I’ve lived in this hoodie since it arrived and I took the tags off. It’s been to two race starts (and finishes), to the trailhead, to the beach, to the grocery store, in a sleeping bag, and on the couch. It’s been on an airplane, to a volleyball game, coffee shops, and camping. The style, the fit, the material – it’s one of those that I wish I could have in every color. It’s both a casual, everyday kind of top but also a practical piece of outdoor gear.
It’s a straightforward hoodie – no hidden bells and whistles – but ARTILECT has done a nice job with design, comfort, and technology. It’s a mid-weight merino but is made from Nuyarn technology, which has all of the benefits of merino and takes it an extra step. Merino wool is popular as outdoor gear because it doesn’t go rank (no matter how many days backpacking you wear the same shirt!), it’s warm even when wet, is quick-drying and breathable – but it’s delicate. Nuyarn processes the wool differently in production to amplify, rather than change, the merino fibers to make it more durable, more breathable, and slightly lighter.
The Sundown hoodie is made with a waffle texture on the body and arms but the side panels are a soft and smooth texture (in a coordinating color) to reduce weight. The hood is also made of the smooth fabric and is form fitting to the head for a good air-lock against the elements. The whole piece is sewn with flatlock seams to prevent chafing and is a tech-fit, without being form-fitting, to ensure movability. The front kangaroo pocket is zipper-accessed on each side and has an additional small zippered pocket just above. The zipper down the front is a 1/2 zip, great for breathability in performance or layering for style.
The one drawback for me are the sleeve cuffs. The way it’s sewn doesn’t allow a lot of stretch in this one area so I can’t pull it over my running watch. To put the top on, I have to take the watch off, and it also restricts my access to the thumb hole on that hand as a result. It’s nothing a quick seam-ripper couldn’t fix on that one side, but it is a noticeable downside.
Overall, I am in love with this hoodie. The style is great, it’s a great fit (seems to be true to size and I like the longer torso length), and the quality is really nice. I am constantly adding merino items to my wardrobe and I’m happy to have found ARTILECT’s piece – this hoodie is a welcome (and oft-worn) addition!
ARTILECT
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Products:
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Sundown 250 1/2 Zip Hoodie (Women’s | Men’s) | $240
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Superior bluesign® approved 250GSM Nuyarn merino fabric
- Superfine 18 micron non-mulsed Australian merino Wool
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Colors:
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- Black
- Dusk blue (navy)
- A/Cid (yellow)
- Andorra (brick red)
More About ARTILECT:
Equal parts art and intelligence, ARTILECT is an apparel studio backed by deep experience of the past, with a laser-focus on the future. We are a team of innovators and rule-breakers in a relentless pursuit of progress to inspire a community of intrepid explorers to discover our world and seek new heights.
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Boulder, CO is our home. We are shaped by its beauty and mentored by its mastery. It is our reference, and our starting point to explore an eccentric world. We grew up in the outdoors, but we did it in a time of revolution. A time of punk rock and skateboarding, of hip-hop and digital advances that led to a hyper-speed evolution of our environments.
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ARTILECT is built to last, because making fewer things that last longer is the ultimate sustainability platform. At ARTILECT, our driving purpose is to deliver an unmatched performance experience, as well as create the least amount of impact on the world we love to play in. We believe that performance and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, and through innovation and technology, both can not only coexist, but actually complement each other.
Thank you to ARTILECT for providing us with a sample item. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
