Best Sun Protective Clothing

[Kyle S]

@KP Duty recently posted a topic talking about face mask/buff/ shields and what not which was a good read.

Many mentioned that they wear all types of sun protective clothing.

Specifically, what articles of sun protective clothing do you wear? 

I'm looking to purchase some and would appreciate recommendations on what to buy and avoid.

The UV hooded sweatshirts that  few people mentioned sounded interesting...

 

[A-Jay]

I wear Columbia PFG, HUK and Simms long sleeve shirts and long pants.

Buffs, hats & gloves as well.

I tried the hooded shirts, didn't care for them.

Hood was always blowing in my face. 

Light cotton socks and HUK shoes too believe it or not. 

These companies newest sun protection clothing is light, comfortable and fairly durable.

Meaning it lasts wash after wash. 

Might not be the least expensive stuff, but IMO you get what you pay for.

As I mentioned in another thread I hate sunscreen, especially on my face,

so the clothing works well for me.

Cooler than bare skin in every instance. 

Unless otherwise indicated these are all loose fitting garments (especially the tops) 

and IME they run a bit on the larger size.  I buy Mediums and there's still plenty of room.

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

[ATA]

I wear Columbia PFG always.

[MN Fisher]

Columbia and Huk long-sleeve shirts, long pants, hat...have several buffs available but only occasionally wear one.

 

Sunglasses - probably at least as important as covering your skin.

 

How do I know?

 

Lost the right eye to cancer due to over-exposure to UV rays...ya, it's not just the skin that can be damaged that way.

[NorcalBassin]

I used to just wear a regular cotton hoodie and bale when I started getting too hot, but I started wearing Simms and Aftco sun protection hoodies last year and loved them. My favorite so far is the Simms custom artwork from The Hook Up Tackle.

https://thehookuptackle.com/products/cbp-tech-hoody

 

 

[GreenPig]

Columbia PFG

[SproDD79]

I've been very happy with these, I really like the thumb holes so my wrists don't get sunburn. Sometimes Amazon and or KastKing have them for a good deal.

 

https://kastking.com/products/kastking-2021-performance-hoodie?_pos=3&_sid=b8e400a57&_ss=r

[volzfan59]

I used to only wear Columbia PFG, but stopped due to their politics. I still wear what Columbia I had, but no longer purchase their products. I like HUK pretty well and plan on trying Simms this summer. I've also purchased BPS's Worldwide Sportsman, Academy's Magellan and Realtree clothing with excellent results, pricing and durability. I will say that the Worldwide Sportsman stuff is initially pretty doggone stiff but loosened up when washed a couple of times.

[Catt]

Magellan, Drake, Realtree, Mossy Oak, Salt Life, & Calcutta.

[Big Hands]

My local shop carries Aftco, and I have been pleased with their shirts, love their tactical fishing shorts and the Reaper windproof pullover for when it gets cold. 

 

The long sleeve hooded shirts are even comfortable in the summer when it feels like I'm half a block from Hades.

[throttleplate]

[Lead Head]

We get upper 90° temperatures with upper 90% humidity in the summer. Of all the sun shirts I have worn (everything that has been mentioned except Simms and Salt life), Huk is noticeably cooler on the hottest days (to me). I use sunscreen on my legs and wear shorts. Huk makes amazing shorts, but Kastking are nearly identical and half the price. 

The 2 items I pretty much just can't go without are my hat and sunglasses. The hat is a Real Deal Brazil tarp hat. It is really lightweight and gives good protection with a wire in the brim so it can be adjusted however you need. I like this hat so much that the 2 times I have managed to sink one, the replacement was ordered before I left the water. My sunglasses are Costa, but there are plenty of cheaper options that will get the job done. I wear buffs on my head to compensate for my lack of hair, they keep sweat out of my eyes. I have worn Huk, Buff, and Kastking gloves. The Kastking have leather palms and longer fingers... I hate both features. The other 2 perform similarly and I like both. I will eventually try a pair of open palm sungloves, I suspect that is the way to go.

 

 

[Kyle S]

Thanks everyone!

[Susky River Rat]

I wear Colombia hooded sun shirts. I also have one simms hooded. I can’t say I notice much difference between the two. As someone else said sun glasses are key too. That glare of the water is down right nasty. Your eyes can sunburn just like any other skin as well. 
 

I wear under armor shorts. The real light kind I’m not sure if the version and crocs. I will from time to time spray my legs and feet. I hate sun screen but, it’s better having it there then all over my arms face/neck.
 

I also wear a hat as most do. It’s like proper fishing attire. When I have forgotten it my face will get sunburn without it. So I always recommend a hat. 

[drakesndrum]

Have tried them all at one point or another and have settled on the Aftco Samurai hooded sun shirts.  They're not overly expensive and the fit is more athletic for me.  The hood is a must if you're short on hair like me!  Pants/shorts wise I use a bunch of different ones, just make sure you get stretchy material, it'll be more comfortable.

[waymont]

Columbia PFG and AFTCO hooded shirts are great. Add gloves, a baseball cap, and sunglasses and everything will be covered.

[TOXIC]

Just got back from Florida and 90 degree temps.  Personally, I wore AFCO, HUK, Mossy Oak, and whatever brand the DIAWA shirts are (I think HUK).  No more Mossy Oak for me, it was the hottest of the group.  Some wore Columbia PFG and liked it but I find that to be heavy as well.  They wear it because they get military and firefighter discounts.  We used it not only for the sun but for the millions of teeny tiny grass gnats that would infest every exposed body orifice.?

[DaubsNU1]

For those of you wearing hoodies / face mask / buff / shields, how do you like them vs. a big old hat?

 

I sweat like a dog, and have a giant dome (size 8). Wife found me this hat years ago, and it serves me well.

 

@Lead Head, is the Real Deal Brazil tarp hat pretty light weight?  Cool to wear in the hot sunny days?

 

[TOXIC]

1 minute ago, DaubsNU1 said:

For those of you wearing hoodies / face mask / buff / shields, how do you like them vs. a big old hat?

 

I sweat like a dog, and have a giant dome (size 8). Wife found me this hat years ago, and it serves me well.

 

@Lead Head, is the Real Deal Brazil tarp hat pretty light weight?  Cool to wear in the hot sunny days?

 

As you can see, my buddy wears both.  He loves that hat.  Think he said it cost him $25.  Gotta have the buff to keep the grass gnats out of your ears, nose and mouth though.

[Big Hands]

1 hour ago, DaubsNU1 said:

For those of you wearing hoodies / face mask / buff / shields, how do you like them vs. a big old hat?

 

I like the hoodie style Aftco Samurai shirts and I wear a hat with them. I only occasionally have the hood on, but like having it because it protects the back of my neck more than a shirt without the hood.

 

For the shirts I have without the hood, I sometimes wear a buff around my neck to accomplish the same thing. The buff can do many things depending on what you might need it for in a given situation.

[Sasquatch]

This is a new topic for me as I’ve always been a cut off and gym shorts type of guy. Got burned in an explosion last year pretty bad so DR is on me hard about not getting much sun for the next 2 years. I’ll be searching for the lightest coolest stuff they make this year seeing as I’m fat and sweat like a pig. Looks like I’ll be trying HUK out first from what I’ve seen here. 

[Jar11591]

Huk long sleeve shirts, gloves, and face shields. I’d recommend them. I’ve used Huk for several years and have no complaints. Good quality and very comfortable, lightweight and breathable. 

[WRB]

Columbia, Solumbra and Simms.    

Any comfortable SP50 works good. 

Tom

[PhishLI]

10 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

For those of you wearing hoodies / face mask / buff / shields, how do you like them vs. a big old hat?

Tried it. Didn't like it. I went with the Columbia Schooner Hat in grey.

Columbia Sportswear Schooner Bank Cachalot III Cap | Academy

I feel like a goofball wearing it because it looks absurd to me, but it really does the job well, and it's very lightweight.

On 2/5/2023 at 8:00 PM, Kyle S said:

The UV hooded sweatshirts that  few people mentioned sounded interesting...

I go head to toe in UPF clothing. Always go for the lightest color possible for the hottest days. This makes a real difference. My sister got me an Aftco Samurai. I asked for white, but she got me Brilliant Blue Heather. It isn't terrible, but it doesn't reflect like white, so I don't wear it on the sunniest days. Looks like Columbia did away with "Cool Grey" which is almost white. Too bad. Anyway, I don't like the integral facemask of the Aftco hoodie, so I go with a separate HUK or MossyOak gaiter.

 

 

[MN Fisher]

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I feel like a goofball wearing it because it looks absurd to me,

Trust me - it's not the hat.

 

Like my boonie is any better?