I just bought six of them at a Columbia outlet. THEY are awesome for everyday riding. I can honestly say that I was cooler today after riding outside in 85 weather in them than in a t-shirt or polo. The best part about the purchase was that the most expensive one was only $30!
I live in my Bette & Court ones and my Bloq UV ones. I run and ride in them year round and can’t even fathom preferring a tank top anymore! I show in the Bette & Court ones in the jumper ring all the time.
[QUOTE=Bristol Bay;7618391]
I just want to remind people that unless the shirt states that is has SPF properties, it doesn’t. I was very dutiful one summer in wearing long sleeved shirts for riding and hiking, and ended up with a racer-back sports bra tan from doing so. There has to be a tight weave in the fabric.[/QUOTE]
This is true - legally, to be advertised as having UV protection, the shirt has to have at least a certain UPF rating. 25 or 30 I think? Cotton offers very little protection, unless it’s a really tight weave like denim.
My favorite sun shirt is the Kerrits one - it is lightweight and breathes well. I also have a couple Columbia polos I like, but they are short sleeved. They may not be any cooler than just a tank, but I don’t miss slathering my arms with greasy sunblock!
I own a couple of Coolibars, six Riding Sport, and one Tailored Sportsman, and the RS are my favorites. The Coolibars are pretty heavy compared with the other shirts and not very cool on their own (although I didn’t realize that they were intended to be wet down before you wear them), and for some reason they snag easily. The Tailored Sportsman is nice, but the sleeve circumference is apparently made for someone with sticklike arms. I like the fabric and vibrant colors of the RS best, and they’re sized a little more roomily.
[QUOTE=Promise No More;7614396]
I was going to buy the Coolibar one mentioned previously (for about $44 with a coupon code) and then I happened to be at a local tack store for a Belmont party and found the Ovation Cool Rider shirts! Bought the long sleeve zip mock in a pretty royal blue for $38 and wore it today in 90 degree heat doing a little fitness/conditioning trail ride (read: trot sets on hills in the blazing sun and crazy wind). It was lovely. I love it. Fits me very nicely, long enough to stay tucked in but not all the way past my butt like the Ariat Heat-Tek shortsleeve shirt I tried on at the same store (fabric on that felt great though!). Kept me comfortable depsite the crummy weather although the high winds made it feel less like 93 degrees than it should have. Will be wearing it again on Tuesday in my jump lesson, forecast says 98 right now, but I am giving this one a HUGE THUMBS UP for it’s first impression and GREAT price point![/QUOTE]
Curious about this one since it looks to be pretty new on the market. What is the fabric like? Thin? Thick? The pics online make it look kind of shiny, which is odd. Also, do the underarms have mesh? Is the fabric a “cooling” fabric like IceFil?
