Men's Quarter Zip Long Sleeve Shirts
Layer Up with KÜHL Men's Quarter Zip Shirts
Choose from a variety of fabrics, weights, and constructions for the men's quarter zip that fits your day:
Performance Fleece Warmth. KASHMIRA™ performance fleece anchors several of our quarter zips with superior warmth-to-weight, fast moisture-wicking, and quick-dry properties. Fine-gauge yarn and a smooth outer face resist pet hair and lint, so the shirt slides cleanly under a shell or stands alone over a tee.
Premium Alpaca-Blend Insulation. For colder mornings, ALFPACA GOLD™ performance fleece delivers premium comfort and core warmth as a layer or a handsome standalone. A high half-zip collar opens to dump heat on the climb and seals back up when the wind picks up.
Merino Temperature Regulation. Merino-built quarter zips bring odor resistance and natural temperature regulation across changing conditions. Look for an articulated cut with flat-seam construction so the shirt moves with you under a pack rather than fighting the straps. See our men's merino wool collection for the full spread of weights.
Lightweight Layering Knits. A soft knit quarter zip with built-in stretch is the most versatile piece in the drawer: trim enough to layer under a softshell, polished enough to wear to dinner. Moisture-wicking, quick-dry, breathable, the same construction logic that runs through our broader men's long sleeve lineup.
Look for signature touches like a half-zip collar with a chin guard, thumb loops to seal out the cold, flat-seam construction for low-bulk layering, and an articulated cut for a better range of motion. UPF coverage on knit options blocks sun on exposed days. Mesh paneling on lighter pieces helps dump heat on the climb.
Choose from a variety of fabrics, weights, and constructions for the men's quarter zip that fits your day:
Performance Fleece Warmth. KASHMIRA™ performance fleece anchors several of our quarter zips with superior warmth-to-weight, fast moisture-wicking, and quick-dry properties. Fine-gauge yarn and a smooth outer face resist pet hair and lint, so the shirt slides cleanly under a shell or stands alone over a tee.
Premium Alpaca-Blend Insulation. For colder mornings, ALFPACA GOLD™ performance fleece delivers premium comfort and core warmth as a layer or a handsome standalone. A high half-zip collar opens to dump heat on the climb and seals back up when the wind picks up.
Merino Temperature Regulation. Merino-built quarter zips bring odor resistance and natural temperature regulation across changing conditions. Look for an articulated cut with flat-seam construction so the shirt moves with you under a pack rather than fighting the straps. See our men's merino wool collection for the full spread of weights.
Lightweight Layering Knits. A soft knit quarter zip with built-in stretch is the most versatile piece in the drawer: trim enough to layer under a softshell, polished enough to wear to dinner. Moisture-wicking, quick-dry, breathable, the same construction logic that runs through our broader men's long sleeve lineup.
Look for signature touches like a half-zip collar with a chin guard, thumb loops to seal out the cold, flat-seam construction for low-bulk layering, and an articulated cut for a better range of motion. UPF coverage on knit options blocks sun on exposed days. Mesh paneling on lighter pieces helps dump heat on the climb.
From cold-weather alpaca fleece to lightweight knits built for layering, KÜHL men's quarter zip shirts are engineered for the climb, the office, and everywhere in between.
What makes the best quarter zip shirts for you?
The best men's quarter zip shirts check four boxes: high-performance fabrics that wick moisture and dry fast, a clean articulated cut that moves with you, true versatility from trail to town, and a half-zip collar that vents on the climb and seals out wind on the way down.
A quarter zip earns its place in the drawer by being the one piece you can wear under a shell, over a tee, or alone with jeans, without compromising on any of those use cases.
A quarter zip earns its place in the drawer by being the one piece you can wear under a shell, over a tee, or alone with jeans, without compromising on any of those use cases.
What fabric is best for performance shirts, synthetic, merino, or blend?
Merino is best when odor resistance and natural temperature regulation matter most. Synthetic is best when fast drying and abrasion resistance matter most. A merino-synthetic blend gets you both at a small weight penalty.
For multi-day trips and cold-weather output, merino quarter zips regulate temperature across a wide range and stay fresh between washes. For high-output days where you soak the shirt and need it dry by the next morning, a KASHMIRA™ performance-fleece quarter zip moves moisture faster.
For multi-day trips and cold-weather output, merino quarter zips regulate temperature across a wide range and stay fresh between washes. For high-output days where you soak the shirt and need it dry by the next morning, a KASHMIRA™ performance-fleece quarter zip moves moisture faster.
Do you really need a technical shirt, or will a cotton tee do?
A cotton tee will not do once you start sweating. Cotton absorbs moisture and holds it against the skin: cold on the descent, clammy in the morning, slow to dry overnight in a tent. Technical knits and fleeces breathe, wick, and dry in minutes.
That doesn't mean every shirt needs every feature. A soft knit quarter zip with moisture-wicking, quick-dry properties and a touch of stretch is plenty for casual hikes and travel, and it works just as well at a coffee shop.
That doesn't mean every shirt needs every feature. A soft knit quarter zip with moisture-wicking, quick-dry properties and a touch of stretch is plenty for casual hikes and travel, and it works just as well at a coffee shop.
Can you wear long-sleeve shirts in summer?
Yes, and a UPF-rated long-sleeve quarter zip often outperforms a short sleeve on exposed days.
The forearms are usually the first place sunscreen wears off, and re-applying every two hours on a long hike is unrealistic. A breathable knit with UPF 50+ blocks UV directly, vents heat through the open zip, and skips the reapply. For lighter-weight options when the sun isn't the issue, see our men's short sleeve collection, but on long sun-exposed days, a quarter zip is the smarter call.
The forearms are usually the first place sunscreen wears off, and re-applying every two hours on a long hike is unrealistic. A breathable knit with UPF 50+ blocks UV directly, vents heat through the open zip, and skips the reapply. For lighter-weight options when the sun isn't the issue, see our men's short sleeve collection, but on long sun-exposed days, a quarter zip is the smarter call.
How should a quarter zip shirt fit for layering?
A men's quarter zip should fit trim enough to slide under a softshell without bunching, but never tight across the shoulders or chest.
Look for an articulated cut at the shoulders and elbows so the sleeves don't ride up when you reach overhead. Sleeves should sit at the wrist with the arms relaxed. Thumb loops are a useful tell that the brand thought about layering, since they keep the cuff anchored when a jacket sleeve pulls on over the top. Worn over a men's baselayer top, a properly fitted quarter zip becomes the workhorse middle layer of a three-piece system.
Look for an articulated cut at the shoulders and elbows so the sleeves don't ride up when you reach overhead. Sleeves should sit at the wrist with the arms relaxed. Thumb loops are a useful tell that the brand thought about layering, since they keep the cuff anchored when a jacket sleeve pulls on over the top. Worn over a men's baselayer top, a properly fitted quarter zip becomes the workhorse middle layer of a three-piece system.
What's the best quarter zip shirt for hot-weather hikes?
For hot-weather hikes, the best quarter zip is the lightest one you can find with UPF 50+ coverage and genuine ventilation built into the construction.
Prioritize breathable knit fabrics with moisture-wicking and quick-dry finishes, mesh panels under the arms or across the upper back, and a half-zip collar that opens wide to dump heat. Skip the heavier fleece-based quarter zips for desert and low-elevation summer. Save those for shoulder-season alpine starts when the wind matters more than the heat.
Prioritize breathable knit fabrics with moisture-wicking and quick-dry finishes, mesh panels under the arms or across the upper back, and a half-zip collar that opens wide to dump heat. Skip the heavier fleece-based quarter zips for desert and low-elevation summer. Save those for shoulder-season alpine starts when the wind matters more than the heat.
