I recently put my hands on 12 of the most popular lightweight hoodies to compare them on many things, including weight, comfort, and breathability. My conclusion was this: The Under Armour Tech 2.0 thin hoodie was the lightest in weight, and also felt the most breathable. Its design fits a wide range of applications, including work, exercise, and outdoor recreation.
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These are my choices for the best lightweight thin hoodies:
- *My Favorite* Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Lightweight Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Best Hiking Style* North Face Wander Hoodie Pullover (click here to view)
- *Best Fishing Style* HUK Icon X UPF 50+ Fishing Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Best Workout Style* Gymshark Critical 2.0 Performance Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Most Lightweight* Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Lightweight Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Best Lightweight Fleece* Champion Lightweight Fleece Pullover Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Best Lightweight Stretch* Baleaf Long Sleeve Stretch Athletic Hoodie (click here to view)
- *Most Breathable* Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Lightweight Hoodie (click here to view)
As I mentioned at the top, I put my hands on 12 different lightweight, breathable hoodies so I could evaluate them on several things, including weight and breathability.
The biggest takeaway is that although these hoodies differ on design, almost all of them were built with performance in mind. Most of them have athletic designs built for work, exercise, or outdoor recreation.
Let’s take a closer look at the results I found when I compared these lightweight hoodies. Let’s also discuss each hoodie and talk about a few things to consider when buying a lightweight, breathable hoodie for summer.
My Data for Lightweight Hoodie Pullovers
Please note that all data results are based off a size medium.
Weight
Style | Weight(lbs) | View |
UA Tech | 0.50 | Click here to view |
Huk | 0.50 | Click here to view |
Columbia | 0.52 | Click here to view |
UA Velocity | 0.53 | Click here to view |
Baleaf | 0.53 | Click here to view |
Russell | 0.55 | Click here to view |
North Face | 0.57 | Click here to view |
Amazon | 0.61 | Click here to view |
UA Waffle | 0.64 | Click here to view |
Gymshark Critical | 1.10 | Click here to view |
Gymshark Bold | 1.10 | Click here to view |
Champion | 1.22 | Click here to view |
As you can see, the top half of these lightweight hoodies were all very similar in weight. They are all quite breathable, but I felt like the UA Tech hoodie was the most breathable hoodie.
The heavier Gymshark hoodies are still lighter in weight than heavyweight hoodies, but because they are often used for exercise, they find a sort of middle ground for those who want something that will trap a little heat, but not too much heat to where it becomes unwearable.
The heaviest was the Champion hoodie, which is closer to a traditional hoodie than other options on this list. The Champion hoodie uses a traditional soft fleece material, but uses a 7.3-ounce material that is lighter in weight than traditional hoodies.
Thickness
Style | Thick(mm) | View |
UA Velocity | 0.381 | Click here to view |
Columbia | 0.381 | Click here to view |
UA Tech | 0.383 | Click here to view |
Baleaf | 0.456 | Click here to view |
Russell | 0.481 | Click here to view |
Huk | 0.490 | Click here to view |
Amazon | 0.501 | Click here to view |
UA Waffle | 0.721 | Click here to view |
North Face | 0.724 | Click here to view |
Gymshark Critical | 0.792 | Click here to view |
Gymshark Bold | 0.834 | Click here to view |
Champion | 1.028 | Click here to view |
The UA Velocity, UA Tech, and Columbia breathable hoodies all had basically the exact same thickness of fabric, and were the thinnest out of the 12 styles that I tried.
It is worth noting the Huk hoodie has breathable mesh paneling, so parts of the hoodie have thinner material than the measurement above.
My Favorite Lightweight Hoodie Pullover
Under Armour Men’s Tech 2.0 Lightweight Hoodie
This Under Armour hoodie was my favorite lightweight, breathable hoodie. Not only did it weigh the least out of all the hoodies I tried, I also thought it had the most breathable material.
This is a hoodie that can fit a wide range of needs, from work to exercise. It is made with fast-drying fabric that helps wick away sweat and keep you dry and comfortable in the heat.
It has a traditional design, with a kangaroo pocket pouch in the front. Mine is made from 100% polyester, but you can find this hoodie in options that have a stretch material blend.
Here’s what my UA Tech hoodie looks like:
This is the current price of this Under Armour Tech 2.0 Hoodie available at UnderArmour.com (paid affiliate link takes you to UnderArmour.com). Here’s what you need to know about this lightweight pullover hoodie for summer:
- Material – Although mine is made with 100% polyester, you can also find this hoodie in a stretch-blend material that uses a bit of elastane in the fabric to give it some stretch. My 100% polyester has some give to it, but it isn’t a super stretchy material. The material is designed to wick away sweat and to dry quickly (it also has anti-odor technology).
- Breathability – In my option, this is the most breathable hoodie that I tried. The fabric is very lightweight, and air flows easily through to help keep me comfortable. In the picture below, I tried to capture how breathable the material is by holding mine up to the light:
- Specs – My size medium Under Armour Tech 2.0 Hoodie weighs 0.50 pounds, which made it tied for the most lightweight hoodie I tried (tied with Huk). I measured the material as 0.383mm thick, which also made it one the thinnest hoodies (slightly behind the UA Velocity). Here I am taking the measurements for this hoodie:
- Design – This Under Armour Tech 2.0 hoodie has a standard design, which includes a front kangaroo-style pocket pouch. I found the hood to be a normal size (it does not have a drawstring). The shoulders have a raglan-style design.
I think overall this is the best lightweight hoodie on the market today. Not only is it lightweight and breathable, it also has extra benefits (like quick dry fabric) to help keep you comfortable in the heat.
The design allows it to blend in for a wide range of uses, from work, to exercise, and even as a lightweight casual hoodie to wear around the house. The main drawback to consider is it is not designed to be a sun hoodie, so if you are spending long hours in the sun, and want a UPF-rated garment, there will be better options.
Click here to buy this Under Armour Tech 2.0 Hoodie available at UnderArmour.com (paid affiliate link takes you to UnderArmour.com). In my experience, this lightweight pullover hoodie fits true to size.
Best Lightweight Hiking Hoodie
North Face Sun Wander Hoodie Pullover
Although this North Face hoodie fell in the middle of the pack when I measured weight and thickness (0.57 pounds; 0.724mm), this was one of my favorite options. The material is extremely comfortable to wear, and is very breathable with an almost perforated-like fabric (see photo above).
This hoodie is built for outdoor recreation. It is rated as UPF 40+ for sun protection, and the fabric is moisture-wicking to help keep you dry in the heat.
The hood is large enough to fit over the top of a ball cap if you prefer to wear a ball cap while working or adventuring outdoors. The hood isn’t a full scuba-style, but it is designed to provide some additional coverage to the front of the neck when pulled up over the head.
The raglan-style sleeves allow for greater range of motion through the shoulders. The main drawback here is there were options that were lighter-in-weight with thinner material. But, overall, I felt like this hoodie was one of the most breathable hoodies that I tried.
This is the current price of this North Face Lightweight Hiking Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this lightweight pullover hoodie fit true to size.
Best Lightweight Fishing Hoodie
HUK Icon X UPF 50+ Fishing Hoodie
This Huk lightweight fishing hoodie has a sort of paneled design, where portions of the hoodie use an extremely thin, breathable material that allows for increased air flow. This is a very lightweight hoodie (it tied with the UA Tech hoodie for the most lightweight).
What stands out about this hoodie is the breathability. Not only is the material paneled in a way that promotes air flow, Huk also designs the hoodie to use endothermic reaction to absorb heat away from your body and into the fabric, to help relieve heat off the skin.
In my experience, the hood is large enough to fit over the top of a ball cap if you prefer to wear a ball cap while fishing. This hoodie is rated as UPF 50+ for sun protection.
This is the current price of this Huk Lightweight Fishing Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this lightweight pullover hoodie fit true to size.
Best Lightweight Workout Hoodie
Gymshark Critical 2.0 Performance Hoodie
Although this Gymshark hoodie is lightweight compared to a normal hoodie, it is heavier and thicker than most of the other options on this list. The thicker fabric allows the hoodie to still trap heat, which helps keep muscles warm.
The fabric has elastane mixed in to give the material some stretch. The fit is a slim fit, and I also found this hoodie to fit longer than other hoodies. It has a front pouch pocket and a drawstring for the hood.
The main takeaway is this hoodie will not be as lightweight and breathable as most of the other hoodies on this page. But it is still lightweight compared to heavyweight hoodies, and finds a sort of middle ground for those of you who want something that will trap a little heat, but not too much heat to where it becomes unwearable.
This is the current price of this Gymshark Lightweight Hoodie available at Gymshark.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Gymshark.com). In my experience this lightweight pullover hoodie fits true to size with slim design.
Best Lightweight Fleece Hoodie
Champion Lightweight Fleece Pullover Hoodie
Looking for a lightweight fleece hoodie that feels more like a normal hoodie than a stretchy hooded shirt? If so, this will be your best option. This Champion hoodie uses a comfortable fleece material that feels just like a comfortable, warm hoodie, only the material is a bit lighter in weight than normal hoodies.
As you can see from the measurements above, this lightweight hoodie weighs more and is thicker than any of the other options I tried. My size medium weighs 1.22 pounds and measured a 1.028 millimeters thick. Don’t expect this hoodie to be the most breathable option on this page.
This is a warmer option, but think of it as a sort of middle ground as you transition out of a winter hoodie and into this lightweight material that is more more spring-appropriate. This lightweight hoodie has a traditional design with a front pouch pocket and a drawstring hood.
This is the current price of this Champion Lightweight Fleece Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this lightweight pullover hoodie fits true to size.
Other Lightweight Hoodie Pullovers I Tried
Under Armour Velocity Hoodie
This Under Armour Velocity Hoodie is very similar to the Under Armour Tech 2.0 Hoodie that was my favorite option, which means this will be another great option to consider. Overall this hoodie weighed a tiny bit more, but felt almost identical.
The fabric is moisture wicking and this is a very breathable hoodie. It has anti-odor properties with a traditional design that features a front pouch pocket and raglan-style sleeves. This hoodie measure as the thinnest (0.381mm).
This is the current price of this Under Armour Velocity Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this lightweight pullover hoodie fit true to size.
Under Armour Waffle Hoodie
This UA lightweight hoodie is one of the few waffle hoodies on the market today. Yes, it has a lightweight design that fell in the middle of the pack regarding weight and thickness.
Although this isn’t the warmest hoodie on the list, this hoodie did trap heat more than most other options, and will be a nice option if you are looking for a lightweight hoodie that still does provide some warmth.
This is the current price of this Under Armour Waffle Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this hoodie fit true to size.
Amazon Essentials Stretch Tech Hoodie
I was a bit shocked how much I liked this Amazon Essentials Tech Hoodie. Overall, it finished middle of the pack for both weight and thickness, but it has a very comfortable design that is lightweight and easy to wear.
I could see this hoodie fitting a wide range of needs (hiking, fishing, exercise, etc). It is made with a stretchy, moisture wicking fabric and does have thumb holes to cover the back of the hand. But it should be noted that this hoodie is not UPF rated for sun protection, and it does not have a pocket pouch.
This is the current price of this Amazon Essentials Stretch Lightweight Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this thin hoodie fit true to size.
Baleaf Long Sleeve Stretch Athletic Hoodie
This hoodie is very similar to the Amazon Essentials hoodie from above in that it has a lightweight, stretchy feel that is very comfortable to wear. The main difference is this hoodie is rated as a UPF 50+ shirt for sun protection.
Overall, this was one of the most lightweight and breathable hoodies that I tried. It can function nicely as a hiking and fishing hoodie, but the material is stretchy and comfortable, meaning this will work nicely as an exercise hoodie too. No pocket pouch on this hoodie.
This is the current price of this Baleaf Lightweight Pullover Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this thin hoodie fit true to size.
Columbia Men’s Terminal Tackle Heather Hoodie
This Columbia hoodie is a fishing hoodie that has an ultra-lightweight design. Overall, it came in as the third lightest in weight out of all the lightweight hoodies that I tried.
Because this is a fishing shirt, it is UPF 50 rated for sun protection. The fabric is moisture wicking to help pull sweat away from your body. One thing that stood out about this hoodie is it had the loosest fit out of all the hoodies on this page.
This is the current price of this Columbia Lightweight Fishing Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). There is no pouch pocket on this hoodie.
Russell Athletic Cotton Performance Long Sleeve Hoodie
This Russell Athletics Lightweight Hoodie has a classic hooded-shirt design. Some of the other options on this list can also be described as hooded shirts, but those options use a stretch material blend, while this hoodie uses non-stretch cotton blend.
But this hoodie is still built for lightweight performance. It is rated as UPF 30+ for sun protection, and has moisture-wicking properties to help pull sweat away from your body. I measured this hoodie as being in the top half regarding weight, and it might be perfect for those of you who are looking for a casual, lightweight hoodie that has a cotton feel.
This is the current price of this Russell Lightweight Shirt Hoodie available at Amazon.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). In my experience this hoodie fit true to size.
Gymshark Bold Workout Hoodie
This is another Gymshark hoodie built to function as a lightweight hoodie for working out. But the material is very comfortable, and this hoodie can work just fine for a variety of applications.
Just like the other Gymshark hoodie we discussed earlier, this hoodie will be warmer and heavier than other options on this list. Yes, it is lightweight compared to normal hoodies, but it finds a sort of middle ground for those of you who want something that will trap a little heat, but not too much heat to where it becomes unwearable.
This is the current price of this Gymshark Breathable Hoodie available at Gymshark.com (paid affiliate link takes you to Gymshark.com). In my experience this thin hoodie fit true to size.
What to Consider When Buying a Lightweight Hoodie
Fabric
Many, but not all, lightweight hoodies use a stretch material blend (you will see spandex or elastane added to the fabric). Some options may incorporate polyester to add more durability to the garment. This might be especially important for hiking or fishing gear used in outdoor terrain.
Moisture Wicking
Many lightweight, breathable hoodies will use a moisture-wicking fabric. Moisture wicking fabric is designed to help pull sweat away from your body and disperse it to the outside of the garment in a way that helps it dry quickly.
Although moisture-wicking and cooling garments are not exactly the same, they have similarities. To learn more, watch my video below:
Pockets
Not all lightweight hoodies have front pouch pockets, and this is basically what separates a hoodie from a hooded shirt. A hooded shirt usually does not have a pouch pocket, although this may vary by company.
Other Lightweight Gear
If you are interested in breathable gear for summer, visit our other articles linked below:
- Lightweight Short Sleeve Shirts
- Lightweight Long Sleeve Shirts
- Lightweight Summer Work Pants
- Breathable Cargo Pants
- Breathable Cargo Shorts
- Lightweight Long Sleeve Coveralls
Sun Protection
For hiking and fishing, sun protection is important. Sunscreen uses an SPF rating system, but garments use what is called a “UPF” rating system. A UPF 50+ rated garment is the most sun protection you can get in a garment.
If you need sun protection in your lightweight hoodie, be sure to consider the UPF rating. Also, some lightweight pullover hoodies will have a raised neckline that might add extra coverage, and thumb holes which allow you to cover the back of your hands.