- While sunscreen helps keep sunburn and cancerous skin cells from forming, the best prevention is to wear clothes. But even lightweight cotton and linen shirts still allow a good deal of the sun’s harmful rays to pass through to your precious epidermis.
- Do yourself a favor and reach for sun protection clothing, even if you’re already wearing sunscreen. Our favorite sun shirt is the Hanes Cool Dri because it’s lightweight, protective, and fast to dry.
Sun shirts have never really been an interest where the style-savvy are concerned. They’re sporty, synthetic, and generally emblazoned with hideous logos, and I too am guilty of having pooh-poohed them. But we’ve had decades now to process the grim reality that even our beloved sun can give us cancer, and I for one am tired of getting sunburned through the old, tattered shirts I have always tried to wring a second life out of by wearing while outdoors.
I, like many of you, do not enjoy slathering sunscreen all over my torso and making myself into a greasy mess for the day just to ward off UV rays. Moreover, sunscreen is expensive, especially if you tend to use a good, chemical-free mineral-based sunscreen, and find yourself in the sun often.
But the market for sun shirts is becoming a little more innovative to accommodate more diverse, even mainstream aesthetics, and we couldn’t be happier about it. Should you find yourself in that market, here are a few things to consider:
- UPF vs. SPF: Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) measures the amount of UV light that passes through fabrics, while Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures the amount of time it takes sun-screened skin to redden, or, in other words, the effectiveness of sunscreen.
- Temperature: If you’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, most notably by Columbia or Under Armour. They’re a bit loud, though, so if you want to strike a pose for your Instagram post, consider throwing in another shirt for photo ops that you’re willing to be caught dead in.
- Style: Your style is your style, and we’re not telling you what to wear, not ever, and not now. Sun shirts come in all cuts, and it really comes down to personal preference, for most. If you’re going to be doing a lot of swimming, surfing, or spending time in direct sunlight, a hood is beneficial, if not paramount to outwitting the sun and its rays. You also might want thumb holders and a loop to tie it to your shorts. If you’re fishing, pockets are also kind of a must, and a button-up with plenty of pockets is arguably the best way to go.
- 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.
Here are our picks for the best sun shirts with UPF protection:
- Best sun shirt overall: Hanes Cool Dri
- Best hooded sun shirt: Patagonia’s Sun Shade Technical Hoody
- Best fishing sun shirt: Columbia’s PFG long sleeve
- Best lightweight sun shirt: Filson Ultralight
- Best hybrid hoody: O’Neill 24/7 Hybrid UPF
- Best stylish, feminine sun protection clothing
Updated 7/6/2020. A lot of our previous picks are no longer available, including our overall pick, the Hurley QuickDry. But after testing Hanes’ Cool Dri shirts for a couple of years, we’ve decided that the quality of the fabric and the UPF treatment is every bit as good. We also added the Filson Ultralight shirt as a pick for anglers, adventurers, and people who want something that’s feather-light and (arguably) stylish.
The best sun shirt with UPF protection
Hanes’ UPF-treated Cool Dri shirts are plain and simple but sturdy and serviceable. They’re also some of the most affordable ones you can buy.
When it comes to getting something practical and affordable, Hanes does the trick. You can spend three or four times as much and get something more stylish, more technical, and/or lighter weight, but UPF is UPF, and after having tested Hanes’ Cool Dri for a good two years, we’re sold that this is all you need.
Plus, another thing to keep in mind when buying a sun shirt is sunscreen damage: Is this something you're going to stain with sunscreen? Are you going to be rolling around in the mud? Are you really, really concerned with the way it's going to look after 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, so if blaring logos down the shoulder or across the chest aren't your thing, that's another reason to save some money and just buy Hanes.
As for general quality, I have worn these shirts for two years, surfing and fishing my way around North and Central America for months on end. The four-ounce polyester jersey is usual cotton t-shirt thickness but 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 only gripe with these shirts is on the technical side, and for most people, they're perfectly fine as they are. But a loop to tie them to your board shorts and an option with a hood wouldn't hurt.
Lastly, note that the long-sleeve version (which we recommend most) is sold in two-packs on Amazon - go for that option. These things are only so great as the amount of time you use them, and it's always good to have a spare.
Pros: Price, tag-less, moisture-wicking, low-profile, short- and long-sleeve versions
Cons: No hood, no loop for tying to board shorts (helpful if surf-bathing)
The best sun shirt with a hood
Patagonia's Sun Shade Technical Hoody is soft, lightweight, and comes with an all-plastic zipper that won't corrode, no matter how many times you take it swimming and forget to wash it afterward.
Patagonia's Sun Shade Technical Hoody has been a personal favorite among the hooded sun shirts for a while. I find them to be among the softest, best-fitting, best-styled of the UV shirts designed for outdoors enthusiasts. In a sea of abysmally large, flashy logos and prints, Patagonia stays true to tone, which earns points in my book. And you might just catch me out and about in one of these. No shame here.
I've been fishing, surfing, and occasionally swimming in these shirts for over five years, and as a small disclaimer, I may be somewhat partial, but they're too comfortable and low-profile to ignore for this guide. I should also note that, unlike with some other sun shirts, stains seem to lift from these better than others. Sometimes, however, I've noticed that it takes a few washes.
It's hard to ignore Patagonia within this realm, with its loyal legions whose reviews are probably best taken with a grain of salt. Do you need to spend this much on a sun shirt? Of course not. See our overall recommendation, above. But I can't say how many Patagonia sun shirts I've owned, and through fishing, hiking, camping, living on boats in the tropics, and all the rest, I still haven't managed to loosen even a stitch on any of mine.
Backpacker magazine also had nothing but good things to say, and the same goes for the folks at Blister Gear Review. While we acknowledge that Patagonia tends to sit on its own high pedestal within the eco-conscious realm of the outdoors industry, its clothes make it pretty hard to come up with a reason why they shouldn't.
For surfing, I've found no better hooded rash guard than Patagonia's RØ Hoody. It fits snuggly for optimal performance, and even in cracking, Fijian surf, the hood seemed to hold firmly. I use mine on especially long outings in the summer, and as much as possible when I'm in the tropics. The zippered pocket in the back is an excellent touch for keeping sunscreen, wax, or perhaps even a small pouch or flask of water.
The only thing I'd recommend is that you not order it in black if you're in particularly warm water or weather, or especially prone to getting overheated. And, if you like a more relaxed fit, check out the Tropical Comfort Hoody II, which is a little more casual and a lot more comfortable out of the water.
Pros: Soft, comfortable, effective, and technical for anglers, button to cover face with hood, a handy and corrosion-free chest zipper
Cons: A little bulky, and not as cooling as Columbia's Solar Shade
The best fishing sun shirt with UPF
Columbia's PFG button down shirts are lightweight, comfortable, and subtle enough to be worn just about anywhere, but shine when fishing.
Yes, Columbia's PFG button down is a bona fide bonefishing shirt, so whether you're wading the flats or touring the pyramids, Columbia's classic PFG button-down will serve you well. This is the brand's bestselling shirt, and it's no surprise why. Unlike Columbia's newer technology that makes concessions where many people's style might be concerned, these shirts pass off just about anywhere.
You'll see the ubiquitous presence of this shirt around bonefishing lodges and on safaris, but you'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 also 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.
Yak Angler reviewers love the PFG line, and so do thousands of Amazon shoppers. Thanks to the toned-down colors, almost microscopic logos, and the assortment of shirts ranging from one or two pockets to more than I'd care to count, Columbia is champion when it comes to buttondown UPF clothing.
I also tried Columbia's new Solar Shade Zero Woven Long Sleeve, and while it worked wonders, I felt like I was wearing a bowling shirt, a la Charlie Sheen's character in "Two and a Half Men." For me, that was a problem.
I'll continue to wear it because it works every bit as good as all of Columbia's highly technical, if sometimes busy-looking clothing, but again, only on the boat. I did love the plastic zippered pockets in it, though.
Pros: Lightweight, well-ventilated, many pocket arrangements to choose from
Cons: May run large according to your 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 you are, though!)
The best lightweight UPF shirt
Filson's Ultralight shirt is tissue-paper thin, moisture-wicking, and styled enough so that should you find yourself at a bar, restaurant, or possibly even the office after some time outdoors, no one would be the wiser.
If you're looking for something in the featherlight category, which we highly recommend if you'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's Ultralight Shirt is the best of both worlds, and it's something you might get away with in the office just as soon as you would on a flats fishing boat - depending on where you work. The double-breasted pockets could be a bit of a giveaway.
But we've found nothing more lightweight, and after a few months, we haven't managed to rip, stain, or otherwise degrade this shirt, and like all of our picks, we haven't seen the UPF treatment wear out, and despite a slightly lower UPF30 treatment (as opposed to the 50 you'll see on most shirts we recommend), we haven't gotten a sunburn through this shirt, either.
This shirt is truly paper-thin, and it's the shirt I choose for the best and worst summer has to offer. 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-up 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 light adventure-ready shirt, we dare you to find one better.
Pros: Lightweight, breathable, versatile
Cons: Pricier, probably overkill for most people
The best hybrid hoodie
On a late summer day at the beach, with a vague chill in the air, you'll be glad to have O'Neill's 24/7 Hybrid UPF Shirt in your bag.
It might seem counterintuitive to buy a UPF sun shirt that keeps you warm, but on chillier mornings and evenings, as well as more temperate days in spring and fall, 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 first one I tried was a pullover. I was drenched in sweat within seconds. I ripped it off, and, lo, received a fine licking from the sun.
But this year the team at O'Neill has come out with a zippered version that allows for controlled ventilation and it makes all the difference. Like the same shirt of years past, this one is made of a spandex and nylon blend, which is as soft and stretchy as anything, and I often find myself wearing one well past sundown, and, not to shamelessly plug the "24/7" marketing, but, yes, even to bed - especially on camping and boating trips.
I've also found it to work well for surfing, though I'd recommend a proper rash guard for any swimming beyond casual surf bathing. Also, because it's loose-fitting, I wouldn't recommend anyone learn to surf in it, nor would I suggest wearing it in large or rough surf, where it will act as a sea anchor and weigh you down.
There aren't many reviews around the web regarding the 24/7 Hybrid Hoodie, but the matching shorts have received a lot of praise, namely by Chris Dixon when he and I were putting together a surf gear guide for beginners for Wirecutter. We also tested this Hybrid hoodie and both loved it for ourselves, but we didn't think it was the best fit for a beginner surfer. For an all-around summer top, however, it's hard to beat in and out of the water, apart from real scorchers in the Palmetto State, at least.
Pros: Stretchy, soft, comfortable, versatile, just tightly-woven enough to keep you warm on a crisp morning or night
Cons: Too hot in certain climes, maybe a little short for some tastes and torsos (which I didn't mind while surfing as it stayed out of my way)
What else we considered
Backcountry.com: If you're looking for a generic sun shirt with a hood, Backcountry's Tahoe Sun Hoodie fits the bill. It's not within the budget price zone of our overall pick from Hanes, but it does tend to be somewhere in the middle of the price range for sun shirts, and might save you a few bucks, depending on what you're after.
Duck Camp Co.: Duck Camp Co.'s fishing shirts are a lot like Columbia's PFG line. The quality of the fabric is all there and the technical aspects of the shirt are great. We've only spent a bit of time with these shirts, and we're a little skeptical of how the zippers will fare over time compared with Columbia PFG's tried and true, but after two months of use and exposure to the brine, they're still doing well.
Orvis: Orvis' Drirelease Pullover Hoodie is moisture-wicking and fast-drying, and it's somewhat comparable to Patagonia's answer in our pick above, but it's not quite as soft, and it's a little more expensive. Still, this is Orvis quality and if you're a devotee, you won't go wrong.
The best stylish sun protection clothing for women
The best stylish, feminine sun protection clothing with UPF
Let's face it: sometimes sunscreen isn't enough, especially since dangerous UV rays can penetrate your clothing. Instead of risking it, avoid future sun damage by wearing stylish garments with UPF 50 protection.
UPF clothing may have been hard to find in the past, but more and more of your favorite clothing brands have been designing pieces that offer built-in sun protection. To help you find the most stylish sun-smart offerings on the market, we've rounded up five fashionable brands that sell clothing with a minimum of UPF 50.
