The Best Hoodies for Work or Play
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You might not know anything about the Apple Vision Pro, but you probably have at least seen the picture of Cool Hunting founder Josh Rubin wearing an Eyn Vas hoodie while testing it. That's because it's how most of us—and by us, we're including you—look most of the time (or want to look, anyway). A hooded sweatshirt can be a statement piece, but you're also probably wearing one over your pajamas, while working out at the gym, or pulled over your head on a long flight. Most of us keep our hoodies around for years. There are so many different fabrics, cuts, price points, and styles, that you can never have enough hoodies in your closet.
Do you find yourself overwhelmed? Is it mentally and emotionally difficult to replace the threadbare one in your closet right now? We're here to help make it easier. The Gear team waded through a ton of hoodies—OK, it wasn't hard—and picked our favorites at every activity and price point you can imagine. Need to complete the look? Check out the rest of our buying guides, including the Best Barefoot Shoes and the Best Merino Wool Clothes.
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- Photograph: American Giant
The Best Hoodie Overall
American Giant Classic Full ZipThis zip-up hoodie from American Giant (the brand's signature product) got a ton of attention when it launched in 2012. The tech columnist Farhad Manjoo, writing for Slate at the time, called it "The Greatest Hoodie Ever Made." Strong words, and over a decade later, the phrase still carries the stench of hyperbole. But I'll tell you something: I got one of these full-zips in 2013, and it's still going strong. I wear it regularly, and it hasn't stretched or frayed, just attractively faded with dozens of washes. The full cotton fleece is indeed very heavy and thick, so much so that it's really only comfortable to wear on colder days. I'll sweat inside of it if the thermometer gets above the low 60s Fahrenheit. (The company also makes a lighter version from a cotton-poly blend that reviewer Martin Cizmar also likes.) The elbows are reinforced with patches, and the hood is double-lined. It's a tank. I can recommend it for anyone who needs something warm and durable that will last forever. And the whole thing is spun and sewn in the US.
There are two fits, classic and relaxed. I prefer the classic fit because it's cut slim and snug at the waist (and it has stayed nice and snug through a decade-plus of wear) while leaving plenty of room at the shoulders. The classic cut relaxes the waist a bit if you don't like the snug feeling. —Michael Calore
100 percent combed ring-spun cotton
★ If you want a pullover instead: This is the non-zip version of the brand's Classic hoodie. The material is the same—100 percent cotton fleece—and it's all spun and assembled in the US. The durable reinforced elbows and the wind-stopping, double-lined hood are present here as well. The main difference, aside from the lack of a zipper, is a slightly more relaxed cut. It's snug at the waist and roomy in the shoulders but offers a little more room in the middle. It's just as toasty as the zip-up too. If you want to see how to wear this properly, check out Michael Che's Netflix comedy special, “Matters.” He wears one on stage.
100 percent combed ringspun cotton
- Photograph: Amazon
The Original Hoodie
Champion Reverse Weave SweatshirtMuch like a prime ribeye steak, hoodie material needs to be cut the right way. Champion discovered this just before the Second World War, when it developed its reverse-weave sweatshirt material by cutting the cotton with its grain instead of against it. This gives it a more pleasing and durable texture and helps prevent uneven shrinkage. A few years later, Champion invented the hoodie at the request of the University of Michigan, which commissioned it to keep participants in its athletics program warm and cozy while
filming upcoming opponents to steal play callsplaying sports. Today's descendants of the original hooded sweatshirt are a cotton-poly blend that hangs a little loose and heavy compared to many modern sweatshirts but ages gracefully, keeping shape through hundreds of washings. (I only replace a Champion reverse weave once it has a socially inappropriate number of grease stains.) They come in lots of colors and styles. —Martin Cizmar82 percent cotton, 18 percent polyester
★ Another classic cut: If you want a classic hoodie in 100 percent cotton that is affordable and easily available on Amazon, reviewer Adrienne So is usually in a men's pullover Comfort Colors hoodie. The company uses a dying process called Pigment Pure that uses less water and energy and gives the fabric its signature faded look. She and her children also wear Comfort Colors T-shirts as well.
- Photograph: Houdini
The Technical Hoodie
Houdini Sportswear Power HoudiAre you a mountaineer or an alpinist, or would you simply like to look like one? Then you probably want a hoodie made from one of Polartec’s stretchy, insulating fabrics that are used in almost every technical midlayer, like the Patagonia R1. Houdini’s Power Houdie is made from Polartec Power Stretch Pro and it is one of the comfiest garments I’ve ever worn. The bluesign-certified fabric is sustainable as well as thick, stretchy, and brushed for superb comfort, and every time I pull this on, I feel instantly cozy. It has extra stretch that makes it ideal as a base layer for winter activities. The sleeves have added length and thumb loops to avoid cold spots, and the durable face fabric can keep out a chilly breeze far better than a basic down jacket. At 16.8 ounces (478 grams) it weighs plenty and doesn’t pack small, and the cut is long and close to the body. That's great for layering, but not as nice for casual wear. The high neck might also be excessive if you're not on a snowy slope. —Chris Haslam
57 percent polyester, 33 percent polyamide, 10 percent elastane
- Photograph: Minus33
Another Durable Outdoor Hoodie
Minus33 Expedition Weight HoodieWhen you want to stay warm, few fabrics can match merino wool. It's a super fiber, which is why we have an entire guide to merino wool, and this Minus33 hoodie is one of our favorites. It's soft and comfy, made of 95 percent merino wool and 5 percent Spandex to give it a little stretch. It's easy to care for: You can machine-wash and tumble-dry it. It won't shrink or lose its shape, and the colors won't bleed.
We also like that Minus33 offers a wide range of sizes, from X-small to XXL. There's a dearth of merino wool for kids, and while this Minus33 hoodie isn't available in kids' sizes, the extra-small women's fit my 10-year-old perfectly and continues to fit her as an 12-year-old. You'll want to check the fit chart on Minus33 for your kids, but this is a fantastic hoodie for kids if they do fit. I've been impressed with its durability, it's stood up to kid life, climbing trees, and running through the woods, and the hand warmers pair well with mittens on cold days. —Scott Gilbertson
95 percent merino wool, 5 percent spandex
- Photograph: Lululemon
The Cropped Tween Hoodie
Lululemon Scuba Oversized Half-Zip HoodieOver the winter break last year, I demanded to see the PowerPoint presentations that our friends’ teenage daughter had sent to her parents as her Christmas wish list. On top was this hoodie. The body and ribbing of the hoodie is over 70 percent cotton, which makes it more breathable than polyester hoodies. But the most distinctive feature is the fit, which is an exaggerated crop that’s noticeable even on me (I’m 5'2”). It has huge sleeves and the distinctive Lululemon scuba hood, which swallows your whole head and zips over your face if you want to sleep during math class. I wore this while traveling with Lulu high-waisted flare Aligns and got mistaken for my kids’ older sister multiple times. —Adrienne So
Body: 70 percent cotton, 30 percent polyester; Mesh: 89 percent nylon, 11 percent elastane; Rib: 97 percent cotton, 3 percent elastane
- Photograph: Aritzia
The Other Viral Hoodie
Aritzia Sweatfleece Cozy Perfect HoodieThis hoodie is viral on TikTok, and to wear it in the TikTok-approved style, you need to purchase it at least two sizes larger than your actual size and wear it with the matching sweatpants, also oversized, in the same color. Sweatfleece has a very distinctive look and feel. The garment is dyed after it’s been completed, and the surface of the fabric is suede. The result is a hoodie that is as soft and faded as if it’s a zillion years old but as thick and cozy as a new one. I look like a walking mushroom, and I have never been more comfortable. The one downside is that I usually line-dry all my favorite clothes to prolong their lives. Most hoodies take a day at most to dry, but it takes so long for Sweatfleece to line-dry that I have ended up tossing it in the dryer, and I'm very worried that it will shrink. —Adrienne So
78 percent cotton, 22 percent polyester
- Photograph: Popflex Active
An Oversized Hoodie with Structure
Popflex Cloud HoodieI got this on a recommendation from a fellow WIRED staffer that said this was the perfect hoodie (for women), and I’m here to tell you that they were absolutely right. I immediately included it in our Gifts for Mom guide. The Popflex Cloud Hoodie has a nice weight to it, a soft (though not overly plush) interior lining, and an oversized design that doesn’t make me look like a marshmallow looking for a campfire. The waist of the hoodie gathered nicely at my natural waist, and the drop shoulders and massive hood draped over my upper body while still retaining its form and structure. Honestly, I look way cooler than I actually am in this hoodie, especially since it tends to casually slip off one shoulder. It looks good with well-fitting jeans and leggings and comes in so many colors that I have to resist buying another every day. —Nena Farrell
88 percent cotton, 12 percent Polyester
- Photograph: Filson
The Working Man's Hoodie
Filson Prospector HoodiePacific Northwest outdoors company Filson gifted me a Prospector Hoodie way back in 2017. Despite it being huge on me, I wore the beefy 13-ounce fleece for years. It washed brilliantly, it was warm, it coped with abuse, and it became my at-home hoodie of choice. For the past few years, after passed it along, my brother-in-law has rarely been seen without it. There’s all manner of stains on it from daily abuse and countless fishing trips, but the fabric remains in great condition, the shape is true, and there’s virtually no fraying. Made using 75 percent cotton and 25 percent polyester, it’s nigh on impossible to recycle, which is a shame, but at least as a family, we’re getting decades of wear from it. —Chris Haslam
75 percent cotton, 25 percent polyester
★ Another working hoodie: Do you have a rugged, outdoorsy job, like roofing or wrangling horses on a movie set? Or would you simply like to dress like this is a possibility? Then you might want to consider Carhartt's loose-fit sweatshirt. This all-cotton hoodie with triple-stitched seams holds up to all the rigors of reviewer Martin Cizmar's lifestyle, which includes everything from driving his truck to Target to basic lawn work. The Carhartt hoodie has a looser fit than many and breaths extremely well thanks to a looser weave.
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A Runner's Hoodie
Roark El Morro Fleece HoodieThe El Morro is part of Roark's line of trail running apparel, so it's athletically minded and has a more technical feel compared to the other blended hoodies we've tried. The stretchy semi-synthetic fabric—a mix of viscose, nylon, and elastane—hugs the body in a way that's both cozy and flattering. With super-minimal cuffs and elastic details, the hoodie has a sleek cut that makes you look like a runner (it's activewear!) but also manages to be stylish. It looks just as good above a pair of designer jeans as it does above a pair of running shorts. The hood is super roomy so you can comfortably wear a hat under it, and the high collar forms a big protective cowl around your chin when you zip up to keep the wind off your neck.
The fabric breathes well too, so it's warm enough but comfortable to wear all day and night. Speaking of night, a pair of small reflective safety strips are sewn into the right shoulder and on the middle of the back left side. They don't do a whole lot to improve your visibility on the street at night, but they're better than nothing; It's a jungle out there. Roark is always releasing new styles and colors of the El Morro, so if you don't see a pattern that appeals to you, check back next season. —Michael Calore
68 percent viscose, 27 percent nylon, 5 percent elastane
- Photograph: Cozy Earth
A Super Soft Layering Hoodie
Cozy Earth Bamboo HoodieI shouldn’t have been surprised how insanely soft this hoodie is. I’ve tried Cozy Earth’s bamboo sheets before, and the Bamboo Hoodie is equally crazy soft and lightweight. It’s cool to the touch thanks to the bamboo viscose that makes up the majority of the material. It doesn’t have any pockets, and it’s thin, so it’s more of a layering or lounge piece. I loved it most when I would exercise since the lightweight material wouldn’t make me sweaty like other hoodies or top layers might. —Nena Farrell
60 percent cotton, 40 percent recycled polyester
- Photograph: L.L. Bean
The Classic Fall Hoodie
L.L. Bean Bean's Comfort Camp Hoodie, GraphicL.L. Bean’s thin, lightweight hoodies are perfect for those gray, crisp, misty mornings when you bring the garbage bin back inside and sip hot coffee while staring out the window. I think what helps with this is its length—it’s quite a long hoodie and the sleeves come all the way down past my wrists (I chose the Tall size due to my height, so I’m not sure how different the Regular size is). It doesn’t feel too tight anywhere, but there’s enough structure that it falls off the body in a complimentary way. It’s a great hoodie for doing housework thanks to the soft-knit stretch fabric; you never feel constrained. These come in several colors with varied graphic designs, and there’s often a sale that brings them as low as $50. That’s a bargain. —Julian Chokkattu
59 percent cotton, 38 percent polyester, and 3 percent spandex
- Photograph: Teddy Fresh
A Trendy Hoodie
Teddy Fresh Color Block Hoodie 2.0Someone acknowledged my Teddy Fresh hoodie once. That has never happened to me before (am I cool now?). Teddy Fresh is known for its iconic Color Block hoodie—the sleeves and hoodie are different colors from the main body, delivering a striking look. The company has since made these available in many designs (even a greyscale variant), and you will be hard-pressed to feel more hip wearing something else. (Like the youths!) The inner material is a super-soft brushback fleece, and the 100 percent cotton feel has held up quite well over the last four years. I am 6’4”, so the raglan sleeves are a bit short on me, but overall it’s a snug, flattering unisex fit, and I didn’t feel the need to size up. I very much like the individual welt pockets (boo to Kangaroo pockets!), perfect for keeping your hands warm and comfy.
I have also tested and like the company’s Bear Ear Build-a-Hoodie, a full-zip made from 100 percent cotton. Except this one doesn’t just have a zipper down the middle—the sleeves have zippers and so does the hoodie, allowing you to get weird with how you style it, or you can mismatch the colors if you buy the hoodie in different styles. It feels quite heavy and you can sometimes feel the metal zippers, but only if you’re wearing a lightweight T-shirt underneath. The ribbed cuffs are nice and long, and who doesn’t want little bear ears on the hood? —Julian Chokkattu
100 percent cotton, 450 gsm brushback fleece
- Photograph: Boys Lie
The Influencer Hoodie
Boys Lie Better Half Racer HoodieIf you're on social media a lot, you've likely seen this brand worn by many popular influencers. I've wanted a hoodie from Boys Lie ever since I saw this paparazzi photo of Vanderpump Rules reality TV star (and Love Island USA host) Ariana Madix wearing it last year. But I couldn't get past the steep price. However, after trying it, it's easy to understand why these are so expensive.
I've never been a big fan of hoodies, mainly because I could never find the right fit. Regardless of the brand, I always found the material to be too thick, rigid, or heavy and the hood to be annoying. But this hoodie is the complete opposite. It's lightweight but warm, the material feels super soft and buttery, and the hood rests comfortably behind me (bonus points for the absence of drawstrings). I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've been living in this hoodie for months (my colleagues have likely noticed I wear it on every Zoom call week after week). Unlike other brands I've worn in the past, this one can be both dressed up and dressed down, depending on the occasion. It only gets comfier after every wash too. The tagline on the Boys Lie website is “some things just get better with time," and that can't be more true. The company also sent me the matching sweatpants, which feel exactly like the sweatshirt, but it's worth noting they run a bit small, so I would size up. —Brenda Stolyar
66 percent cotton, 21 percent rayon, 13 percent polyester
- Photograph: Pangaia
A Hoodie Your Partner Will Steal
Pangaia 365 Signature HoodiePangaia’s hoodie is what I assume sitting on a cloud feels like. Even donning the hood feels like wrapping my head in a pillow. My wife must think so too because this is the hoodie she steals the most. It has a boxier fit but it’s still flattering, and despite my 6’4” frame, the sleeves are the perfect length. No Kangaroo pockets here! You get individual side pockets for each hand. The heavyweight fabric is enveloping, like a hug, and the inside is brushed for that extra soft touch. Pangaia says it’s treated with peppermint oil for its anti-odor properties and while I can’t vouch for these claims, I haven’t smelled anything funky even after wearing this hoodie for more than a week (and no, it doesn’t smell like peppermint). You can get matching sweatpants to complete the look.
The company is a Certified B Corp, emphasizing responsible manufacturing and fair labor practices. This hoodie is made from 50 percent cotton and 50 percent recycled cotton. —Julian Chokkattu
50 percent organic cotton, 50 percent recycled cotton
Photograph: ArcteryxMore Good Hoodies
Honorable MentionsWe've tested a bunch of hoodies. They're not all worthy of the top spot, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth buying. Below, we've listed a few more that we think are good but aren't as great as the ones above.
- Richer Poorer Recycled Fleece Hoodie for $82: If our picks for cropped hoodies above didn't tempt you, reviewer Nena Farrell notes that this hoodie nails the proportions exactly. It also saves approximately 40 bottles from the landfill with each purchase. 60 percent cotton, 40 percent recycled polyester
- Arcteryx Covert Hoodie for $180: I liked the zippered center pocket and it looked nice and polished, but the hood itself was too snug for my big head. It’s a fun choice though if you don’t have a big noggin like me (or a lot of hair you’d want to fit into the hood, either). 100 percent recycled polyester
- TheraHoodie for $138: Thera's weighted hoodie is sadly too heavy to wear out while running errands, but it's ideal for wearing around the house (especially after a stressful day). My only gripe is that sometimes a few beads fall out of the pockets. 100 percent polyester
- Feat BlanketBlend Hoodie for $128: This hoodie is oversized, but isn't too too tight or too loose in any specific area. The neckline doesn't feel suffocating either. We also like both the trendy color selection and the big kangaroo pocket. Proprietary BlanketBlend fabric
Photograph: Nena FarrellHow We Test Hoodies
Multiple writers on WIRED's gear team have contributed to this guide, but we test all hoodies by wearing them regularly for multiple activities, from walking the dog, going running, wearing them to the gym, and wearing them in at least seven Zoom meetings minimum per diem. We also put all of our hoodies through several wash and wear cycles to test how to fabric will hold up over time. Does the material feel soft? Have the colors faded or the stitching come loose?
We also judge it based on fit, including how the cut and waistband fit along with the length of the sleeves. Most importantly, we make sure it's comfortable and worth the investment. If it's a hoodie we find ourselves constantly reaching for in our closet, then it's safe to say it's WIRED-approved.
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