What are swim and surf shirts?
Swim shirts, sometimes called surf shirts, are designed to provide you with protection from UV radiation that won’t wash off. As swimwear, swim and surf shirts have comfortable, chafe-free seams just like their rashguard cousins.
Swim shirts, aka surf tees or surf shirts: Primarily used for extra sun protection, these shirts are looser fitting than rash guards and also lighter weight. They come in a variety of styles, ranging from slimmer athletic to looser t-shirt-esque, as well as a spectrum of colors and even patterns.
They come in various styles and thickness, but all are generally water-wicking, practically weightless and feature a UPF 50+ rating (that’s Ultraviolet Protection Factor). Plus, technology has advanced so far that you can wear one on a blazing hot day and still feel cool and comfortable. There are two main types of swim shirts to choose from:
Sun shirts are the most different from swim shirts or rash guards. Unlike their swimwear cousins, sun shirts are not designed to be submerged in water, which means they are not limited to certain seams or shapes. They tend to have a loose and casual fit, and a variety of styles and colors available.
What is the difference between Sun shirts and swim shirts?
A sun shirt is a type of UPF clothing better suited for activities out of the water than in it. These often have wicking properties along with their UPF rating, but tend to have a loose fit when compared to a rash guard or rash vest.
They should have sun protection (preferably UPF 50), be quick-drying, and have a zip-up (full-zip or half-zip) option and sleeve (short sleeve or long sleeve) option that works for you. What is a swim shirt? Swim shirts, sometimes called surf shirts, are designed to provide you with protection from UV radiation that won’t wash off.
It is better to swim with a shirt on if you’re particularly susceptible to sunburn, self-conscious of your body, or heavily engaged in water sports. Under these circumstances, wearing a shirt will provide the bodily protection and boost in confidence needed for you to enjoy your swimming experience.
Because rashguards are designed for surfing or other higher intensity water sports, they are more like a water-ready compression shirt. By contrast, swim shirts are designed to protect against UV rays while also being comfortable. In other words, your size in a rash guard will fit tighter than your size in a swim shirt.
Should you wear a shirt when swimming?
When you wear a t-shirt to go swimming you increase your risk of drowning, this is because they soak up more water thereby increasing your weight. Also, they pose a health risk by introducing germs and pollutants that lead to the cluttering of the filtration system from their loose fabrics.
Luckily, the kinds of shirts permitted at public pools have a few easily identifiable markers that differentiate them from a normal T-shirt. Swim shirts that are primarily comprised of lyrca, nylon, polyester, and spandex bode well in pool water.
If there’s less chlorine in the water, your clothes are still bleaching, but not as quickly. Again, you’d have to wear the same cotton shirt in the pool several times over to notice any color differences. One of the best clothing material choices, if not the best for swimming pool use, is polyester.
These swimmers, in particular, are often curious as to how the pool water will impact their shirt quality. Pool water does ruin shirts, especially those not designed for swimming. The high concentrations of chlorine within pool water weakens clothing fibers and fades color.
Are swim shirts water-wicking?
They come in various styles and thickness, but all are generally water-wicking, practically weightless and feature a UPF 50+ rating (that’s Ultraviolet Protection Factor). Plus, technology has advanced so far that you can wear one on a blazing hot day and still feel cool and comfortable. There are two main types of swim shirts to choose from:
Swimming with a shirt on is not weird. While it may be true that swimming without a shirt is the most common fashion, swimming with a shirt on is still perfectly acceptable. It is seen as a sensible practice since swim shirts offer much-needed protection against harmful UV light and contact rashes.
These swimmers, in particular, are often curious as to how the pool water will impact their shirt quality. Pool water does ruin shirts, especially those not designed for swimming. The high concentrations of chlorine within pool water weakens clothing fibers and fades color.
They should have sun protection (preferably UPF 50), be quick-drying, and have a zip-up (full-zip or half-zip) option and sleeve (short sleeve or long sleeve) option that works for you. What is a swim shirt? Swim shirts, sometimes called surf shirts, are designed to provide you with protection from UV radiation that won’t wash off.
What is the difference between a rash guard and swim shirt?
A rash guard is a top designed to guard the wearer against the sun, while the bathing shirt’s main purpose is to provide an athletic edge. A rash guard is often worn in the water to guard the wearer against the sun’s rays.
Although it is not a traditional rashie, a swim shirt is growing in popularity as an alternative form of sun protection. The loose fit makes it a more versatile, casual derivative of the rash guard. As if the benefits of rash guards are not enough, today rashies are seen making a splash in surf, sport and swim fashion.
As you watch them dive under the waves and tread along the tide, you notice that some are wearing a shirts rather than suit tops. Rash guards, generally known as an additional type of water wear, are a fitted athletic shirt made of spandex, nylon or polyester. Why? A rash guard has many purposes under the blazing sun and cool waves.
Rash guards, generally known as an additional type of water wear, are a fitted athletic shirt made of spandex, nylon or polyester. Why? A rash guard has many purposes under the blazing sun and cool waves.
What is a Sun shirt?
Whether you’re hiking, biking, or spending a day on the river, you’ll need to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful rays. Sun shirts are designed to keep the sun off your skin, wick away sweat, and help you stay comfortable.
If the sun shirt fabric is scratchy or stiff, it’s likely headed to the back of the closet. On the other hand, if a sun shirt looks good and feels comfortable against your skin, you’ll be more likely to wear it. Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) fabric indicates the number of harmful UV rays a fabric can block from your skin.
Arc’teryx Remige Hoodie ( men’s / women’s) – Comfortable and high-quality sun shirt made with light, airy fabric. It’s very similar to our top pick, the OR Echo hoodie, but it has a higher UPF rating and is considerably more expensive.
Our testing process began with extensive research on the hundreds of sun shirts currently available on the market. We then hand-picked the strongest candidates and purchased them at full retail. From there, we spent weeks wearing these shirts for every imaginable activity.
What should a swim shirt look like?
Maybe it’s a bit weird if you wear a swim shirt when swimming in an indoor pool. Some men wear them to protect from the sun or to hide a poor figure, scars or other skin problems. However, it is not considered fashionable for men to do so.
A few general tips when it comes to selecting a swim shirt: the lighter weight paired with lighter colors can turn see-through when wet and black will be warmer than other colors. A happy medium is to choose a vibrant color you like that coordinates well with your swim trunks.
You either paint yourself with sunscreen or wear a shirt that blocks UV rays. Aside from that, many experienced open water swimmers won’t go in the water without a rash guard owing to the many obnoxious creatures that can sting and irritate skin. Swim shirts are a popular item down there.
Since most people do not wear shirts while they swim, the first question that pool-goers typically ask is whether or not wearing a T-shirt in the pool is even feasible. Nobody wants to unintentionally break the pool rules or jeopardize anyone’s safety just because they weren’t aware of the effect that wearing a T-shirt in the water would have.
Is it better to swim with a shirt on or off?
While it may be true that swimming without a shirt is the most common fashion, swimming with a shirt on is still perfectly acceptable. It is seen as a sensible practice since swim shirts offer much-needed protection against harmful UV light and contact rashes. Most people are all too familiar with the unpleasant consequences of getting sunburned.
Nevertheless, it’s still recommended that you avoid wearing regular T-shirts in the water, particularly if you’re not the best swimmer. Unskilled swimmers cannot afford to lose maneuverability in the water, no matter how petty that reduction in mobility may seem.
These swimmers, in particular, are often curious as to how the pool water will impact their shirt quality. Pool water does ruin shirts, especially those not designed for swimming. The high concentrations of chlorine within pool water weakens clothing fibers and fades color.
Luckily, the kinds of shirts permitted at public pools have a few easily identifiable markers that differentiate them from a normal T-shirt. Swim shirts that are primarily comprised of lyrca, nylon, polyester, and spandex bode well in pool water.
