Best Sun Protection Clothing for Fishing Updated

Best Sun Protection Clothing for Fishing

Dorsum to Tiptop

The 5 best places to buy lord's day shirts for UPF protection while spending time outdoors

Updated

2021-07-01T21:41:15Z

The best sun-protective wearable overall
The best upkeep lord's day-protective article of clothing
The all-time sun-protective vesture for outdoor adventures
The best coincidental sunday-protective wearable
The best plus-size sun-protective wear
The all-time versatile sun-protective clothing
What else nosotros recommend
How to shop for a sun shirt
A notation on fit

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Sunday-protective clothing has never really been an involvement where the mode-savvy are concerned. They're sporty, constructed, and more often than not emblazoned with giant brand logos. But we've had decades now to process the grim reality that even our love lord's day can give us cancer and I, for ane, am tired of getting sunburned through the standard shirts I tend to wear while outdoors.

I also don't bask slathering sunscreen all over my torso and making myself into a greasy mess for the day but to ward off UV rays. Moreover, sunscreen is expensive, especially if yous tend to use a proficient, chemical-free mineral-based sunscreen, and find yourself in the sun oft.

But the market for dominicus shirts is now far more innovative to accommodate diverse, mainstream aesthetics, and I couldn't be happier almost information technology. At present, brands like Patagonia, Columbia Sportswear, and even Filson take begun introducing their own take on dominicus-protective clothing — and they brand for a keen addition to anyone'due south outdoor kit.

Now that sun shirts are permanent staples in my own spring and summer wardrobe, I decided to test a few of the newer styles across activities like surfing, fishing, hiking, and camping. Below, I've compiled six of my current favorites, and have also included some tips on what to keep in mind while shopping, besides as a few other shirts I tested that didn't quite make the cut of "best of" just that I still recommend.

For women-specific styles and sizing, check out our guide to the all-time lord's day protection article of clothing for women.

Here are the best places to shop for sun-protective article of clothing:

Best overall: Eddie Bauer
$52.50 from Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer's line of sun-protective habiliment is versatile, comfortable, and, in a higher place all, simply works — and its Solarfoil UPF hoodie is one of the all-time in its lineup.

Best budget: Hanes
$19.lx on Amazon
Hanes' UPF-treated Absurd Dri shirts are plain and simple but sturdy and serviceable. They're likewise some of the most affordable ones you lot tin can purchase.

All-time for outdoor adventures: Patagonia
$79 from Patagonia
One of our favorites from Patagonia is the Sun Shade Technical Hoodie, a soft, lightweight slice that comes with an all-plastic zipper that won't corrode, no thing how many times you take information technology pond.

All-time versatile: O'Neill
$88 from Moosejaw
Filson'southward sun-protective shirt are tissue-paper thin, wet-wicking, and styled enough so that should you find yourself at a bar, restaurant, or perhaps fifty-fifty the office after some fourth dimension outdoors, no one would exist the wiser.

Best for plus-size options: Columbia Sportswear
$39.95 on Amazon
Columbia's PFG push button-downwards shirts are lightweight, comfy, and subtle enough to be worn but nearly anywhere, but polish when fishing.

Best casual: Filson
$69.95 on Amazon
On a late summer twenty-four hour period at the beach, with a vague arctic in the air, you'll be glad to accept O'Neill's 24/7 Hybrid UPF Shirt in your bag.

The best sun-protective wearable overall

Eddie Bauer'south line of sun-protective wearable is versatile, comfortable, and, in a higher place all, simply works — and its Solarfoil UPF hoodie is one of the all-time in its lineup.

Pros:Plenty of variety in colors and sizes, many styles are like shooting fish in a barrel to pack downwards when not in apply, decent price betoken, effective UPF protection, some styles available in regular and tall options

Cons:Sizing tends to run larger

Ane of the main reasons why Eddie Bauer's lord's day-protective wear nabbed the height spot in this guide is thanks to the wide variety of apparel styles, fits, and colorways. Whether you just need a sun-protective tee shirt or something a footling more than robust like a hoodie or long-sleeve shirt, it has it — and likely in a few different options.

One of the pieces I go along coming back to is the Solarfoil UPF hoodie, a lightweight and ultra-protective shirt that'southward my go-to in the beating sun. I've worn it on everything from rafting trips where there's essentially no shade cover for days on end to hiking and camping. The fact information technology's able to pack upwards so pocket-sized makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to put on or take off no thing where I'k wearing it.

Much of the residual of Eddie Bauer'due south line of sun-protective is similarly versatile, able to be used for a variety of outdoor activities; running, cycling, backpacking, y'all name it. When sunscreen won't cutting it, or you just don't experience similar lathering up every 30 minutes, this is what yous desire to wear (I fifty-fifty prefer information technology to sunscreen in more instances than not). --Rick Stella

The best budget sun-protective clothing

Hanes' UPF-treated Cool Dri shirts are manifestly and simple but sturdy and serviceable. They're also some of the most affordable ones you tin buy.

Pros: Price, tag-less, wet-wicking, low-profile, curt- and long-sleeve versions

Cons: No hood, no loop for tying to board shorts (helpful if surf-bathing)

When it comes to getting something practical and affordable, Hanes does the play a trick on. You can spend 3 or four times as much and get something more than stylish, more technical, and/or lighter weight, but UPF is UPF, and after having tested Hanes' Cool Dri for a good ii years, I'g sold that this is all you demand.

Plus, some other thing to keep in mind when buying a lord's day shirt is sunscreen damage: Is this something you're going to stain with sunscreen? Are you lot going to be rolling around in the mud? Are y'all really, really concerned with the mode it's going to wait later on a few trips to the beach or the lake?

The Cool Dri comes in long- and short-sleeve, and several colors. They're plain, tag-less, and logo-free, then if blaring logos down the shoulder or beyond the breast aren't your thing, that's another reason to relieve some coin and just buy Hanes.

As for general quality, I have worn these shirts for ii years, surfing and angling my way around Due north and Central America for months on terminate. The iv-ounce polyester bailiwick of jersey is usual cotton fiber t-shirt thickness just moisture-wicking, the UPF treatment is still going strong, and I've not gotten burned through the shirts once. The stitching, while far from top-notch, hasn't given way at all, either.

My but gripe with these shirts is on the technical side, and for most people, they're perfectly fine as they are. But a loop to necktie them to your board shorts and an option with a hood wouldn't hurt.

Lastly, note that the long-sleeve version (which I recommend about) is sold in a 2-pack on Amazon — become for that choice. These things are just so great as the amount of fourth dimension you use them, and it'south always skillful to accept a spare.

The all-time sun-protective clothing for outdoor adventures

One of our favorites from Patagonia is the Dominicus Shade Technical Hoodie, a soft, lightweight piece that comes with an all-plastic zipper that won't corrode, no matter how many times you take it pond.

Pros:Soft, comfortable, effective, and technical for anglers, button to cover face with hood, a handy and corrosion-free chest zipper

Cons: A little beefy, and non as cooling equally Columbia's Solar Shade

Patagonia's Sun Shade Technical Hoody has been a personal favorite amid hooded sun shirts for a while. I observe them to be the softest, best-plumbing equipment, all-time-styled of the UV shirts, designed for outdoors enthusiasts. In a sea of abysmally large, flashy logos and prints, Patagonia stays true to tone. And you might just catch me out and about in ane of these. No shame here.

I've been fishing, surfing, and occasionally swimming in these shirts for over five years, and as a pocket-sized disclaimer, I may exist somewhat partial, only they're likewise comfortable and low-contour to ignore for this guide. I should besides note that, unlike with some other sun shirts, stains seem to elevator from these better than others. Sometimes, however, I've noticed that information technology takes a few washes.

Information technology's hard to ignore Patagonia within this realm, with its loyal legions whose reviews are probably best taken with a grain of common salt. Do yous need to spend this much on a sun shirt? Of form not. But I can't say how many Patagonia dominicus shirts I've owned, and through fishing, hiking, camping, living on boats in the torrid zone, and all the residue, I still haven't managed to loosen fifty-fifty a stitch on any of mine.

The only affair I'd recommend is that you not club it in black if you're in particularly warm water or weather, or particularly prone to getting overheated. And, if you lot like a more relaxed fit, check out the Tropical Comfort Hoody II, which is a picayune more casual and a lot more comfortable out of the water.

The best casual dominicus-protective vesture

Filson's dominicus-protective shirt are tissue-newspaper thin, wet-wicking, and styled enough so that should yous notice yourself at a bar, eatery, or possibly even the office afterward some time outdoors, no one would be the wiser.

Pros: Lightweight, breathable, versatile

Cons: Pricier, probably overkill for almost people

If you lot're looking for something in the featherlight category, which nosotros highly recommend if you lot're in hotter, muggier climes, look to Filson's Ultralight Shirt, made with breathable 2.6-ounce polyester ripstop (that's basically parachute material).

Filson'southward Ultralight Shirt is the best of both worlds, and information technology's something you might get away with in the part just as soon every bit you would on a flats fishing boat — depending on where you piece of work. The double-breasted pockets could be a bit of a giveaway.

But I've establish nada more lightweight and after a few months, I've managed to avoid ripping, staining, or otherwise degrading this shirt. And like all of my picks, I oasis't seen the UPF treatment wear out. Despite a slightly lower UPF30 handling (as opposed to the l you'll run across on most shirts I recommend), I haven't gotten a sunburn in it, either.

This shirt is truly cardboard, and it'southward the shirt I choose for the best and worst summer has to offering. If you tend to overheat, if you're out in direct sunlight all day long, and especially if you're hiking or fishing, this shirt is a sound investment.

The specific features make this shirt a little sporty, which is to say that double-breast pockets, button tabs for rolled-upward sleeves, and a spread collar might be a bit excessive for someone just looking to spend the day at the beach. But for an almost impossibly low-cal adventure-fix shirt, I cartel y'all to discover one better.

The best plus-size sunday-protective clothing

Columbia'south PFG button-down shirts are lightweight, comfortable, and subtle enough to be worn just about anywhere, but shine when line-fishing.

Pros: Lightweight, well-ventilated, many pocket arrangements to choose from

Cons:May run large according to your sense of taste, some customers complain of them being wrinkle-prone (but remember, you're probably not going to the office in one of these — congratulations if y'all are, though!)

Yes, Columbia's PFG button-down is a bona fide bonefishing shirt, then whether you're wading the flats or touring the pyramids, Columbia's classic PFG push button-down will serve you well. This is the brand'south bestselling shirt, and it's no surprise why. Unlike Columbia's newer technology that makes concessions where many people'south style might be concerned, these shirts pass off just virtually anywhere.

You'll encounter the ubiquitous presence of this shirt around bonefishing lodges and on safaris, but yous'll also see newscasters and wildlife biologists in them, too. Why? Well, the simple fact that they work, they keep you cool, and they're besides shockingly lightweight and full of pockets, which make them ideal shirts for the field. I left my favorite PFG shirt behind in a hotel room in Fiji years ago, and I've lamented that day ever since.

I also tried Columbia'southward new Solar Shade Naught Woven Long Sleeve, and while it worked wonders, I felt like I was wearing a bowling shirt, a la Charlie Sheen's character in "2 and a Half Men." For me, that was a trouble.

I'll continue to wear information technology because it works every bit as adept as all of Columbia'due south highly technical, if sometimes decorated-looking clothing, but over again, merely on the gunkhole. I did beloved the plastic zippered pockets in it, though.

The all-time versatile sun-protective wear

On a late summer day at the beach, with a vague chill in the air, y'all'll be glad to have O'Neill's 24/7 Hybrid UPF Shirt in your pocketbook.

Pros:Stretchy, soft, comfortable, versatile, just tightly woven plenty to continue you warm on a crisp morn or nighttime

Cons:Likewise hot in certain climes, maybe a little short for some tastes and torsos (which I didn't mind while surfing equally it stayed out of my mode)

It might seem counterintuitive to buy a UPF sun shirt that keeps you warm, merely on chillier mornings and evenings, likewise as more temperate days in spring and autumn, I have come to be extremely grateful for my O'Neill 24/7 Hybrid UPF shirt.

When I first tried these shirts on a sultry South Carolinian summer day, it was more than I could bear. This shirt is by no means breathable, and the outset ane I tried was a pullover. I was drenched in sweat within seconds. I ripped information technology off, and, lo and behold, received a fine licking from the sun.

Only this twelvemonth the team at O'Neill released a zippered version that allows for controlled ventilation — and it makes all the difference. Similar the shirt of years past, this one is fabricated of a spandex and nylon blend, which is soft and stretchy, and I often detect myself wearing one well past sundown.

I've as well found it to piece of work well for surfing, though I'd recommend a proper rash guard for any pond beyond casual surf bathing. Too, because information technology's loose-fitting, I wouldn't recommend anyone learn to surf in information technology, nor would I suggest wearing it in large or crude surf, where information technology will deed every bit a ocean ballast and weigh you lot down.

For an all-around summer top, information technology'south difficult to beat in and out of the water, apart from existent scorchers in the Palmetto Land, at least.

How to shop for a dominicus shirt

When shopping for a dominicus shirt, there are a few things to keep in listen, namely the features the shirt comes with and its UPF rating. Much of the decision about which shirt to purchase comes downwards to how and where you'll be wearing it.

Here's what to consider when picking out a sun shirt:

UPF vs. SPF: Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) measures the corporeality of UV light that passes through fabrics, while Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures the amount of fourth dimension it takes sun-screened skin to redden, or, in other words, the effectiveness of sunscreen.

Temperature:If y'all're going to be somewhere really, really hot, like Death Valley, or the Atacama Desert, forego your choosy inklings and buy something with the newfangled cooling technology, nearly notably by Columbia or Under Armour. They're a bit loud, though, and so if y'all want to strike a pose for your Instagram post, consider throwing in some other shirt for photo ops that you're willing to be defenseless dead in.

Mode:Your style is your style, and we're not telling you what to article of clothing, not ever, and not now. Sun shirts come in all cuts, and it really comes downwardly to personal preference, for most. If you lot're going to be doing a lot of swimming, surfing, or spending fourth dimension in direct sunlight, a hood is beneficial, if not paramount to outwitting the dominicus and its rays. Y'all also might desire thumb holders and a loop to necktie it to your shorts. If y'all're fishing, pockets are also kind of a must, and a push button-up with enough of pockets is arguably the best way to get.

Weight:If you're traveling — or living — lightly, some of our picks are a bit on the heavy or bulky side. Consider passing on those for our other picks.

A note on fit

Although the sun shirts featured in this guide say they're for men, anyone can wear any style, size, or brand of shirt they desire, regardless of the gender the brand says it's really for. The sizing of men's shirts does differ from women'southward, nigh notably past having broader shoulders and a less shapely or fitted cut.

However, the well-nigh of import consideration is that the gear fits properly and functions how you need it to.

Owen Burke

Home and Kitchen Reporter

Owen Shush is a Senior Home and Kitchen Reporter at Insider, helping craft a brand new guides section for Insider Reviews. Always in search of the perfect espresso, he focuses on espresso machines and equipment, juicers, kitchen knives, grills, meat and seafood, and the odd outdoors product. Previously, he was a correspondent at Wirecutter, Outside, Surfer Magazine, and The Atlantic. He's likewise worked in raw bars, restaurants, and on fishing boats, holding a USCG Chief Captain's license. He is a contributing author on The Ocean: The Ultimate Handbook of Nautical Knowledge. Say hello at oburke@insider.com. Learn more than almost how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more near how we examination kitchen products.