1,000% in support. I live in Kastel long sleeves. Second choice would be EIS, but it’s harder for me to find a good deal on those. I didn’t care for Ariat or TS versions.
My Kastels all wear and wash well, even the light colored ones!
Because of this thread I ordered 2 sunshirts off Amazon (not riding shirts per say, but at <$15/shirt, what do I care) and I found a store in town called Mountain Warehouse and bought another ls shirt and 2 ss sunshirt for <$30! I’m set for the summer and have 5 shirts for the price of 1 riding sunshirt 
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I use Kerrits long-sleeve IceFil shirts. If there is a little breeze, the evaporation of sweat is good for keeping me cool.
I have an EIS one that’s 6 years old and still looks great, I wear it at least a couple times per week. I just got an ariat one and while I like the colour, the sleeves are a bit short for me, and it’s a bit heavier fabric. Both still allow much more of a breeze than a regular polo shirt.
I also like to wear my sunshirts as base layers in the winter. They’re thin so they fit under anything without being too bulky, and they’re breathable.
I wear them all the time, and absolutely love them. EIS is my favorite brand, but I have a few TS ones as well. I’ve heard good things about the Rompf ones too. Mine have stood up to daily wear and tear. I wash all of them on cold and hang to dry, they still look swell.
Mine are from Athleta
I have a lot of sunshirts, mostly Kastel, as well as some by Tailored Sportsmen and Noble Rider.
I prefer the sunshirts that have colored mesh on the underarms. It is much easier to keep those clean. Most of Kastel’s seem to have white arms which at a barn are going to get dirty very quickly and not be easy to clean.
So much yay from me on sunshirts! I am not only very pale, but super reactive to sun due to medical conditions so I have to be very careful about exposure. Sunshirts have definitely made that easier!
Most of mine are Kastel, but I also have a few Ariat, Noble Outfitters, SanSoleil, Romfh, Prestige, and Ovation. The Ovation were the cheapest by far (maybe $15 each on a sale) - but they are the least cooling. I like to wear those for days I know I might get really gross and dirty since they were cheap and I don’t mind them getting stained (i.e. I do not wear them outside of privacy of my home haha). My Romfh is my xc show shirt in white with black stitching and detail. I like it but probably need to replace it after several years of use. I like the Ariats for spring and fall but they are a little too heavy for dead of summer (though it is nice because they hold up well and don’t show stains). So my favorites for really warm, summer riding are the Kastels, SanSoleil, and Noble Outfitters. All of those have the super soft, super cool fabric and good ventilation. I actually stay cooler in them than I used to in short sleeves. And they all wash up well!
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My real name is Erin, I have blue eyes and natural red hair- aka I burn at the thought of sunlight hitting me. Oh and I detest sunscreen and the heat (if I could live somewhere that was 25% fall and 75% winter I would lol). I LOFF my sunshirts- not being coated in sunscreen slime + not being burned to a crisp = major win and despite having long sleeves, they really aren’t hot to wear. Plus they dry a million times faster than cotton esp since Maryland has been slowly turning into tropical rainforest
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Thanks all! I did order one shirt, and also ordered the sleeves someone mentioned. I’ll will report back,. I’ve also taken note of students who wear sunshirts and have quizzed them. The Ariats do appear thick, but students report that they are not hot. We’ve had a cool snap this week so I may quiz and probe a bit more before I settle on purchasing more to try.
I have many many Ariat sun stoppers, and they aren’t thick at all. They’re thicker than Kastel, but Kastel is crazy thin and feels very cheap IMO. Kastel is super clingy, cheaper feeling material, and they aren’t as cooling. They’re very flattering through.
The Ariat sun stoppers run a little big, so I’d go down one size. I wear S in everything, but in Ariat I have to order XS or I’m swimming in them. They’re really cooling (a lot more than Kastel), and they wash great and have been really durable. They’re less expensive as well.
The TS sun shirts look really nice, but I’ve never worn them. I’ve heard good things though.
The Ariat shirts that ARE thick are their regular polos, the US Equestrian polos, Taryn polos, etc. They’re very pretty, but they’re also super thick and heavy. They breathe fine, but they’re def not hot weather shirts. They also don’t hold their color the best if you’re washing them regularly, so I wear mine sparingly.
I love my sunshirts! I have Ariat, Riding Sport, and Noble Outfitters. The Ariats are my favorite followed by Riding Sport. I don’t find them to be hot, and they fit nicely. I dislike the Noble Outfitters shirt. It’s hot to wear, and all of their shirts seem to run small.
I have Tailored Sportsman, Kastel and Romfh for the long sleeve ones. I like tailored sportsman the most, they just fit me the best and feel the most cooling and moisture wicking. The Romfh ones are also nice and cool but they are baggier on me so don’t look as neat, but I feel like the romfh material will hold up better. The kastel are also nice however I wear them when the weather is a bit cooler because I find them to be thicker and less moisture wicking than other brands. I haven’t tried them but the dover cool blast and the smart pak sun shirts are less expensive so might be a good option if they’re going to take a lot of abuse.
Have tried nearly every brand mentioned here, but always go back to my favorite tried and true EIS shirts. They’re not as fitted as other brands, but I find that the fact they are boxy and looser is a plus when it comes to keeping cool.
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I LOVE my TS sunshirts! As a curvy girl who can stain literally anything with anything, these shirts keep me from overheating (a big problem for me) and don’t make my boobs look weird. I only have 2 but they are constantly in the wash over the summertime cause I chose those 2 shirts over all my others. I also have an Ariat shirt that I like however it is not as soft as the TS or the Kastel (which is nice but not my favorite). Hope that helps!
Do all of the shirts mentioned above that tout being cooler ALSO block UVA and UVB? I have a few, but the labels that have survived inside them don’t talk about blocking ultraviolet. TIA!
I really like my sun shirts. They give just the right warmth and coverage on a spring/fall day. I prefer short sleeves in the summer, but I do not burn easily. If you are fair skinned I think sun shirts are the way to go.
Got my cooling sun shirt and neck thingy wet for my lesson today. Huge difference, I didn’t feel faint after dismounting, I don’t even have a migraine several hours after.
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@mmeqcenter Do you have a link for the neck thingy?
Updating: I didn’t buy an equine-specific sunshirt yet, but this thread did inspire me to swing by the local Columbia outlet and buy a couple of their long sleeve omni-freeze shirts. They are definitely wearable in the heat and seemed to work as billed. Totally different experience than short sleeve athletic t-shirts I have that are made of the cheap moisture wicking stuff. I’ve been riding in the evening, but tomorrow I have a lesson at noon (ugh), so I’ll get to see how they feel in full sun.
My experience with the Columbia shirts gives me confidence to drop the money on some of the equestrian-made ones!
Yay! Sunshirts make it all possible in the summer. Most of the rest of the year, too, in this humid, hot climate.
I actually feel coolness in the humidity that is the hardest part of summer to deal with here. And the sleeves keep me from feeling like a burnt stick.
Ariat and Dover Icefil are my favorites.
