The original Arcteryx Cormac Hoody was a hard-wearing, UPF-rated sun hoody with the understated design Arcteryx is known for. It’s been a while since the brand released a sun hoody with a rated UPF, and we’re still going to have to wait, as the Cormac no longer comes with a UPF rating. Never one to shy from a challenge, I tested it as exactly that: a dedicated sun layer.
The Arcteryx Cormac Hoody is incredibly lightweight for the level of sun protection it offers, even if it isn’t rated as such, which makes it a fantastic addition to an ultralight backcountry kit.
Arcteryx Cormac Key Specs
- Material: 100% recycled waffled polyester
- Color Tested: Black
- Sun Protection: N/A
- Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
- Tested Size and Weight: L, 180 grams
- Tester Profile: 187 cm, 92 kg
Testing Environment
The Arcteryx Cormac hoody is designed to be used in all high output mountain activities, but since I hike all summer long, arguably a moderate output mountain activity, that’s how I tested it. I wore the shirt through a European heat wave or two, up to three days in a row as I trekked from hut to hut.
Fabric Performance & Construction
The Arcteryx Cormac line (5 shirts in total) is made of 100% recycled waffled polyester. This is a super stretchy and lightweight material with impressive airflow. Despite testing a black shirt during a heat wave I was able to get away with it thanks to how well this fabric breathes. Hold it up to the sun and you can see through it a little.
All of the Cormac shirts have a new anti-odour treatment and moisture-wicking finish. I can vouch for at least three days consecutive wear with this hoody without it getting too funky. At least, it didn’t seem too funky and none of my guests ran away when they saw me in the same shirt on the third day. Perhaps it is because we were all wearing the same shirt after three days.
The seams are almost entirely flat lock seams. You won’t feel any of them, even the seam at the back of the shoulder.
Fit and Form
The Arcteryx Cormac Hoody has Arcteryx’ classic fit. This for me is a slim fit or in modern parlance, athletic. If I could have a size Large and ½ I would. XL is a little too baggy and the Large reveals a little too much about my poor diet choices. I went with the Large anyway. With a slimmer fit I knew it would layer well if the temps ever dropped below 25 degrees. They rarely did…
Despite the snugger than I’d prefer sizing, I never felt the shirt was restrictive while hiking. The material is incredibly soft and lightweight meaning the shirt moves well with the wearer.
As is de rigueur for Arcteryx the arms on the Cormac Hoody are amply long resting just at the wrist. There’s enough extra length in the sleeve that when you use the thumb loops there is just enough length left.
The loops themselves are quite large, allowing plenty of room for those with meatier thumbs.. The loops are angled, beginning at the seam that runs the length of the arm. This seam runs just under the bottom of the forearm meaning that to put your thumb into the hole, the sleeve needs to be twisted. It’s not a deal breaker but it is enough that you notice it.
The one piece hood does not have a way to open it wide. It’s a relatively snug hood with a high collar. Thanks to the lightweight material I found the high collar to not cause any extra warming. The brim is apparently laminated so that it will not collapse inward. Normally, laminated materials feel a little bit stiff but this hood does not. It also does not collapse while wearing. I have a hat on every time I wear the Cormac hood so I cannot really speak to how long the hood will stand proud.
UPF protection, yeah or nay?
Previous versions of the Cormac had UPF protection ratings. The 2026 version does not. I have worn this shirt at 3,000m for over 8 hours a day and have not gotten any sunburn. Not on the back of my neck, arms or body. Though this is purely my experience alone, I will continue to wear the Cormac Hoody as a sun shirt.
The Arcteryx Cormac Hoody on the Trail
I wore the Arcteryx Cormac Hoody about a dozen times this summer. Its lightweight material and breathability meant that despite its black color it was able to handle some very hot days. Do I wish I could have gotten a lighter color? You bet. However, black wasn’t the deal breaker I thought it would be.
It is incredibly stretchy and very very light on the shoulder. At 180 grams for a large, it’s a no- brainer to even bring it with you as a second layer if you think you will need more sun protection.
To pick up an Arcteryx Cormac Hoody head to ARCTERYX.. For more Arcteryx reviews, hit SEARCH.
…
BlackSheep was provided with a free sample of the Arcteryx Cormac Hoody for this review. This in no way affected our editorial stance. This post also contains affiliate links; if you choose to purchase gear through these links, we may earn a small commission which supports our independent testing at no extra cost to you.
