The zip-up hoodie is the convertible of clothes — like if an all-terrain SUV came with a soft top if that makes sense. They boast the same hard-wearing capabilities as pullover hoodies (aka ones without zippers), but they come with their own temperature-regulating technology (a zipper).
Best Overall Zip-Up Hoodie: American Giant Carolina Midweight Full Zip
They're also arguably a little more adult. The zipper, while sometimes a little annoying, especially at the neck, breaks up the blockiness of a big pullover hoodie. It's a trimmer silhouette as long it's the right size. But that isn't the only perk.
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How We Tested
Evan Malachosky
Our tester has seen every single one of these hoodies, either in the store on the backs of friends and colleagues or in their own closet. They spent months feeling how they change with wear and a handful of washes, as well as when they feel inferior to others. They gauged whether the sizes felt true to what they were labeled as, whether the construction met personal standards, and, most importantly, whether they felt comfortable in it, no matter the situation.
For the zip-up hoodies we did not personally test, we relied on a combination of our in-house knowledge, brand reputation and customer reviews and experience. We scoured through sources like Reddit and online storefronts to find the best of the best.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
Best Overall Zip-Up Hoodie: American Giant Carolina Midweight Full Zip
If you overheat, you won't need to wiggle your way out of your heavyweight hoodie, lifting up your undershirt, ruffling your hair and dislodging glasses or AirPods along the way. That's a shortlist of not-so-serious problems, but when you're bundled up without room, time, or the green light to get undressed just so you don't drown in your own sweat, having the option to undo your front proves essential.
They're also the ideal "extra." If you're dressed up, for example, but fear you'll be cold, you can tuck a compact zip-up into your bag and its open front lets you put it on more easily when it's eventually needed.
How to Layer a Zip-Up Hoodie
You can obviously wear it as a top layer, but doing so requires an eye for fit, fullness, and fashionability. Finding one that will be as flattering as comfortable shouldn't be a futile fight, though. Plenty of the options below work as top layers, but many are mid or even base ones, too.
To layer a zip-up hoodie, it needs to be true to size — not oversized nor too slim. It needs to fit underneath another garment — a denim jacket, most commonly — but still give you room to breathe (and move your torso and lift your arms over your head). Try wearing it on top of a thermal shirt, which is as thin as a T-shirt but far warmer. That takes the load off your top layer, making a denim jacket just as appropriate in November as it is in June.
