A Hunting Layer for All Seasons: Ridge Patrol Alpen Glow Hoodie Review

Let’s face it — even in the small world of women’s hunting gear, a hoodie isn’t terribly hard to find. However, most of what’s out there is an afterthought … a “we’ve got to make a scaled-down version of our men’s offering to appease the ladies.” Enter Ridge Patrol, a small, woman-owned company seeking to buck this trend with its women’s-only line of hunting and outdoor clothing.

The Ridge Patrol Alpen Glow hoodie is equally at home as outerwear in mild temperatures as it is as a midlayer in cold weather. The midweight fabric is durable, and the construction includes practical additions like a face mask and thumb holes. Outside of the hottest summer days, I find myself reaching for it more often than any of the other choices in my closet.

In short: A versatile piece that’s useful for all-season wear, Ridge Patrol’s Alpen Glow Hoodie has everything you need and nothing you don’t.

Ridge Patrol Alpen Glow Hoodie Review

A Company by Women for Women

There are very limited brands in the hunting world that only manufacture women’s clothing. Ridge Patrol is probably the smallest, but they’re turning out some solid, well-thought-out offerings that are tested for countless hours in the field.

One of the co-owners is a lifelong hunter and guide in Montana, and they employ a small pro-staff team that tests their prototype products before production. As someone who highly values gear that is capable of keeping up with my own level of use and abuse, when I read this about the company, I had to try them out.

Testing the Alpen Glow

I originally purchased the Alpen Glow Hoodie for archery elk hunting in the mountains of Central Colorado, but it’s since stayed in rotation, even as the temperatures have fallen. During the summer, I embarked on weekly full-day scouting trips from mid-June until Mid-August.

In-season, it was either my top layer or in my pack for backup from opening day until my bull was packed out late in the month. Since then, I’ve continued wearing it as a base or midlayer under my softshell jacket for bear and mountain lion hunting.

Durability

The fabric used for this hoodie has proved to be incredibly durable, plowing through everything from piles of blowdown, tangles of wild raspberries, and thick stands of gambel oak without a single hole. Oftentimes, fabric durability comes at the cost of increased noise, but that is not the case with the Alpen Glow hoodie.

Alpen Glow Hoodie Comfort and Fit

I typically start all of my layering with a close-fitting merino tank top and add from there. The Alpen Glow hoodie is soft against the skin while also stretchy enough to move with me. At 5’6” and 135 pounds, a medium fits just right — I can layer under and over without any restrictive or binding feeling around the arms and shoulders.

It was, unfortunately, a little on the warm side for my mid-summer trips. Based on my personal context of activity level, wind speed, and solar intensity, I found that at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, I needed to switch to a lighter-weight sun shirt (between my light complexion and propensity to bushwhack through skin-ripping cover, I always keep my arms and neck covered).

Function

The little details in this piece set it apart from its other hoodie counterparts. The facemask is multifunctional as camouflage as well as protection from sun, wind, and cold temperatures. As an added bonus, the bottom edge of it can be worn tucked in for warmth or pulled out for ventilation — helpful for both temperature regulation and for keeping glasses from fogging up. Facemask not your thing? It can flip back into the hood for storage.

I was impressed with the hoodie’s ability to withstand the stink I’ve come to expect with synthetic fabrics. While it’s not as odor-resistant as a quality merino or merino blend, I don’t feel the need to relegate the Alpen Glow to “turkeys only” the way I have synthetics from other manufacturers.

One drawback to this hoodie, depending on personal preference, is the lack of pockets. There are zero pockets here. I’m personally unbothered by this because I always use a pack with hip pouches in combination with pants with at least one thigh pocket. I feel like subtracting pockets makes it lighter, more packable, and easier to layer. However, I realize that this could be a deal-breaker for some.

Ridge Patrol Alpen Glow Hoodie: Conclusion

Between the durability, the small details from facemask to thumbholes, and the comfortable fit, the Ridge Patrol Alpen Glow hoodie is a staple in my hunting kit. Whether as outerwear for all but the hottest temperatures in the summer or as a midlayer under my winter gear, I reach for it nearly every time I venture into the woods. If you’re a woman looking for hard-wearing versatility in a piece of clothing, this one needs a spot in your closet.