature we miss when we wear other tops. The trail-to-table ability of this top is up for debate, but if you're looking for the top performing shirt, this is it. That said, the price tag is high -– in some cases, much higher than other shirts in our review. But there is no doubt that the shirt delivers an array of positive attributes that put it in the running to be the one sun shirt to rule them all.

What Other Sun Shirts Should You Consider?