SHOP $98, gap.com
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For a long, long time, I have been in search of the perfect hoodie. It’s a harder task than it seems on the surface. Those thin cotton hoodies that are clingy and shapeless? You know, the ones that are essentially hooded long-sleeve shirts? Yeah, I hate those.
The requirements of a “perfect hoodie” include a thick fabric, a nice, oversized structure that can hold on its own, and, of course, warmth.
It’s possible that I couldn’t find the absolute perfect hoodie for so many years because such a thing didn’t exist. Well, friends, it exists now—and I’ve found it. Gap’s Extra Heavyweight Hoodie has everything I want and more. It makes sense, too; the hoodie was designed in partnership with content creator Julia Huynh, who famously chronicles her search for the perfect hoodie on TikTok. So there you have it. This is the hoodie for people that are serious about their hoodies. For the people who want a hoodie that delivers nothing less than the absolute best.
SHOP $98, gap.com
It has the perfect weight
The most important thing to know about Gap’s Extra Heavyweight Hoodie is that, well, it’s an extra heavyweight hoodie. I know it’s in the name, but the burliness of it all deserves some extra emphasis, because that’s what makes this thing so damn good.
Gap puts it together using a 650-gram cotton blend knitted from specially sourced, thick-ass yarn. In non-technical terms, that means it’s warm and heavy. And while it isn’t so heavy that it feels uncomfortable, as soon as you put this style on, you notice its heft. It feels kind of like wearing a weighted blanket. Or, like, two hoodies. But the weight is evenly distributed. Pleasant. Not a burden, but a bonus.
I recently brought this hoodie on a weekend trip to upstate New York. It was cold as hell, and my friends had come prepared with parkas and puffers. Me? I just brought my hoodie. And for everything from long hikes through the woods to sitting out at night and watching the stars, it kept me perfectly cozy and warm.
SHOP $98, gap.com
It’s the right structure
I hate a skinny hoodie. I also hate when a hoodie is so oversized that it threatens to brush your knees, or so boxy that you end up looking awkwardly wide. Gap’s Extra Heavyweight Hoodie is none of these things. It’s a hoodie that drapes perfectly, that has some solid structure of its own instead of just contouring directly to your body, and that is perfectly oversized—not too baggy, but certainly not fitted, either.
Some folks think getting an oversize fit involves simply sizing up. Oh, how wrong they are. Do that, and you wind up looking like a kid in his dad’s sweatshirt. This is designed to be oversized, though, so your usual size selection will give you a fit that’s relaxed and just baggy enough, sans awkward sleeve lengths (and if you want something more fitted, you can always size down). The drop shoulders give it a relaxed feel that’s easy to pull a heavier jacket or even a blazer over, and the loose design is definitely easy to layer a tee or long-sleeve under.
SHOP $98, gap.com
And it’s tough AF
Like I said before, I wore this hoodie all weekend long during a trip upstate. Part of that trip included me sitting very close to a bonfire, and getting that fire-and-smoke smell all tangled up in my hair and clothes. When I got back from my trip, this hoodie smelled a lot like fire, and I had to wash it (along with the other clothes I was wearing, and my hair) three times in a row before the smell was gone. Lesser hoodies may have shown signs of early wear or damage after that many rounds in the washer and dryer; my T-shirt and socks certainly did. But after each and every wash, my Gap hoodie was good as new; no shrinkage, pilling, or discoloration in sight.
Even when you have this hoodie on, it feels tough and sturdy. The fabric is knit so tightly that it hardly lets wind or chill in, especially when you’ve got the hood on. It’s thick and durable without any of the stiffness; this is still as soft and cozy as you want a hoodie to be. And the kanga pocket is wide and roomy, in case you want to store your phone, keys, snacks—hell, I squeezed a 16 ounce water bottle in there with no problem.
I’ve already begun stocking up on this hoodie in different colors, because I know I’ll be wearing it a lot this winter. And it makes for a damn good gift, too. After all, who wouldn’t want a cozy, cool, and tough-as-nails hoodie that genuinely delivers on its promise. In fact, you’d better start thinking of new ideas for next year. Because this just might be the last hoodie you—and they—will ever need.
SHOP $98, gap.com
Photographs by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Heather Greene.
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