Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie Review

Who doesn’t love designing their own gear? Whether you prefer bright colors or a more subdued look, a Sambob Alpha Hoodie gives you the freedom to go wild with creativity. At the same time, Sambob matches the looks with quality craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and great functionality.

Alpha Direct fabric has been steadily growing in popularity within the backpacking community. Alpha’s multiple weight options make it a versatile fabric for active or static insulation.

I’ve always been a fan of a fleeces as my main insulation layer. I find them so much more comfortable than puffies, and a good fleece will still keep you warm enough for three-season backpacking.

This 120gsm (grams per square meter) Alpha fabric is a great option for a warm fleece that will save you weight over other fleece options.

Sambob Alpha Hoodie At-a-Glance

MSRP: $130+ 
Weight: 6.6 ounces (size narrow large)
Material: Alpha 120 fabric, 100% polyester
Sizes: Narrow or Wide fit, XS-3XL plus custom sizing option

Intended Use

This 120 Alpha fleece, made with the heaviest Alpha fabric available, is an ultralight insulation option best used in camp or on cool mornings and evenings. While still breathable, 120-weight Alpha is a bit warm for use as an active hiker layer.

For most folks, it will provide enough warmth to function as the sole insulation layer for summer backpacking and maybe even into shoulder seasons when paired with a windbreaker. For a hoodie intended for more active insulation, Sambob also offers Alpha hoodies in lighter 60gsm and 90gsm weights.

Circumstance of Review

I took this Sambob hoodie out on several backpacking trips this summer in multiple environments and weather conditions. It kept me warm in the low 40s (Fahrenheit) and through some rain showers as well.

On the cooler nights, I paired it with a light rain jacket to block the wind, and that increased the warmth by a large margin. I did use it on cooler mornings while hiking, but I usually heated up and removed it quickly. The Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie also came with me on a high route through off-trail conditions.

Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie Features

Alpha 120 Fabric: The fabric itself is an important feature of this hoodie. Alpha fabric has recently become popular over the last few years. It’s lightweight, breathable, and warm.

Alpha 120 is the heaviest and warmest version of this fleece, but it still maintains the breathability and lightness you expect from Alpha material. The 120 fabric will have the most loft of all the Alpha fabrics and the least transparency.

I chose the 120 because I wanted a layer to wear mostly at camp or on cool mornings. If you’re looking for more active insulation, Alpha 60 or 90 might be a better choice. 

Customizability: You can design your hoodie to look exactly the way you want it! Sambob offers eight different color options for the Alpha 120 Hoodie alone, as well as many ways to colorblock your fleece. The world is your oyster! I enjoyed using the custom hoodie builder and designing my hoodie to be one-of-a-kind, even down to the cuff colors. 

Multiple Hood Options: There is a regular and an oversized hood option. The oversized version is better suited to those who have large heads, large hair, or who like to wear a beanie underneath. I went with the oversized option as I like to wear a beanie. I don’t think you can go wrong with either choice. Both hood sizes are a loose balaclava style with a drawstring closure. 

Sizing: There are endless sizing options for these hoodies so you can get the exact fit you’re looking for. The first choice is to choose a narrow or a wide fit. Narrow sizes align closely with typical women’s sizing and feature narrow shoulder widths, while the wide sizes align closely with typical men’s sizing and broader shoulders. From there, the sizes range from XS – 3XL. The sizing chart also gives exact measurements so they can be compared to a garment that fits you well, and custom sizing is even available.

Size/Fit

Sambob’s website mentions that the hoodies run big. I choose the narrow fit to replicate typical women’s sizing. The narrow fit was still plenty roomy. I based my sizing on a similar fleece using the measurements from the sizing chart, and that worked well. You can expect your hoodie to have a roomy but comfortable fit in your usual size.

Warmth

The Alpha 120 brings a lot to the table warmth-wise. I wasn’t sure it would work as a standalone insulation layer, but it kept me plenty warm in camp. Strong winds could cut right through it, and on those nights I would add my rain jacket over it, but this was usually unnecessary. The fleece is also a great sleeping layer as it is breathable and wicks away sweat. Some nights it was too warm to keep on though!

Breathability

Even though this fleece holds a lot of warmth, it’s still plenty breathable. You can feel it whenever a breeze goes by, helping to keep you from overheating. I did hike in the hoodie on some cooler mornings, but in the summer it quickly got too warm; even on breezy days I wound up sweating. I believe this would be a great active layer in more sustained cooler temperatures.

Durability

Lack of durability was one of my worries with Alpha, but mine held up great  — even on an off-trail route. The fabric does snag fairly easily and I was cautious when wearing it, but despite mine catching multiple times, I saw no damage whatsoever. As long as you’re aware when it gets snagged and take the bare minimum of caution, I wouldn’t have any concerns about the durability.

Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie Pros

Ultralight: Alpha is so light and packs down small too. It’s half the weight of my previous microgrid fleece.

Breathable: The breathability of this fleece makes it versatile for use as an active layer, while also being warm enough to wear around camp.

Customizability: Who doesn’t love custom-designing something to be exactly the way you want it? So many fun colors, and the sizing options are unparalleled as well.

Comfort: I loved the roomy fit of this hoodie, and every aspect of the design was comfortable. In particular, the design of the hood enhanced  the hoodie’s comfort for me, especially with the oversized option.

Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie Cons

No pockets: My only complaint about this fleece hoodie is the lack of pockets. I’d really love the option to add a kangaroo pocket.

Durability concerns: Alpha fabric is prone to snagging and may not hold us to heavy or off-trail use. I personally didn’t have any concerns with durability even off-trail, but I do use more caution with this garment than others. 

Lead time: For a custom hoodie, you will have to wait for it to be made. However, there are some batches and one-offs available on the Sambob website. I also received mine with a quicker-than-expected turnaround time.

Pricey: The custom options in particular add a lot of cost to the hoodie and are pricey. At $130, the base version with one color isn’t outrageous, but still on the pricier side. The quality of the hoodie is worth it in my opinion.

Overall

I highly recommend the Sambob Alpha 120 hoodie. It’s so comfortable and versatile. The design is great for function and fun — I love the bright colors in mine! The 120 really does hold a lot of warmth, but the lighter Alpha 90 or 60 hoodies would also be great depending on your personal preference and use case. Alpha fabric deserves the hype that surrounds it, and Sambob makes it into a great hoodie.

Shop the Sambob Alpha 120 Hoodie

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The Sambob Alpha Hoodie was donated for purpose of review