Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Merino Hoodie Review: The Hiking Sun Hoodie That Doesn’t Look Like Trail Gear
I’ve been using the Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Merino Hoodie for about six months around the Sierra Nevada, mostly in the Reno and Tahoe area, with some hiking, camping, travel, and fly fishing mixed in. It has seen dusty trails, cool mornings, sunny afternoons, windy ridgelines, and enough post-hike food stops to see if it still looks normal once the hike is over.
The Solstice is not the lightest sun hoodie I’ve used, and it doesn’t have that trim, locked-in feel of a true high-output piece. But for slower days outside, especially the kind where one shirt has to handle the trail, camp, and whatever happens after, the Solstice fits right in.
It is soft, easy to wear, casual enough for town, and does the best merino trick: you can keep wearing it longer than you probably should.
The Verdict
The Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Merino Hoodie is the sun hoodie I would point someone toward if they care more about comfort, odor resistance, and casual wearability than shaving every possible ounce from their kit.
It worked best for me on hiking and camping trips where the temperatures sat somewhere around 60 to 75 degrees. The fabric had enough body for cooler mountain air, but not so much warmth that I wanted it off the second the sun came out. I also liked it for fly fishing, where I was moving slowly, standing in the sun, and wanting coverage without feeling like I was wearing a loud technical fishing shirt.
The fit is relaxed, which I liked for hiking. It gives the hoodie a laid-back feel and makes it easy to wear over a shirt or on its own. But that same fit is also why I would not make it my first pick for running. Once I was moving faster, the extra fabric started to feel a little too loose and casual for that kind of effort.
Where the Solstice really earns its spot is on trips where packing fewer shirts matters. Merino does a good job resisting odor, and this hoodie is comfortable enough that I did not mind wearing it for multiple days. That is a big part of the appeal. It is less of a single-purpose performance layer and more of a shirt for days that include hiking, camp chores, travel, and whatever happens afterward.
+ What We Like
Comfortable merino blend that works well for multi-day hiking trips
Casual styling makes it easy to wear after the hike
Roomier cut works well for hiking, camping, and travel
Drawstrings actually help the hood stay put
Thumb holes and dropped hem add solid sun coverage
Handles odor better than a typical synthetic sun hoodie
Great temperature range for 60- to 75-degree mountain days
- What We Don’t Like
Heavier than some lightweight sun hoodies
The fit is too loose for running, at least for my preference
Nitty Gritty
Fabric: 87% merino wool, 13% nylon
Fabric Weight: 145 GSM
Weight: 8.5 oz in a men’s medium
Sun Protection: UPF 35+
Fit: Relaxed
Hood: Loose-fitting hood with woven drawstrings
Features: Thumb holes, split and dropped hem, hanger loop
Best For: Hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, travel, and casual wear
MSRP: $90
Tested In
Location: Reno/Tahoe, Sierra Nevada
Test Time: Roughly six months
Activities: Hiking, multi-day trips, camping, fly fishing, travel, casual wear
Conditions: Cool mornings, sunny afternoons, wind, dry mountain trails, and 60- to 75-degree days
Best Use: Multi-day hiking and camping where odor resistance and comfort matter more than being ultralight
Fit, Fabric, and Feel
The Solstice has a relaxed fit, and that is one of the first things I noticed. It is not baggy in a sloppy way, but it is definitely roomier than a more athletic sun hoodie. For hiking, I liked that. When I am wearing a pack, stopping for snacks, messing with layers, or just moving at a steady pace, a little extra room is welcome.
The fabric has a little more body than some of the lighter synthetic sun hoodies I’ve used. It doesn’t feel heavy when it’s on, but it also doesn’t have that paper-thin, barely-there feel.
The weight is more noticeable on a gear list than it is on the trail. It has a little more substance than the lightest sun hoodies, but once I was hiking, I wasn’t thinking about it much.
The relaxed fit also helps the hoodie look more casual. Some sun hoodies look like they only belong on a trail, in a fishing boat, or halfway through an REI catalog. The Solstice looks more like a regular lightweight hoodie. I could wear it hiking all day, then go grab food or a beer after and not feel like I was still in full adventure costume.
Multi-Day Hiking Is the Sweet Spot
The best use case for the Solstice is a multi-day hiking trip where you do not want to pack a fresh shirt for every day. This is where merino starts to make a pretty good argument for itself.
Synthetic sun hoodies can be lighter, cooler, and faster drying, but they can also get funky fast. The Solstice does a better job staying wearable after a full day outside. I’m not saying it magically becomes clean. It’s still a shirt you’re sweating in. But it doesn’t get that sharp synthetic smell nearly as quickly, and on a trip where you’re trying to keep your bag simple, that is a big deal.
For hiking, the looser fit worked in its favor. It did not cling much, it moved well under a pack, and it had enough coverage that I did not feel like I needed to constantly think about sunscreen on my arms and neck. The thumb holes are simple but useful when the sun is strong, and you are using trekking poles or just want a little extra hand coverage.
The fabric also hit a nice balance in the mountains. On cooler starts, it had enough warmth to keep the edge off. As the day warmed up, it still breathed well enough for steady hiking. I would not call it the coolest sun hoodie I have tested, but for Sierra Nevada hiking in that 60- to 75-degree range, it was right in the pocket.
Fly Fishing, Camping, and Slower Days Outside
I liked the Solstice more than expected for fly fishing. That is partly because fly fishing is not usually a max-heart-rate activity, at least not unless I hook a tree behind me for the eighth time and start questioning everything.
The hoodie was comfortable standing in the sun; the hood stayed put when the wind moved around, and the roomier cut matched the slower pace. It gave me sun coverage without looking like a full technical fishing shirt, which I liked. There is something nice about a piece that works for the activity without announcing the activity to everyone else in the parking lot.
Around camp, the Solstice was easy to keep wearing. That is one of the underrated parts of a good merino hoodie. Some performance layers are great while you are moving, but then immediately feel weird once you stop. This one transitions better. It is soft, comfortable, and casual enough that I didn’t feel like I needed to change the second the hiking part of the day was done.
That also made it a strong travel piece. If I were packing for a hiking trip where the day might include a trail, a campsite, a short drive, and a pub stop afterward, this is exactly the kind of shirt I would want in the bag.
Why I Wouldn’t Run In It
The Solstice is not the hoodie I would grab for trail running. I tried it that way, and the fit was just a little too loose for my taste.
For running, I usually want a sun hoodie to sit cleaner on the body. Not skin-tight, but tidy enough that it does not move around or feel like extra fabric is along for the ride. The Solstice leans more casual and relaxed, which is great for hiking but less ideal when the effort ramps up.
The fabric also has more substance than the lightest synthetic sun hoodies. Again, that is not a problem for hiking and camping. It is part of why the piece is comfortable across changing temps. But for a run, especially once it gets warm, I would rather be in something lighter and more athletic.
I don’t really see that as a flaw. It just means the hoodie has a lane. This is more of a steady-day-outside layer than a high-output running layer.
Warm Weather Performance
For me, the Solstice was best in the 60- to 75-degree range. That is a pretty useful window for the Sierra Nevada, especially when you are dealing with cool starts, bright sun, and temperature swings through the day.
Below that range, I could still wear it, but I might want a wind layer or light insulation depending on the activity. Above that range, especially if the trail is exposed and the pace is quick, I would start looking at a thinner synthetic sun hoodie instead.
Merino has a nice way of smoothing out the day. It is not always as instantly cool as a thin synthetic layer, but it does a good job staying comfortable when the weather keeps moving around. That is where I liked the Solstice most. It was not the coolest option I tested, but it was easy to keep wearing.
For hot desert hiking or hard efforts in summer heat, I would go lighter. For mountain hiking, camping, fishing, and travel, the Solstice has a more useful balance.
Packability and Weight
The biggest tradeoff with the Solstice is the weight. At 8.5 ounces for a men’s medium, it is not heavy in a normal clothing sense, but it is heavier than some of the lighter sun hoodies out there.
If you are packing for a fast-and-light trip and trying to get everything as minimal as possible, there are lighter options. The Solstice is not trying to win the spreadsheet game.
The tradeoff is easier to justify when you care less about the number on the scale and more about how often you will actually wear it. It has enough comfort, odor resistance, and casual usefulness that I would rather pack this one good hoodie than bring a couple of shirts I only sort of like.
On the body, I did not find the weight distracting. It never felt bulky while hiking. It is more of a gear-list consideration than a trail problem.
Casual Wear and the Pub Test
The Solstice also gets the casual side right. The branding is pretty quiet, the fit is relaxed, and the whole thing has more of a casual outdoor hoodie look than a piece of race-day apparel.
That makes it easier to wear after the hike. I know that sounds like a small thing, but it matters if your trips usually include more than just the activity. A lot of outdoor clothing works well until you walk into town and realize you look like you are about to lead a guided expedition to the bathroom.
It passes the very important post-hike pub test. After hiking, I could keep it on, grab food, and not feel out of place. It still looks like outdoor clothing, but in a normal way. For travel, road trips, and camping weekends, that is a real advantage.
Long-Term Wear
After six months of use, the Solstice still lands as a piece I would trust for hiking and travel. I would not treat it like a bushwhacking armor layer, because merino still deserves some reasonable care, but it has not come across as fragile.
The nylon blend helps here. Pure merino can be amazing, but it can also feel a little precious depending on the fabric weight and construction. The Solstice has enough structure that I was not nervous wearing it with a pack or using it repeatedly on real trips.
I would still wash it like a merino piece. Cold water, hang dry, don’t cook it in the dryer, and then act surprised when it gets sad. But I also do not think this is one of those wool pieces that needs to sit in the closet waiting for the perfect low-risk outing.
Final Thoughts
The Ridge Merino Solstice Lightweight Merino Hoodie is not the sun hoodie I would grab for a hot run, a desert sufferfest, or an ultralight trip where every ounce is getting judged. There are lighter, cooler, more athletic options for that.
Where it works really well is the slower, more normal version of being outside. Such as long Sierra hikes, lazy camp mornings, a little fishing, some travel, and the very real desire to not pack five shirts for one trip.
The roomier cut is comfortable, the drawstring hood is actually useful in wind, and the merino blend makes it easier to wear more than once without feeling like you are making a bad decision. It would not be my first pick for high-output heat, but for hiking, camping, travel, and long days outside, the Solstice is an easy one to keep in the rotation.
