Mike H.
Dec 7, 2023
4/5
Love the feel of the Core Merino. It’s nice that the shirt is Camo. Runs true to size. Not a fan of the zipper. No need to have a zipper. It’s a base layer and you feel the zipper against your skin.
Verified Buyer
Pro
Height: 6'3'' - 6'5'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: True to size
Mark H.
Dec 7, 2023
1/5
Thin material - washed correctly. And it still shrunk immediately.
Verified Buyer
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: Runs small
TOMMY T.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
It's perfect
Verified Buyer
Military & Veterans
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: True to size
Pete D.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Couldn’t hunt without it.
Verified Buyer
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 161 lbs - 190lbs
Fit: True to size
KC K.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
love it. fits great and the merino is awesome. i prefer the new blend as it's a little tougher.
Verified Buyer
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 191 lbs - 220lbs
Fit: True to size
Austin W.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
This is my first merino wool piece of gear and will definitely not be the last. Odor control is unmatched by anything I've even worn. Also, breathes better than any material I've ever worn. I use for hunting, hiking, scouting, and general wear around. Well made.
Verified Buyer
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 161 lbs - 190lbs
Fit: True to size
Joseph H.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Good base layer with the mask built in. Fits snug but was expecting it to be more fitted for a second layer.
Verified Buyer
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: True to size
Joseph F.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Xxl fits me great. Perfect layer under a good jacket on a 40 degree morning hunt in south Louisiana where it may be 70 by 11am.
Verified Buyer
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: True to size
Anthony M.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Core merino is way better than synthetic. I wore other brands of synthetic this stuff's a game changer.
Verified Buyer
Fit: True to size
Ross C.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Amazing Hoody. Works great as a base layer, between this and the core light weight hoody it’s a piece you will wear all season.
Verified Buyer
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 191 lbs - 220lbs
Fit: True to size
JeanMichel S.
Dec 7, 2023
5/5
Absolutely loved this piece this season. Wore it everyday on a 9 day hunt and I can attest to its odour control properties.
Verified Buyer
Military & Veterans
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 221 lbs - 250lbs
Fit: True to size
Patrick H.
Nov 26, 2023
5/5
Very impressed with this hoody, and have a couple in multiple colors. Great outer layer during teal and dove hunts, and great base layer during mid and late season duck.
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 131 lbs - 160lbs
Fit: True to size
Josh
Nov 1, 2023
5/5
I bought this in evII in 2XL because i wanted it to fit a little more baggy with the idea of early season whitetail here in Oklahoma where it hasn't quite cooled off yet. I have worn it on 2 different hunts, the first being in the mid 70's and was at a great temp, the other hunt was in the low 70's and got down to the upper 50's by sunset but was still comfortable. This piece is soft and comfortable and full of good technology life thumbholes, perfect hood, zipper pocket and face mask. If you do size up, the face mask may run a little loose, which is what happened to me but there is give and take. Overall would recommend this piece to everyone!
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 251 lbs - 280lbs
Fit: True to size
IdahoBackcountry
Sep 26, 2023
5/5
Wore this 10 days elk hunting this year instead of Core lightweight hoody I have (was slightly colder year). Like other reviewers said, it boils down to standard merino vs poly benefits. Merino resists stink like crazy (backpacking gold), better in slightly colder/breezier conditions (aka hike and stop in mid/cooler temps), better skin feel (but that's splitting hairs, poly isn't bad). Poly is cooler in truly hot weather (but can feel cold when stopping activity), dries extremely quick (wash in a creek behind your tent and dry in 45 mins fast), and more durable. Integrated hood/facemask on both is fantastic for close encounters (shot my elk at 5yds this year). This runs very slightly larger than core lightweight hoody version-- it naturally has more give than semi-rigid plastics, and will stretch ever so slightly after some use and wash. If on fence between M/L like me, made the M a no brainer, especially with effectively longer sleeves. Huge fan of thumbhole sleeve lengths... basically made it MT version that (dangit Sitka!) isn't available anymore. You don't/can't wear thumbhole with a wrist release for archery (the primary purpose/application for this weight)... you just put them on thumbholes when changing layers and pop them off after, makes layering easier. Overall great piece, and glad I have both to choose from, not getting rid of either for sure.
Height: 6' - 6'2'' · Weight: 161 lbs - 190lbs
Fit: True to size
Hunter
Sep 15, 2023
5/5
Wore this hoodie during archery elk in CO (40-80). This hoodie worked great as a base in the am and on its own 90%. No pilling and no stink after 6 days in the backcountry. 5’10” 160 in between M & L. Went with the L for a looser fit.
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 161 lbs - 190lbs
Fit: True to size
220 s.
Sep 9, 2023
5/5
Fantastic build quality and versatility
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 191 lbs - 220lbs
Fit: True to size
Mike K.
Aug 24, 2023
4/5
As a natural photographer, I shoot in cold and hot weather--and everything in between. Less than a year ago, I finally discovered Sitka gear. And in that year I have spent more on Sitka gear than camera gear since I had struggled trying to manage colder environments. Beyond photography, I have worn Merino wool tops year round for years. For causal use during the warm/hot/humid days whether active or still, I had relied on the Icebreaker Cool-Lite, which is a combo of Merino wool and Tencel. While it did the job, the combo of materials was not durable. I was very excited when Sitka essentially replaced Tencel with polyester—both of which are highly breathable and wickable, while polyester is more durable. I like the Cool-Lite shirts over polyester tops when hot because I never really liked the feel of polyester shirts (Nike, UA) when I sweated a lot. But as I read the reviews on the Core Lightweight Hoody, I decided to give that a try too. We aren’t into the cool/cold season yet, so I “tested” the Core Merino 120 Hoody and the Core Lightweight Hoody in two main conditions: a workout in the gym and walking the dog (up to 90 degrees with a 110 heat index). The results were pretty much what would be predicted given the properties of Merino wool and polyester. The mainly polyester Core Lightweight Hoody was exceptional at wicking away sweat and keeping me as cool as possible—I will now wear this top wen I am active in warm/hot/humid conditions that lead to sweating. The Core Merino 120 Hoody was slower to wick during workouts and walks, but that wasn’t always a bad thing. While working out with a slightly moist shirt, a slight breeze from a fan felt really cool. But overall, I will be using the Core Lightweight Hoody when I know that I will be sweating a lot. While Sitka advertises that the 120 Series is “to keep you cool and dry through sweltering early season hunts,” I feel that the Core Lightweight Hoody is better for those conditions. But when the temp and humidity start to drop, I think the insulating properties (heat retention) from Merino wool in the Core Merino 120 Hoody make it better when you need to retain a little body heat when controlling sweat is not a major concern. And the longer sleeves with thumb holes on the Core Merino 120 Hoody allows you to wear the top further down on your hand for warmth when it starts getting colder. But when it gets really cold and sweating is minimal, I will always wear a 100% Merino wool base layer… Just a final comment. Merino wool clearly is the best way to minimize odor. I have never had arm odor problem with Icebreaker, SwartWool, and Meriwool products—and the same now applies to the Sitka Core Merino 120 Hoody. By contrast, after less than two days with the Core Lightweight Hoody with Polygiene, arm pit odor was noticeable—just ask my wife! It is a little hard to predict when the stink will occur, but I have to be more aware of when and how long I wear the Core Lightweight Hoody. The Polygene used with mainly polyester wear does help, but it clearly is not as effective as Merino wool at controlling odors (and the Sitka performance ratings reflect that).
Height: 5'6'' - 5'8'' · Weight: 131 lbs - 160lbs
Fit: True to size
ElkNut90
Jul 27, 2023
3/5
I was hopeful for this new piece. Just an overall baggy fit. If you want a base layer this is not the piece to get. Sitka has used thumb "holes" not loops on this top. A couple things this causes. When not using the thumbholes the sleeves are about three inches too long, so they bunch up at the wrist. When using the thumbholes you better were them under a glove because the 120 weight fabric will not hold up for long as an exterior layer. The sleeves, especially when wet, are very loose and sag. It takes much longer than the Core Lightweight "poly" hoodie to dry out. When tucked into your pants the body is not a snug fit either, once again baggy, so all your upper body sweat goes straight to your waist. You cannot size down because the sleeves would end up too short to use the thumbholes.
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 131 lbs - 160lbs
Fit: Runs big
COHunter67
Jul 26, 2023
2/5
Wow, this is the first base layer from Sitka as well as any other merino company I've owned throughout the decades without flatlock seams. Cheap!!
Height: 5'9'' - 5'11'' · Weight: 131 lbs - 160lbs
Fit: True to size