uva/uvb clothing

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Topic Author
nannid
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:44 am

uva/uvb clothing

Post by nannid »

Does anyone have any experience with UVA/UVB clothing? I looked at some brands like Coolibar, Patagonia and they are really pricey.
Wondering if it is worth the cost ?


Short backstory - seem to have developed great sensitivity to the sun recently . Even running errands (walking from car to store etc ) , mowing the lawn ( 30 mins ) - gives me a rash and I got pretty badly sunburnt last week just wearing a regular Tshirt (albeit thin ) and capris.

I used to use Coppertone sunscreen ( apparently that does not seem to be enough ) and now am considering wearing only long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside - and hence the question. I need to shop for this since I really don't have any light colored long sleeve stuff.
Everything I own is dark colored - for winter.

Thank you for any input.
TallBoy29er
Posts: 1319
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2013 9:06 pm

Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by TallBoy29er »

We are outdoors a good bit, with fair skinned DS and kids. UVA/B clothing has a place in our wardrobe. There are a few things in life that are worth paying for. Protective clothing for the kids is definitely one. (good shoes and good tools would be two others).

What if you bought one, gave it a shot, and see if it worked. Do you have an REI near you? They will take returns on anything for a year with zero hassle, so you would have no risk. If you are a member there, you also get 10% as an annual dividend back (REI is a coop) if you buy in for (I think) $25. You could order online there as well. There is also a REI Garage site (Outlet) as well.

Something like this would be good.
https://www.rei.com/rei-garage/product/ ... shirt-mens

Edited: Changed the url above.
livesoft
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by livesoft »

Recently discussed: viewtopic.php?t=218853
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littlebird
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by littlebird »

I wear Solumbra:

http://www.sunprecautions.com/about/onlinecatalog

which is even more expensive, but many of their items have features which make wearing long sleeves more comfortable than usual in extreme heat (I live in the Phoenix metro). Look for the items with two curving arrows. They have mesh underarms and yokes.

The fabric lasts forever. It needs no ironing if taken right out of the dryer. It creases easily, but loses the ceases if hung in the bathroom while showering. I buy an shirt or two each year; I don't really think the pants are necessary as it's easy to buy tightly woven pants, but I do own a few pairs of their slacks. I wear their hats whenever I step outside, and I have gaiters (separate sleeves) for when I 'm driving in short sleeves and a face mask for outdoor work. I also have two large shawls to tie around my waist if I step outside with shorts on.
Topic Author
nannid
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:44 am

Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by nannid »

Thanks livesoft , TallBoy29er .

Going to read that thread and the idea of just buying one for trial is good!
livesoft
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by livesoft »

BTW, medications that one takes can have a big effect on sensitivity, so has anything changed there? Check with your physician.
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whodidntante
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by whodidntante »

It could be that some of your existing clothing is suitable. Some cotton shirts are thicker or more dense than others. A crude test for opacity is to hold it up to the light while gently stretched.
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Mrs.Feeley
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by Mrs.Feeley »

Consumer Reports tested UV-blocking clothing a few years back. They concluded that the Tropicware clothing from LL.Bean and the UV-blocking stuff from Land's End did the best job, and some of the pricey brands fell short. Some subsequent testing showed that certain clothing without advertised built-in UV-protection fared just as well. Like Hanes Beefy-T long-sleeved shirt. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/maga ... /index.htm

You can probably read the full CS reports at your library.
farnsy
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by farnsy »

I'm big time into that stuff. I went on a Caribbean cruise recently and everywhere I was covered by sun-protective clothing I was fine. Everywhere I used sunscreen only got burned to a crisp. Doesn't matter how diligently you reapply or which brand you use. Sunscreen is a poor substitute for protective clothing. Next cruise I'm going to look like a scuba diver all the time because I'm going to have a protective hood and long sleeved shirts and pants made of sun-protective clothing.
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bligh
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by bligh »

We (my wife and I) use coolibar, ex-officio and columbia UPF products and have never had any issues. Speedo and other brand rash guards work well for us. In general anything that is polyester is essentialy UPF 50+. I have read that denim is also UPF 50+.

My problem is I hate polyester. My skin itches and to be blunt, it causes a very specific kind of BO. Coolibar has a cotton based product that is UPF 50 and it has been absolutely amazing. The problem is that there has been some talk about the titanium dioxide getting absorbed through the skin and having some pretty scary risks. The science isn't too well known so for now my wife and I tend to wear a cotton undershirt or similar under the cotton or polyester based shirt or hoodie.
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unclescrooge
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by unclescrooge »

I just picked up some UV resistant Speedo swim shirts for $12 from Costco.

Also running a special on water proof spray-on sunscreen, which I personally find more effective than the lotion.
jaqueisse
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Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by jaqueisse »

These are cheapest and best value for buck that I found

https://www.amazon.com/Hanes-Sleeve-T-S ... 00KBZT25S/

2 for 15, I've gotten the less popular colors on sale before at 2 for 10ish, I think. Brought about 16 of these shirts to vacation to equator level areas in the past. You will stick out like a traffic cone in the orange, and shine like a neon light in the yellow, but it gets the job done.
iamlucky13
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Location: Western Washington

Re: uva/uvb clothing

Post by iamlucky13 »

Are you sure it was a sunburn and not some form of heat rash?

This might be something worth seeing a dermatologist about.

I can't recommend any particular clothing, as I've never had any issue at all with burning or even tanning through ordinary cotton T-shirts, even spending most of June and July every summer growing up sitting on a tractor all day long. But if you're having issues, it seems like something relatively easy to try, and I know some dermatologists do recommend SPF-rated clothing.
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