Best Women’s Hiking Shirts of 2023

JUMP TO: MERINO T-SHIRTS & TANK TOPS / SYNTHETIC T-SHIRTS & TANK TOPS / MATERNITY T-SHIRTS / LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS / BUYING ADVICE

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It is a universally acknowledged truth that hiking is sweaty work. But no-one is comfortable soaked in sweat!

The best women’s hiking shirts solve this problem through moisture wicking and quick drying fibres — allowing you to focus on enjoying your hike.

As convenient as it would be to just grab whatever clothes you have in your wardrobe and head out on the trail, things are going to be a lot more comfortable if you don’t. Cotton — the most common fabric used in our everyday clothing — is notorious for holding moisture and taking forever to dry.

So if you go hiking regularly or are planning a multi-day trek, then spending a little extra money on a technical women’s hiking shirt will be worth it.

 

Most women’s hiking T-shirts are also available in a tank top variation. photo taken on the North West Circuit on Stewart Island, New Zealand.

 

When it comes to choosing women’s hiking shirts, the two main options for materials are merino or synthetics.

Merino is a type of wool and is notoriously odor-free after prolonged use. It’s also really soft and usually quite expensive. Synthetic materials are typically lighter weight, cheaper, and can be treated to improve odor resistance.

The hiking shirts in this review are split into three categories: merino hiking t-shirts (and tank tops); synthetic hiking t-shirts (and tank tops); and long sleeve women’s hiking shirts — jump to the section you’re most interested in to help narrow down the best choices for you.

If you love this review of the best women’s hiking shirts, then you'll likely love reading some of our other gear-fiend related pages:

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Which fabric is best? … Do I need sleeves? … How can I stop that stink?

If you are unsure about some of the options related to technical women’s hiking shirts, then check out our detailed buying advice at the bottom of the page.

 

Lightweight merino put to work under the hot summer sun near Nanga Parbat Base Camp in Pakistan.

 

BEST MERINO HIKING T-SHIRTS & TANK TOPS

MATERIALS: 87% merino wool, 13% nylon

STYLE: Crew T-shirt (also available as Racerback Tank or Long Sleeve Crew)

UPF RATING: 20+

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 3.6 oz / 102 grams

PROS: Comfortable, Lightweight merino

PRICE: $$$

Let’s start with a classic merino baselayer — the Smartwool Merino 150 Base Layer Top. You might be thinking, “Really… wool in hot weather?” But this 150 grams per square meter merino top is designed for warm, everyday wear.

The lightweight merino will keep you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s warm, thanks to its insulating properties. It has UPF 20+ sun protection too, so is suitable for exposed conditions.

This shirt is made of 100% merino fibre wrapped around a thin nylon core. This means soft and comfortable merino is kept close to your skin, but the nylon core adds extra durability. The result? A very comfortable t-shirt that stays hole-free for longer, almost as long as a synthetic t-shirt (we know all too well about accidentally poking holes through well worn merino hiking shirts!).

This ultra-soft top comes with short raglan sleeves and smooth merrow stitching to minimize any potential rubbing. The raglan sleeves means that there’s no shoulder seam, so no chance of anything chafing under you backpack straps. The shirt’s side seams wrap around onto your front for a closer fit and are stretchy to accommodate your movement. You should never get into an awkward shirt-splitting stretch reaching up on a scramble, for instance.

Prefer to hike in a tank top? You’re in luck, the Smartwool Merino 150 Base Layer Tank uses the same materials in a racerback tank design.

MATERIALS: 87% merino wool, 13% nylon

STYLE: Low Crew T-shirt (also available as Scoop or Tank)

UPF RATING: 30

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 3.7 oz / 106 grams

PROS: Comfortable, Lightweight merino, Several neck styles available

MRRP: $$$

The Icebreaker Tech Lite SS Low Crewe women’s hiking shirt claims to be “perfect for just about any adventure you can think of”. That sounds like a challenge! And one that we think it lives up to.

It’s a mostly merino shirt — in the same proportions as the Smartwool offering, that is 87% merino with a 13% nylon core. So you get all those sheepy benefits - like adapting to hot or cold conditions and keeping those sweaty smells at bay. Of course, this is still a summer shirt, so don’t go marching off to the North Pole.

Breathable and stretchy, this tee is designed for outdoor activities. There are short sleeves, with seams around the sides and shoulders.

You’ll notice that it’s also quite long as t-shirts go - reaching well past your hips. This is a great feature for hiking with a heavy backpack. There is nothing quite so annoying as having your t-shirt ride up your back, then having to stop or reach up behind your backpack to yank it back down again.

And like the Smartwool offering, the Icebreaker Tech Lite is also available as a tank top.

BEST SYNTHETIC HIKING T-SHIRTS

MATERIALS: 100% polyester

STYLE: Sleeveless Crew

UPF RATING: 50+

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 2.3 oz / 65 grams

PROS: Ultralight, Quick drying, Odor treated, Wide shoulders

MRRP: $$

If sleeves are really not your thing, then the Arc’teryx Remige Sleeveless hiking tank top might just be for you. Of course, you could buy another shirt and just cut the sleeves off, but it wouldn’t dare look as good as this shirt nor as comfortable.

This hiking shirt for women is made from Thalden, a synthetic material (a type of polyester) that is breathable, lightweight and wicks moisture from all the right places. It’s very lightweight at a little over half the weight of the merino shirts we looked at above.

A concern for any sleeveless shirt with a heavy backpack is chafing. If the shoulders aren’t wide enough, they can get moved aside, thereby leaving you with rucksack padding against your skin. Thankfully, Arc’teryx have thought of that and have designed this shirt with full back coverage and wide shoulders.

It’s got merrow stitching and a women’s specific fit to add to those comfort levels. And just to top it off, it’s rated UPF 50+ for sun protection. Sun ray protection doesn’t get much more solid than that.

MATERIALS: 100% polyester (52% recyced)

STYLE: Crew T-shirt (also available as Tank Top or Long Sleeve Crew)

UPF RATING: Not specified

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 2.1 oz / 60 grams

PROS: Ultralight, Wicks well, Drop tail hem, Recycled materials

MRRP: $$

Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt is a seriously ultralight offering. It is a 100% polyester short sleeved t-shirt with an environmentally conscious footprint. The polyester that makes up the shirt is 52% recycled material. The shirt itself is Fair Trade Certified and there’s a label sewn into the seam of the shirt to prove it.

Normally you’d think of a polyester shirt as being pretty smelly to wear day after day, but Patagonia claim their “HeiQ Fresh durable odor control” will put a stop to that.

Being such an incredibly lightweight hiking shirt it wicks moisture and dries quickly, whether from sweat or a dunk in the river.

In terms of fit, it has set in sleeves and side seams. It has motion-friendly side vents for extra cooling, plus a drop-tail hem to stop the shirt riding up while you’re wearing a backpack. The design is female specific and has a scoop neck for a comfortable fit. However if you prefer a tank, then you are in luck — check out the Patagonia Capilene Cool Lightweight Tank Top.

If you are worried about durability or the thin material, then you could consider the slightly heavier Patagonia Capilene Cool Trail (shirt or tank) or Daily (shirt or tank). But we think the lightweight model should be durable enough for most hiking and backpacking endeavors.

MATERIALS: 65% polyester, 32% tencel, 3% spandex

STYLE: Crew T-shirt (also available as Racerback Tank or Long Sleeve Crew)

UPF RATING: 15

ODOUR RESISTANT: No

CLAIMED WEIGHT: Not specified

PROS: Lightweight, Moisture wicking fabric

MRRP: $$

Now here is an innovative piece of fabric. Oiselle have designed a t-shirt made from material that uses their own “HoverFit” technology. It’s made mostly of polyester, plus tencel and a little spandex. But the genius is in the construction.

The weave of the fabric looks a little like honeycomb, so it feels like it’s hovering above your body - not actually touching it. As you can imagine, this makes for a shirt that barely feels like you’re wearing it. This is a clever wicking t-shirt with a raglan short sleeve and flat side seams.

The shirt’s fit is quite close. If you want to leave something to the imagination, then you might like to buy a size up. But of course check the size guide and most recent comment on the product before purchasing. We understand the shaping and fit for these shirts has changed over time.

Still, considering Oiselle’s motto is “by and for female athletes”, they’ve got your best interests in mind.

MATERIALS: 92% polyester, 8% spandex

STYLE: Crew T-shirt (also available as Long Sleeve Crew)

UPF RATING: 30

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: Not specified

PROS: Less expensive, Moisture wicking fabric, Odor resistant treatment

MRRP: $

If you’re working with a tight budget, the REI Co-op Sahara might be the t-shirt for you. It’s a solid, practical women’s hiking shirt, but coming in at the less expensive end of the market.

It comes with all the features you’d expect: moisture wicking fabric, breathability and a solid UPF 30 sun protection. The fabric is a polyester spandex blend and comes with antimicrobial treatment, to help keep odors to a minimum with back-to-back use.

Off-shoulder seams around the sleeves do their best to stop any potential rubbing in those areas. In terms of fit, it is a fairly long t-shirt - ideal for hiking with a backpack strapped at the waist. Although it is a women’s specific shirt, it’s not particularly fitted or shaped, other than the cap sleeves and crew neck.

For hikers who don’t want anything too fancy, this makes a great entry-level choice that won’t break the bank.

BEST MATERNITY HIKING T-SHIRTS

MATERIALS: 76% polyester, 24% spandex

STYLE: Crew T-shirt

UPF RATING: Not specified

ODOUR RESISTANT: No

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 9.2 oz / 260 grams

PROS: Designed specifically for pregnancy

MRRP: $$

Surprisingly, there’s very few options out there for maternity hiking gear – so I was excited to discover Arctic Lynx Maternity Activewear midway through my pregnancy. Arctic Lynx have a range of activewear tops and bottoms, but it is their Midweight T-shirt that is best suited to hiking.

The polyester / spandex fabric feels quite thick at first – almost a bit like a light wetsuit material – but after a day of hiking in this shirt you start to get why this type of fabric was chosen. It’s super comfortable, stretchy, and doesn’t cause any itchiness on the belly (which is why I had to stop wearing merino t-shirts during my pregnancy).

The design of the top is great, it’s nice and long and doesn’t ride up your back if you’re wearing a backpack. The material stretches nicely to fit the belly (helped by some well-designed side ruching) while still maintaining that slim fit look. It’s also well-made (made in the US too!) and super easy to care for – it came out the wash still looking brand new.

This top is great for hiking in milder temps or in the colder seasons, but in the heat of summer you might find yourself reaching for a thinner material or a tank top with more airflow under the arms – especially if you’re late into your pregnancy and hiking is starting to feel twice as hard as it normally would!

Nonetheless, the Arctic Lynx Midweight T-shirt is a great pick for women keen to get out hiking during their pregnancy. Not to mention, a rare find in an outdoor industry that doesn’t seem to cater well to pregnant women.

BEST LONG SLEEVE HIKING SHIRTS

MATERIALS: 100% polyester

STYLE: Button-up long sleeve (also available as short sleeve or sleeveless)

UPF RATING: 40

ODOUR RESISTANT: Yes

CLAIMED WEIGHT: Not specified

PROS: Soft fabric, Back vents, Sleeve roll-up tabs

MRRP: $$

Now we’re into a new territory: buttons. The Colombia Silver Ridge Lite is a hiking shirt that looks a little more dressy than a plain t-shirt. With a button down front, collar and cuffs, we reckon you could even wear it out to dinner in the evening after your hike. If that’s your thing, of course.

The sleeves have roll-up tabs, to keep them from sliding back down, and there’s a small and secure zip pocket. There’s also built in venting on the back and shoulders to keep you cool. Practical reminders that this shirt is actually designed for out on the trail.

Long sleeve hiking shirts are ideal for maximising sun protection. The Columbia Silver Ridge Lite is rated at a high UPF 40, with Omni-Shade fabric that blocks out UVA and UVB rays (some of the main causes of long term sun damage on skin).

Alongside its sun-repelling powers, it’s got sweat-repelling properties too with a polyester nylon blend that is antimicrobial treated to keep smells away.

It’s available in a range of colors and both plain and plaid designs. And if you like the style of this shirt but don’t like long sleeves, then check out the short sleeve or sleeveless options.

MATERIALS: 95% nylon, 5% elastane

STYLE: Button-up long sleeve

UPF RATING: Not specified

ODOUR RESISTANT: No

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 4.9 oz / 140 grams

PROS: Ultralight for a button up long sleeve, Two hand pockets, Some stretch

MRRP: $$$$

Designed with hiking in mind, the Arc’teryx Riel Shirt is breathable and seriously lightweight for a button up sleeve.

The collar and small cuffs are soft and flexible, with two buttons at each wrist for adjusting the sleeves. The shirt is made from a nylon fabric that has a bit of stretch to provide additional comfort during active use.

Of course, any hiking shirt needs to be tough enough to withstand days of wear under a backpack or general trail wear, and the Riel Shirt should stand up to that without any trouble.

Most excitingly, for women’s clothing at any rate, this shirt has pockets. Two proper sized pockets at the front sides of the shirt. Although, they might be trapped under a waist belt if you’re hiking with a backpack. Unfortunately the pockets don’t have any way of actually closing though, so you’re not going to keep anything valuable in there. We guess that’s why Arc’teryx describe them as “hand pockets”.

Nonetheless, this is a good looking and comfortable hiking shirt — so if you are willing to shell out enough for the fairly expensive price tag, then you will no doubt be happy with it.

MATERIALS: 52% nylon, 48% polyester

STYLE: Button-up long sleeve

UPF RATING: 30

ODOUR RESISTANT: No

CLAIMED WEIGHT: 5.8 oz / 164 grams

PROS: Sleeve roll-up tabs, Hidden zippered chest pocket, Bluesign approved fabric, Sunglasses wipe panel, Stretch fabric

MRRP: $$$$

Patagonia market their Sun Stretch Shirt as one for fishing, but we see no reason it won’t be just as at home on the hiking trail.

It has all the familiar features you’d expect from a hiking shirt for women. The material is stretchy and ultralight, and therefore ideal for active use. It has two buttoned breast pockets, with a small hidden zip pocket on the left hand side. The collar can be secured down with poppers (apparently to stop “chin chafe” when out fishing on a windy boat, but may prove just as useful on a windy mountaintop).

The fit is feminine but relaxed. The shirt has a curved hem that drops down to hip height and further.

Using an almost 50:50 blend of nylon and polyester and having UPF 30 sun protection, it is quick drying and designed for hot weather. There’s even a little patch of fabric inside the front of the shirt for wiping your sunglasses with!

One downside — it is a little pricey. Although if you time it right you might be able to score it on a discount.

BUYING ADVICE FOR WOMEN’S HIKING SHIRTS

Types of hiking shirts

TANK TOPS

Tank tops are great for hiking on warm days since they are super light and breathable.

The downsides however are probably somewhat obvious — most importantly the lack of sun protection, meaning that if you are in an exposed environment you will need plenty of sunscreen!

Tank tops (especially racerback tanks) also don’t provide much protection from the material of your backpack if you are wearing one. So whether you are comfortable hiking in a tank top with a backpack on will depend on the type of padding your backpack has and how much friction (or lack of it) it creates against your skin.

T-SHIRTS

Hiking t-shirts are lightweight, comfortable, and perform well in hot weather. And if the weather gets cold you can simply layer additional clothing on top easily.

They can be made from both merino wool and synthetics, or a blend of the two. The downside of a t-shirt, similar to a tank top, is that it provides little protection from the sun or biting insects.

BUTTON UP SHIRTS

Button up hiking shirts are generally made from lightweight synthetic materials and usually provide quite a lot of ventilation.

Most button-up hiking shirts have a collar and long sleeves, but some short sleeve options are also available. A collar and long sleeves provides better protection from the sun and insects compared with a t-shirt, but the sacrifice will be added weight and (depending on the shirt) less breathability.

Some have mesh flaps for added ventilation and most have chest pockets for carrying small items.

ZIP UP BASELAYERS

Zip up baselayers have a quarter-zip or half-zip at the neck line to allow venting. When zipped up they often have a collar that helps with sun protection or trapping in warmth.

Most have long sleeves but some short sleeve options are available. They can be made from either merino wool or synthetics.

It is possible to use these as your baselayer (i.e. hiking shirt, but it is more common to use one as an insulating midlayer (i.e. wear it over your hiking shirt and under your fleece or down jacket). For example, I generally use a Smartwool Merino 250 Quarter-Zip Top to layer over my Smartwool Merino 150 Base Layer Top.

LONG SLEEVE BASELAYERS

a long sleeve baselayer is ideal for sleeping, around camp or for additional warmth in really cold conditions.

These have long sleeves and a crew neck. The crew neck does not allow venting. This makes these types of baselayers more suitable for cold weather where you won’t require the ventilation offered by a t-shirt or shirt.

Nonetheless, some long sleeve baselayers can be made from highly breathable synthetics which makes them a possible alternative to a t-shirt since they provide additional sun protection for the arms. Some of the t-shirts we recommended in this review are available in a long sleeve version (as mentioned in the reviews above).

Long sleeve baselayers are generally lighter weight than a zip-up long sleeve baselayer because they don’t include the zipper or extended collar, but they provide less versatility.

Fabrics for hiking shirts

The most common fabrics used for hiking shirts are merino wool, polyester, and nylon. Some hiking shirts are made from a blend of these.

MERINO WOOL

The glorious merino sheep!

Merino wool is a natural fibre, obtained courtesy of the merino sheep. Merino wool has amazing properties that make it perfect for use in hiking clothing.

It is moisture wicking, quick drying, naturally odour resistant, and soft to the touch. In fact, because merino wool is so soft, it is not itchy like regular wool.

The downside of merino wool is that it is expensive and not quite as durable as synthetic fibres.

  • Cons of merino wool:

    • Expensive

    • Not as durable

  • Pros of merino wool:

    • Moisture wicking

    • Quick drying

    • Naturally odour resistant

POLYESTER

Polyester is a man-made synthetic fibre that is moisture wicking and quick drying. It is not as soft as merino wool, however it is much cheaper to produce.

Polyester is commonly used in hiking t-shirts and next-to-skin baselayers because of its moisture wicking properties. It is sometimes blended with nylon to add strength, since nylon fibres are much stronger than polyester ones.

One downside of polyester is that it isn’t naturally odour resistant. It also absorbs oils (including body oils!) but not water, which means that washing it doesn’t always remove the stink. Some manufacturers will treat polyester hiking shirts with an anti-microbial to try and improve odour resistance.

  • Cons of polyester:

    • Not odour resistant

    • Not as soft as merino wool

  • Pros of polyester:

    • Moisture wicking

    • Quick drying

    • Cheap

NYLON

Nylon is a manmade synthetic fibre that is very strong and resistant to abrasions. It is reasonably good at wicking moisture since it absorbs very little water (3-4%), but not quite as good as polyester. Nylon can also feel cold when wet and doesn’t dry as fast as polyester. For these reasons nylon is less desirable for next-to-skin clothing than polyester.

But because of its strength, nylon is commonly woven together with merino wool or polyester. It can also be woven in such a way that it has wind and bug resistance properties. Some button-up hiking shirts therefore use nylon in high quantities (sometimes even 100% nylon).

Although nylon isn’t naturally odour resistant, it isn’t as bad as polyester at retaining odours.

  • Cons of polyester:

    • Not odour resistant (but better than polyester)

    • Feels cold when wet

  • Pros of nylon:

    • Durable and strong

    • Moisture wicking

    • Wind resistance

Whether you opt for merino wool or synthetics will depend on: your budget, your demands for durability, and your personal preferences. In some cases manufacturers will use a blend, e.g. merino wool wrapped around a nylon core. This can offer the best of both worlds… merino wool against the skin but the added durability of synthetics.

Note: If you are interested in reading more about merino wool and synthetics, then check out our detailed article on the topic.

Seam Construction

A “flatlock” seam is sewn so that the two pieces of fabric coming together are not overlaid. This means that there isn’t additional fabric protruding on the underside of the garment.

Example of a flatlock seam on a Rab hiking shirt.

If seams aren’t flatlock sewn, then the additional fabric can create a rubbing point against your skin. This can lead to chaffing or blisters.

The best hiking shirts are sewn with flatlock seams. They are especially important around the shoulder and hips where you backpack straps and waistbelt will create additional pressure.

Some manufacturers also use “forward sewn” seams on the shoulders. These move the the seam away from the top of the shoulder, i.e. away from where your backpack straps create the most pressure.

Odour Resistance

Odour resistance is a useful property, especially if you plan to do multi-day backpacking trips. Merino wool is naturally odour-resistant, so if you opt for a merino hiking shirt then that will be an added benefit.

Unfortunately synthetics don’t offer the same natural odour resistance. Some manufacturers treat synthetic fibers with an antimicrobial coating to increase odour-resistance, so that is something you may want to look out for. However antimicrobial treatments don’t always live up to their promises and they will fade after repeated washing anyway.

Bug Resistance

Depending on where you are going to be hiking, the bug resistance of your hiking shirt might be important to consider. If you require bug resistance then look for a shirt with long sleeves.

Woven fabrics are also more effective at keeping bugs out than knitted fabrics. But woven fabrics are less breathable and less flexible, so there is a trade off to consider.

Sometimes it’s just your eyes, mouth and nose that the bugs are after!

In addition to choosing fabrics that keep bugs out, you can consider chemical treatments. Some manufacturers pre-treat their clothing with permethrin — an odourless insect repellent approved safe for use.

The most notable ranges of permethrin treated clothing are ExOfficio’s BugsAway range (see our review of the Halo shirt above) and Columbia’s Insect Blocker range.

Permethrin doesn’t last forever though — it washes out over time. Most manufactures claim that their treatments last through 50+ washes.

However you can actually treat your clothing at home with permethrin. This includes re-applying permethrin to garments that were previously treated by the manufacturer, as well as just treating any item of clothing you may want to make bug resistant. But a home treatment of permethrin won’t last nearly as long as a treatment applied by the manufacturer. You can expect your home treatment to only last through five or so washes of the garment.

Washing Care

When it comes to washing, merino wool requires slightly more care than synthetics. But the amount of care required is sometimes overrated. In most instances, you can throw your merino wool clothing in the wash with your other clothes, just try to be sensible and be sure to avoid excessive heat. Ideally, wash them using cold or warm water, and usually with a medium spin, rather than trying to thrash them to shreds using a fast spin cycle.

Due to it’s odour-resistant properties, merino wool doesn’t need to be washed as often as synthetic either, so try to only wash your merino wool garments when they actually need it. It will prolong their lifetime.

You can even throw good quality merino wool in the dryer, if you really need to. Just be sure to keep the temperature on low! A hot dryer cycle will leave you with a shirt five sizes too small. Although, it is always better to air dry your garments if possible.

Both synthetic and merino wool dry pretty fast. So if you have a day to spare then it is likely possible to just dry them naturally. Although, avoid direct sunlight if it is very hot though and don’t hang garments if they are very wet (they might stretch!).

Having said all that, always follow the manufacturer’s care instructions shown on the label (sort of…).

MORE INFORMATION

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Happy hiking and take care out there in the wild!

 

A view of Mt Cook as seen from the trail to Mueller Hut, Aoraki National PArk, New Zealand.