SPF Clothing?

I've always been a shade baby, as a kid I looked like a milk bottle. Growing up in Florida, I always turned beet red and blistered. Now I find a few large freckles on my forearm, but sitting in a plastic greenhouse, these spots turn blood red to purple.

Disconcerting, I have an appointment with a dermitologist.

I never knew there was SPF 50 - SPF 100 protective clothing. I just ordered a long sleeve Tee; SPF 100.

My point is, if your hanging around an airport, an open parking lot or sitting on the bleechers all day, protect yourself. The last thing you want to hear is "Well, if you came in a few years ago, we could actually help you...."

Dan

Where's a good place to buy that kind of clothing? I try to cover up whenever I intend to spend a day at the race track. Need cool, light and high SPF.

This is where I ordered the long sleeve Tee from, but there are others. Solumbra.

You can add SPF to the clothes you already have with Sun Guard.

Why do you need that? The clothes themselves protect you from the sun, don't they?

carguy123 wrote: Why do you need that? The clothes themselves protect you from the sun, don't they?

Always have for me, and I am sticken with Ginger-vitis.

I keep joking that whenever my current Bigassstrawautoxhat™ gives out I am gonna go find the largest sombrero I can find to have a BigassautoxSombrero™

Apexcarver wrote: I am gonna go find the largest sombrero I can find to have a BigassautoxSombrero™

...and pray for no wind.

carguy123 wrote: Why do you need that? The clothes themselves protect you from the sun, don't they?

Clothes with a tight weave and such will protect you from the sun. Wearing a comfortable white t-shirt might not. The SPF rated clothes are usually also designed with airflow in mind to keep you cool.

I've always had a problem keeping my face/ears/neck shielded with suncreen when I am fishing. I sweat like crazy and constantly have to swat and wipe bugs. I started to use these out on the water. They work, and they keep me cool since they aid in evaporation.

http://www.buffusa.com/sports/collections/filter/fishing

Simms makes one with integrated breathing holes. If you wear glasses your breath won't fog them. You can also just snip a few holes in Buff for the same effect.

http://www.simmsfishing.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=sungaiter

I also started using sungloves.

This is good stuff. I do a lot of summer training for ultra-distance trail races. The white SPF shirt and floppy hat are a lot handier and more comfortable and probably more effective than being slathered with sunscreen that sweat is washing off. The shirts are vented and the long sleeves are a lot cooler than the sun hitting your bare arms.

I've never burned or tanned through any kind of clothing.  I'd like some data comparing this so-called "SPF Clothing" with a plain white T-shirt.  Sounds like a big, fat, Scamaroni to me.

1988RedT2 said:

I've never burned or tanned through any kind of clothing.  I'd like some data comparing this so-called "SPF Clothing" with a plain white T-shirt.  Sounds like a big, fat, Scamaroni to me.

Not quite. It should protect you better from UV rays. A typical plain white t shirt has a upf rating of about 5, these shirts have about 50. Denim is about 1700. The white T will stop you from a burn, unless you're an Irishman in the Sahara Desert, but you can still get skin damge. Enough to worry about? Probably not, at least for most people.

I will say though, you ask for data and the only data that I've found is either anecdotal or it suggests that a normal shirt works just fine. 

The big reason that I like them though is that they're more comfortable than a plain cotton t, and I don't have to worry about sunscreen. I do admit though that my go-to sun shirts for fishing, unless it is super hot, are old dress shirts that have been retired.

Zombie canoe

When I’m going to be out in the sun (usually working the course at a rallycross or hiking in the desert), I wear a fishing shirt as an overshirt for protection.  It’s light enough it doesn’t heat me up much, and generally lets air flow through it well.

For sunscreen I get the kind made for babies as I figure it is "no tear" when you sweat it off into your eyes ......

I also mostly wear cotton button down  Hawaiian shirts as they breath better than 2 shirts , 

Plus I have a pile of long sleeve cotton button down shirts if I am going to be out side all day , 

My get rich quick idea is a sun screen sprayer that spray bombs you before you can leave your car.....

And yes I am blue eyes and burn easily.....

At the autocross I see a lot of guys wearing long-sleeve t-shirts. As I'm a fat Italian man that sweats like a whore in church, what are my clothing options that may actually keep me cooler and protect me from the Sun? The side effects of my medication and direct sunlight are ugly at best and I would like to increase my ability to stay at the track for longer

 In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I think This shirt is the current version of what I wear, but mainly, look for button down fishing shirts at any decent sporting goods store.  They should have a SPF rating on the label, and they are usually made of lightweight, fast-drying fabrics, and will have at least some mesh on the inside, and plenty of ventilation.

Edit:  one thing the shirt above does not seem to have that mine does is a roll up collar that can help protect the back of my neck.  That’s nice to have.

Edit 2:  I usually wear a moisture wicking t shirt under the fishing shirt.

I have a couple long sleeve shirts fron Coolibar. They are nice on a hot day. I use them mainly for jetskiing, kayaking and paddleboarding. 

DeadSkunk said:

Where's a good place to buy that kind of clothing? I try to cover up whenever I intend to spend a day at the race track. Need cool, light and high SPF.

Academy/Dicks/whatever fishing section. HUGE business in Florida. 

Dusterbd13-michael said:

At the autocross I see a lot of guys wearing long-sleeve t-shirts. As I'm a fat Italian man that sweats like a whore in church, what are my clothing options that may actually keep me cooler and protect me from the Sun? The side effects of my medication and direct sunlight are ugly at best and I would like to increase my ability to stay at the track for longer

Yes, fishing section. I really wasn't a believer in the lycra stuff keeping you cool until I tried it.

In reply to DeadSkunk :

I’ve had great luck with Columbia PFG (performance fishing gear, I think).  Amazon has a good selection, and sporting goods stores carry it too.

*edit- missed the zombie part...

I've been fishing all of my life, although now I'm really all-in for autocross.

I've already had skin cancer. I have a closet full of Columbia PFG shirts.

They're my standard for anything outdoors. Long sleeves, and I've switched to long pants when I'm at an event. It's really hot out on the asphalt here in Florida in the summer, and keeping the sun off of my skin also keeps me cooler. 

My current hat covers the back of my neck. 

I don't wear the buff (or the inflatable PFD), and my autocross hat is different, but this is what I wore the last time I had my canoe out. 

I understand, Eric. The face protection I was wearing was lighter color, but it's still on. Gloves, too.



 

This is all relevant to my interests, as my wife and I are trying to move to Florida as soon as we can.  Although I grew up there, I've never been particularly good with hot weather so minimal clothing and sunburns is how I grew up.  Being older I'd like to cover up a bit and protect myself but overheating is a concern.  All these long sleeve button down shirts look sweltering to me, some of you are saying they actually breathe and are comfortable though?

In reply to infinitenexus :

Yup.  Get one that breathes well enough and it may feel cooler than just wearing a T-shirt, because the sun isn’t directly hitting your skin.  At least if there is a light breeze.