Ridge Merino Solstice Pro Lightweight Wool Hoodie Review

The Bottom Line

The Ridge Merino Solstice Pro Lightweight Wool Hoodie (men’s/women’s) is a great option for travelers looking for a natural alternative to the polyester shirts that dominate the market. Soft to the touch, well-fitting, and odor-resistant, this shirt was a standout in your outdoor pursuits. However, it lacks some of the advantages of its synthetic counterparts: It is not very durable in the long term, it does not have a ton of stretch, and it takes time to dry.

In our eyes, a merino wool shirt like the Ridge Merino Solstice Pro Lightweight is a middle ground between comfort and performance. It’s sleek but still offers a few of the technical benefits you get with synthetics. In other words, it’s great for the average hiker who gets out regularly but doesn’t want the ultimate in performance from his sun shirt. For more tech options, check out our sun shirt gear guide.

How We Tested

Where did we get this shirt? During the cooler months, we wore it as a base layer for short ski trips (one mile) and days at the resort, as well as three to five mile hikes in variable weather and without additional layers on top.

Comfort

We had no complaints about the Solstice Pro’s fit or hand feel. There were some aspects of the design that we could work on, but overall it’s a simple and accessible design.

The fabric (made of 87% merino wool and 13% nylon) is very soft, almost like cotton. We didn’t experience any itching, even when the shirt was pressed firmly against our skin with jackets and sweaters piled high. The fabric feels heavier and bulkier than other lightweight wool shirts we’ve reviewed, but that’s fine with us.

Our only complaints about the design are related to the quarter-zip collar and chest pocket. Both are stiff and have a rough feel as a result. The tightness of the quarter zip caused the zipper to bind when we moved our chin up and down, making the shirt undesirable as a base layer. The chest pack was similarly problematic and didn’t prove to be useful, either.

Sun protection

The Skin Cancer Foundation recently upgraded its garment requirements to earn a “Mark of Recommendation,” and the Solstice Pro is unmatched with a UPF rating of 35+. The foundation specifies that the shirts on this list offer “very good protection,” but only UPF 50+ is considered very good.

We love the other features of this shirt that help protect from the sun, including a hood with adjustable cinches and thumbs to secure the sleeves over the hands. And although the zipper on the neck causes some irritation, it also provides protection, keeping the neck closed even when the hood is down.

Breathability & Wicking Power

We found the Solstice Pro to breathe well, even under layers. We tested this short for a week on trips from snow to hiking, wearing it under puffy jackets and medium fleece layers. In the end, we concluded that it is comfortable both as a base layer and as a standalone piece.

While other sun shirts are too hot under layers but too cold on their own, the Solstice Pro has been able to adapt to changing temperatures and layer combinations. This is mainly due to the temperature regulating properties of wool – it is known to trap heat when you need it and shed it when you don’t.

That said, as a natural fiber, wool absorbs well. This shirt sweated a lot when it went up. Not only is this embarrassing at times (like when you’re trying to show off your physical strength to new friends), but it can lead to discomfort or even hypothermia in some cases.

We found this shirt to have a moderate drying time – somewhere between the super light, quick-drying technical fabrics and denser fabrics in our sun hoody guide. However, we will note that the wool maintains much of its comfort and protective abilities even when wet, allowing us to stay on top and change to skis more easily than in other shirts we have reviewed.

Flexibility

The Ridge Merino Solstice Pro Lightweight is ideal for warm-to-cool outings in shoulder and winter temperatures – in fact, everything but the heart of summer. The fabric feels great and durable, coming in about the middle of the pack on our list in terms of thickness (150 GSM).

Although the fabric feels sturdy, some of the stitching around the seams is already undone, and a few areas are starting to fray. Ridge tried to hedge their bets by incorporating their (m)Force Technology, which wraps merino wool in a continuous nylon fiber for added strength and tear resistance. While the rest of the shirt is in good shape, there seems to be no way to fully escape the pitfalls of merino wool.

Should You Buy The Ridge Merino Solstice Pro Lightweight Wool Hoodie?

This is a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable, natural sun shirt. It works well for travelers who want technical performance but don’t want to sacrifice comfort and ease of wear. If you like to ski with a wool base layer, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy climbing with a wool sun shirt like the Solstice Pro.

If class-leading sun protection or long-term durability is high on your priority list, it’s worth looking elsewhere. Although durable, the Solstice Pro’s UPF 35+ rating is at the lower end of our range, and the merino construction will likely break down faster than a comparable synthetic shirt. The shirt is also absorbent and slow drying, which reduces its summer appeal.

What Are Some Other Sun Shirts To Consider?

Below are the top-rated options from our guide to the best sun shirts:

Arc’teryx Sunna Hoody Review: A more technical option than the Solstice Pro, the men’s Cormac / women’s Sunna has excellent stretch, lines well, dries quickly, and resists odor to an amazing degree. Its polyester fabric is very durable and pill-resistant but lacks the comfort and softness of a classic Solstice Pro cotton t-shirt.

Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Hoody Review: Crater Lake is a lightweight knit design that breathes well and is noticeably softer than the Solstice Pro. Synthetic fabric has more stretch, dries quickly, and offers better protection from the sun, too (UPF 50+). However, it lacks the Solstice Pro’s year-round wearability (best for summer temperatures) and impressive temperature control.

Patagonia Tropic Comfort Natural Hoody Review: Tropic Comfort Natural combines excellent comfort, stretch, and odor resistance in an attractive package. Made with modal detail, derived from beechwood, it is a natural alternative to the polyester designs that dominate the market. It has a much softer feel and a higher UPF rating (40+) than the Solstice Pro, but it’s certainly a casual piece that’s more at home in the city than at the summit.