REI Co-op Sahara Long Sleeve - Women's Review

The Sahara Solid features a traditional button-up design and offers a UPF 50 sun protection, blocking 98% of UV rays. The shirt will shade you from the sun during your day's chosen activity but will have you looking good enough to link up with friends when your day is done.

Comfort and Fit

The Sahara Solid is more comfortable than your typical button-down thanks to the stretchy 94% nylon and 6% spandex (bluesign approved) fabric that promotes full range of motion. It features a more relaxed fit that our testers found true to size. And ladies with longer arms and torsos will appreciate the hemline that falls just past the waist as well as the extra-long sleeves for better coverage from the sun. Although previous versions of this shirt featured stretchy panels beneath the arms to promote mobility, the latest version skips these panels in favor of a more feminine cut. We find the latest iteration flexible enough still.

Our complaints about this design are few, but we were surprised by how easily the fabric stains and wrinkles - a consideration for those hoping to meet friends in town after a quick hike or planning to pack this shirt in a suitcase. We love the convertible sleeve; however, in order to fasten it securely, you have to fully roll the sleeves above your elbows, which can create a tight fit for those with larger arms. The last thing we kept our eye on was the velcro closure on the chest pocket. Our main tester has long curly hair, and she was worried that it would snag on the closure. However, it didn't turn out to be a problem.

Sun Protection

The Sahara Solid has a UPF 50 rating in the fabric, along with a high collar, longer hemline, and extra-long sleeves that extend in a curved shape for additional coverage on the backs of your hands. We appreciate these features, but they still don't compare to the hood and thumbloop coverage on more athletic hoodies. The Sahara Solid shirt doesn't offer suitable coverage for the neck, ears, and hands, and if you don't button the shirt to the top (most of us don't) then your chest is left exposed as well. We simply wore a wide-brimmed hat to compensate for the lack of coverage, but it's one more thing to remember.

The Sahara Solid scored a low (good) rating during our UV card testing, and we never burned when wearing the shirt, despite skipping the sunscreen on our arms and shoulders. This is doubly impressive for a white shirt, since lighter colors typically offer less UV protection. But we love that we were able to test this shirt in white; it felt cool during the heat of the day while also looking more like a classic top than a hiking shirt. If you can remember your wide-brim hat, this shirt will keep you cool, suave, and safe from the sun on summer afternoons.

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Breathability

Compared to some of the ultralight sun shirts and hoodies that we've tested, the Sahara Solid features a much thicker fabric. While we love this thicker fabric when it comes to keeping the bugs at bay, it doesn't breathe as well as other shirts. That said, the back panel has open ventilation near the shoulders, and the latest iteration (we've tested several versions) features a mesh lining beneath this opening that helps prevent the shirt from sticking to your skin. During a heatwave in Yosemite Valley during our last testing period, we especially appreciated this mesh lining ventilation detail as temperatures hovered in the triple digits for a two-week period. REI even lined the zippered pocket with mesh to eliminate multiple layers of fabric.

The relaxed fit is also helpful for increasing airflow inside the design, so long as you don't have the shirt pulled tight with a backpack and waistbelt. For such a thick fabric, we were impressed by how quickly it dried on the body after absorbing some sweat during the heat of the day. In the big picture, it wicks moisture and dries quickly for a button-up, but doesn't perform as well as thinner sun hoody designs with perforated panels throughout the fabric.

Versatility

In a world of sun hoodies and athletic designs, we appreciate having the option of a traditional button-up with a feminine cut and sophisticated style. The Sahara Solid is roomy enough to layer over a tank or t-shirt, however, we preferred wearing the shirt on its own so that we could maximize the cooling effect of the vents on the upper back panel. The stretchy fabric allowed us full mobility even when carrying a pack on the trail or paddling in the water. The design includes a loop for your sunglasses along with convertible sleeves and tons of pockets to help store your personal items on the trails.

The convertible sleeves can be rolled up out of the way and secured with a button closure above your elbow, which made it easy to dig in the dirt while working in the garden and was useful when we wanted less fabric on the arms once the sun went down on the trail. We love the white for its classic look, but it also comes in a lot of great color options, making it a solid choice for those who want one outfit to take them from the coffeehouse to the trail, or the beach to the brewery.

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Durability

The Sahara Solid design features double-stitched hems and a thicker, more durable nylon-and-spandex fabric blend. The fabric is stretchy enough so as to provide all-day comfort without restricting your range of motion, yet structured enough to create a barrier to bugs. The buttons are sewn on tight and the mesh linings are tucked away from potential snags. The velcro closure on the chest pockets is pretty small, and hook and loop closures tend to wear out the more you use them. If we needed to stash something important, like a credit card or car key, we preferred to use the zippered pocket on the side of the hip.

We did notice that the fabric does show dirt and stains quickly (that's what we get for choosing white). It also wrinkles after being worn all day, and won't look as nice if you plan on wearing the shirt out on the trail or in the garden before meeting the girls. But we are being nitpicky at this point. After testing several versions of the Sahara Solid, all have withstood bushwhacking through thick brush as well as scraping up against sharp granite while rock climbing. The fabric isn't ripstop but it is durable enough to withstand months of heavy wear without issue.

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Should You Buy the REI Co-op Sahara Long-Sleeve Solid Shirt?

If you're after a traditional button-up design that doesn't skimp on coverage, the REI Co-op Sahara Solid should be at the top of your list. We love the stretchy UPF 50 fabric that feels great against the skin and is also thick enough to create a barrier against biting bugs. The ventilated back panels will keep you cool and the shirt is stylish enough to take you from the coffeeshop to the trail with your friends.

What Other Sun Shirts Should You Consider?

The REI Co-op Sahara Solid is our favorite button-up design thanks to the stretchy UPF fabric and stylish look that's versatile enough to hit the trails before meeting your friends for dinner. The Columbia Silver Ridge Utility II is another button-up shirt we tested that features a thinner fabric and an oversized fit to maximize breathability. However, we didn't find it as comfortable as the Sahara. If you want to maximize breathability and coverage, check out the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded - Women's, it's our favorite hoody when it comes to ventilating body heat during high output activities, and offers the most comprehensive coverage of any shirt in our lineup. It leans hard into the sporty aesthetic.