ProView – Rab Force Hoody

It can be tough to find the right selection of clothing to bring on an extended trip, especially when you will experience wide ranges of temperatures and aerobic output. I recently made a trip to Mt. Rainier in an attempt to reach the summit. It was springtime but the weather was decidedly winter on the mountain, and I was not interested in making my pack any heavier than it needed to be for the up-hill slog to Camp Muir. I was able to bring along the Rab Force Hoody as my go-to layer for when the going got cold and when the layers started to shed.

Size and Fit

I was on the fence about sizing when I ordered the Force Hoody. I am 6’2” 225lbs with broader shoulders and long arms.  The slim fit description made me get an XL and I was happy that I did. Even the XL fit a little closer to the body than I would like for an all-around layer but since this was going to specifically be used as a next-to-skin layering item on Rainier, I was happy with the fit. With the hoody next-to-skin, it fits loose and comfortable without a lot of excess fabric which means if you throw on a slimmer layer on top you will not get a lot of bunching of fabric. The way the XL Force Hoody fits me, though, means if I wear it over a shirt, things start getting a little snug. This mattered more when I returned home to the desert of Moab, UT and started wearing this as a sun protection layer at the crag or on the motorcycle. If I was to buy this specifically for a sun hoody, I might try a XXL size to see how well that wears over shirts.

Comfort and Performance

I wore the Force Hoody nonstop for days. The fabric that the Force Hoody is made of is a comfortable polyester fabric they call Motiv. It is a bit firmer feeling than a traditional sun hoody, which I prefer, but is still just as light, supple, and comfortable. Turns out, the Force Hoody features Rab’s Stay Fresh Technology, a fact not known to me at the time but one that my tent mates definitely benefited from. I wore this as my uphill layer on the way to Camp Muir then proceeded to hang out in it around camp. When the weather forced us to hunker down in the tent, there was no evidence of the number of hours that layer had been on my body. This is a big plus for layers that are needed on multi-day endeavors.

When I first got my hands on the Force Hoody, I was thinking that it was much more of a sun hoody than it was a layering item. I had high hopes, though, as I run very hot and traditional base layers are almost always too warm for me. I was seamlessly able to wear this as my next-to-skin layer and as the base layer under my down insulated shell. This meant I was able to quickly and easily regulate temperature as the weather constantly changed.

Back home in the desert, I assign the Force Hoody to sun-protection duty. It does this job quite well with the added thumb loops, high collar, and slim fitting hood. I must use the thumb loops on this layer more than any other as the sleeves could not be any shorter for my long arms. This tends to lead to tight fitting feelings while reaching and moving my arms above my head.

Friendliness to the Earth

The Force Hoody is not made of any recycled fabric and is treated with their odor control treatment. I wondered what that odor treatment was but could not find any direct info on the product page or the website. I started googling and that led me back to Rab’s site and “The Rab Guide to Baselayers”. I do not know how to get there directly from their site, but it gave more info on the Motiv Fabric and their odor control treatment. That treatment, a Polygiene odor control treatment, uses a silver salt as the naturally occurring in nature antimicrobial agent. I was happy I put in the effort to find that page as my initial thoughts were that the treatment had to be chemically based so I was thrilled to learn I was wrong.

It is not hard to see that Rab is working towards a positive relationship with the Earth as a manufacturer. There are many ways they are striving to improve as a business but the one that consumers should take more advantage of is Rab’s repair option. You can send in your Rab gear, and they will try and fix zippers, seams, holes, buckles or whatever other scars your gear has endured. As always, increasing the life of our gear is one of the best ways we as consumers can do our part!

Final Word

The Force Hoody is a go-to hoody for those cold days of manicured layering systems or simply as a sun protection layer while you explore the desert. It will become a staple of your packing with the added benefits of going a little bit further between washes.

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