I recently just bought a long sleeve SunShield shirt in hopes of it making the summer heat a little more bearable for me as I tend to get heat exhaustion pretty quick! Our summers here in Georgia are pretty hot with temperatures averaging in the high nineties right now, but with the humidity, it feels like it is in the hundreds! I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet since I just ordered it, but I’m curious to see if it actually works or not. Do these shirts actually make you cooler or is it just a marketing thing?
They do help…but if it is that hot/humid…it will still be miserable.
I don’t know if they make me cooler, but they don’t make me hotter. I wear one every day and it’s in the low to mid 90’s when I ride in the afternoons, and it’s in the mid to upper 80’s when I ride in the mornings. it’s going to be disgusting no matter what I’m wearing.
The ones I have have the mesh under the arms, if that makes a difference.
They for sure have helped me avoid hideous tan lines, which is almost worth it on its own.
I’m a fan.
(I won’t ride in tank tops for road rash purposes, so I don’t know if I’d be cooler in one of those since it’s not an option for me.)
I love mine. I am a total convert, and I live in Georgia as well. I have about ten of them and wear nothing else for summer riding.
They will not make you “cool” when it is 95 degrees out with high humidity. Nothing can do that. But they do wick sweat away, and they protect your skin.
I agree with AmmyByNature - I don’t think I am any cooler while wearing one, but I am no more hot than I would otherwise be. The avoiding tan lines is a bonus - I wore them all through a Georgia summer before my wedding for just such a purpose (I mean, I wore it the summer before, too, and I’ve worn them since… but that summer in particular I appreciated not getting tan lines).
My husband agrees on this assessment - he wears them (different company, same concept) to prevent getting sunburned while climbing: they don’t make him any cooler, but they are not any hotter, and he doesn’t get a sunburn.
I honestly think the Tredstep one does the best in the humidity - I’ve actually gotten a chill it that when it’s been a bit cooler and humid. EIS, I think, would work best in a dry heat environment (I had an EIS, but sold it - I tried to like it, but the fit was not my friend). I also have a TS one and a few Ariat Sunstoppers. I think the Ariat is my favorite, especially if there is any breeze. Recently purchased a Noble Outiftters one, but haven’t worn it yet, so we’ll see how that works.
So I wore my Kastel shirt when it was 95f & ridiculously humid the other day. I was pleasantly surprised. I wore one that fits a bit loose, yes I was dripping sweat (impossible not to), it evaporated it quite quickly, and because no barn yuck was sticking to me & no bugs were bothering me - I was comfortable.
However, the TS Icefil shirt, can’t keep up with that super hot weather. Wearing it at 83f with humidity was unpleasant.
I am a recent sun shirt convert, mostly because I am on meds for Lyme disease that make my skin very sensitive to the sun. I can actually feel it burning.
As others have said, I don’t think they make you cooler on a humid day (like most days in Georgia, I imagine) but they protect your skin and I don’t feel any hotter wearing one. On a bright, dry day I do feel cooler without the sun on my arms.
That said, it pains me to spend even $30 on an everyday shirt so I just bought a whole variety at Sierra Trading Post for very good prices. I was looking for barn-friendly colors. This one is way cute (better than it looks in the pic) and it is very light and cool, for $24: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/active-printed-shirt-upf-50-zip-neck-long-sleeve-for-women~p~124ty/
[QUOTE=goodmorning;8738632]
However, the TS Icefil shirt, can’t keep up with that super hot weather. Wearing it at 83f with humidity was unpleasant.[/QUOTE]
I found those only work if there is a breeze…then you can feel it cool your skin but if no breeze…you cook.
I am a convert. I find that keeping the sun off my skin so that I’m not just roasting does help at least a little bit, as does the moisture-wicking. I prefer the Kerrits IceFil shirts because they are thinner/lighter weight than some of the others I have, and I feel like they are a little cooler for me as a result. Nothing is going to keep you from feeling hot in the GA weather as you know, but I do think it helps, and I was a total skeptic when I tried them!!
I agree with Ammy! I love mine with mesh under the arms. At a show the other weekend I took a cotton t-shirt off and put on a long-sleeve sun shirt and definitely felt cooler. I’m also pretty fair so I love that I don’t get burned or get weird tan lines when wearing them.
[QUOTE=Libby2563;8738644]
I am a recent sun shirt convert, mostly because I am on meds for Lyme disease that make my skin very sensitive to the sun. I can actually feel it burning.
As others have said, I don’t think they make you cooler on a humid day (like most days in Georgia, I imagine) but they protect your skin and I don’t feel any hotter wearing one. On a bright, dry day I do feel cooler without the sun on my arms.
That said, it pains me to spend even $30 on an everyday shirt so I just bought a whole variety at Sierra Trading Post for very good prices. I was looking for barn-friendly colors. This one is way cute (better than it looks in the pic) and it is very light and cool, for $24: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/active-printed-shirt-upf-50-zip-neck-long-sleeve-for-women~p~124ty/[/QUOTE]
Libby, do you happen to know how the sizing fits, or comparison to other sunshirt brands? I’d really like to order one at that price and typically fit a Small comfortably though snug in Bette & Court/EIS/Wellington, if they run small I would want to size up.
I have a number of different brands. The Columbia OMNI-FREEZE line is the best at wicking and cooling. Of course you are still left with a wet bra.
Yeah - if we could solve the wet sports bra problem my life would be SO MUCH BETTER. I love being a million degrees and sweating through everything, then my shirt dries in the car, but I have to pop into Target on the way home and my wet sports bra combined with the refrigerated section leaves my teeth chattering and me wanting a warm blanket before I exit the store.
Grrrr…
[QUOTE=AmmyByNature;8738704]
Yeah - if we could solve the wet sports bra problem my life would be SO MUCH BETTER. I love being a million degrees and sweating through everything, then my shirt dries in the car, but I have to pop into Target on the way home and my wet sports bra combined with the refrigerated section leaves my teeth chattering and me wanting a warm blanket before I exit the store.
Grrrr…[/QUOTE]
I found some of the under armour sports bras much better for this issue. I have a few called “Armour Breathe”. Definitely worth it and a good sports bra.
https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/women-s-ua-armour-mid-breathe/pcid1262320-912
These look good too:
https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/womens-armour-mid-space-dye/pid1277070-002
[QUOTE=AprilKisses;8738684]
Libby, do you happen to know how the sizing fits, or comparison to other sunshirt brands? I’d really like to order one at that price and typically fit a Small comfortably though snug in Bette & Court/EIS/Wellington, if they run small I would want to size up.[/QUOTE]
I ordered a medium, which is what I typically wear, and it fits perfectly. Very flattering actually. It is form-fitting but not tight. So I believe it fits true to size but I don’t have any experience with the brands you mention. I am 5’6, 135 with a not-so-large bust, if that helps.
Thanks Libby- for the heads up on the deal and the info! I am a little shorter, though slightly heavier than you so I might try for the medium then. 
I wear sun protective shirts every day. I have a couple of the Kastel ones, some Bette & Court, and this year I tried out the Capilene Lightweight ones from Patagonia that I think are a winner. They fit nicely, are super breathable, and more affordable than some of the real “sunshirt” brands.
I didn’t like the TS Icefil or the Smartpak sunshirts at all. The dover Cool Blast ones are decent for the price.
I bought a bunch of these and so far they are indestructible and wash super well/easily. http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/womens-capilene-lightweight-crew?p=45646-0
So asking what I feel like is a dumb question.
What does everyone wear under them? I bought a sunshirt on a whim, however, I’m normally one that wears an undershirt under everything I wear. I feel like wearing a tank top under one of these is going to defeat the purpose, but the material is so thin I don’t feel like going without is going to be very flattering either. Also I don’t want to unintentionally appear like a dork if avoidable.
[QUOTE=alc;8738869]
So asking what I feel like is a dumb question.
What does everyone wear under them? I bought a sunshirt on a whim, however, I’m normally one that wears an undershirt under everything I wear. I feel like wearing a tank top under one of these is going to defeat the purpose, but the material is so thin I don’t feel like going without is going to be very flattering either. Also I don’t want to unintentionally appear like a dork if avoidable.[/QUOTE]
I would say most people wear sports bras under them.
In hot, humid weather I find them hotter than a tank top or loose tee, but like many others here I wear them more for sun protection than cooling. But once back at the barn, where I have chores to do, they come off and the tank top goes on. :winkgrin:
Sports bra underneath. I also wear a tank/cami under pretty much everything i wear, but i wouldn’t do that under a sunshirt.
