Best Sun Shirts for Running of 2025

By the inherent nature of running, we tend to spend a lot of time outside in the sun, which can result in a lot of UV exposure for our skin. While slathering on sunscreen multiple times a day can help mitigate sun damage, wearing a sun shirt for running is also an excellent choice. A crossover outdoor garment from fishing and other lower-output activities, modern long-sleeved, hooded sun shirts are now light enough to wear during runs on all but the hottest days, and they provide ample coverage for your neck, arms, ears, and head.

Protecting your skin from the sun is vital in preventing sunburns, lowering the risk of developing skin cancer, and minimizing the appearance of wrinkles. To help you find the best sun shirt for running, we researched over 30 options, from shirts specifically made for running to those marketed toward thru-hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Our main tester took the sun shirts to New Zealand for the summer to test in one of the highest UV environments available, while many other team members tested throughout California and Colorado. We rated the shirts based on their sun-protective properties, fit, hood shape, size, material breathability, and unique features.

After hundreds of miles of wearing sun shirts while rambling through New Zealand and the American Southwest, we chose the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve as our favorite because of its light weight, big hood, and nice thumbholes. We turned to the Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie when things really got hot.

For more background information about the best sun shirts for running, see our buying advice, testing methodology, and frequently asked questions below the picks.

Best Sun Shirts for Running

• Best Overall Sun Shirt for Running: Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve
• Best Overall Sun Shirt for Running — Runner-Up: rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0
• Best Wool Sun Shirt for Running: Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie
• Best Budget Sun Shirt for Running: REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie
• Other Great Sun Shirts for Running: Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody, Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie, Arc’teryx Taema Hoody, Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody

Best Overall Sun Shirt for Running: Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve ($82)

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Deep hood
• Good thumb holes

Cons:

• Gets stinky after a single use

When looking for a long-sleeve shirt that is lightweight enough to wear on hot days and provides ample sun protection, we couldn’t find anything better than the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve. With a UPF 50 rating, meaning it only allows 2% of sun rays through, you can trust it to protect your skin. We were impressed with just how lightweight the polyester and Spandex blend was. Compared to all the other sun shirts tested, the stretchy material felt coolest when we put it on.

Janji has earned a reputation for creating well-fitting clothing — and this sun shirt is no exception. The sleeves are long, and the thumbholes are placed high enough that the shirt can provide ample coverage on the back and front of the hands when needed. The hood is deep and big enough to wear over a hat. While there isn’t a hole for a ponytail, our ponytail-wearing testers had no issue fitting the hood over their hair and the front of a hat.

The looser fit is ideal for maintaining air circulation and staying cool on hot days. It also allows for a full range of motion, even with thumbs in the sleeves and the hood over a hat. The seams are off the shoulders to minimize the chance of chafing while wearing a pack.

Janji is known for being an environmentally friendly company. It donates 2% of its profits to clean water projects worldwide and use recycled materials whenever possible, including for this shirt. The company also backs all of its clothing with a 5-year guarantee, so you can trust it to last.

Unfortunately, this material does pick up a lot of stink after wearing it even for a single run.

Materials: 84% recycled polyester, 14% Spandex | UPF Rating: 50 | Weight: 5.8 ounces (men’s medium)

Shop the Men's Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long SleeveShop the Women's Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve

Best Overall Sun Shirt for Running — Runner-Up: rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0 ($70)

Pros:

• Very lightweight
• Underarm perforations
• Good hood

Cons:

• The material gets stinky after a single use

The rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0 is one of the most lightweight-feeling and comfortable sun shirts we tested. Offering UPF 50 protection, one of the highest of any sun shirt on the market, it’s an excellent option for hot sunny days to protect your arms, head, and neck from the sun. The underarm perforations add extra ventilation to this shirt and release heat effectively. While you can wear many sun shirts casually, the perforations make this one look a little more techy than others.

The breathability and light weight of the material made this sun shirt one of our favorites. We could wear it in warmer temperatures than other options in this guide without overheating.

Rabbit took care of the small details that make a big difference with this shirt. The thumb holes to keep the sleeves down and over the hands are solid, comfortable, and easy to get on and off. The hood was large enough to fit over a hat and a ponytail, and it stayed securely on our heads when the wind picked up. A small brim on the hood provides extra protection if you’re not wearing a hat underneath it.

The other fun feature of this sun shirt is the watch window. Trying to tug a long-sleeve shirt over a watch while running can be annoying, and keeping the sleeve above your watch can expose your hand and wrist to the sun. If you’re someone who wants to keep an eye on your splits or pace, this is a great sun shirt option to allow you to see your watch without having to futz with rolling up your sleeves.

Made of a blend of synthetic materials, this shirt does pick up an odor fairly quickly. That said, the rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0 is an excellent option if you frequently run in heat and want sun coverage that you can trust.

Materials: 67% recycled polyester/25% polyester/8% spandex | UPF Rating: 50 | Weight: 6.2 ounces (women’s medium)

Shop the Men's rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0Shop the Women's rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0

Best Wool Sun Shirt for Running: Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie ($85)

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Nice cut

Cons:

• Fabric prone to snagging
• Rougher-feeling fabric

Our tester took the Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie on two multi-month summer trips to New Zealand, where the UV index is higher than nearly anywhere else in the world. What is most notable, besides the fact that the shirt provided plenty of protection against the New Zealand sun, is that during the first year, she chose to wear it whenever she was back in civilization and needed to look closer to civilized than “just returned from the backcountry.” By the second summer of use, with a few tears and starting to show signs of wear, this shirt was relegated to backcountry use only.

Outdoor Vitals currently has two versions of this hoodie, one with merino wool blended with nylon and a newer one with merino wool blended with a polyester blend, which the brand claims will dry faster and retain its shape for longer. We tested the older nylon blend, and it took two summers and hundreds of miles over countless day and overnight trips in the New Zealand sun for us to notice the fabric starting to stretch and sag a bit. The material has a unique texture and looks different from most other technical shirts. It’s rougher than synthetic options and seems to snag on stuff a little more easily.

Material made of wool is naturally more porous than other fabrics, and this shirt only has a UPF 36+ rating, which isn’t as high as some of the other shirts tested. It’s still in the range of a Very Good Rating by the Skin Cancer Society. If you’re worried about sun exposure, you may want to consider a light layer of sunscreen under this shirt.

The merino wool in the material helps keep it odor-free and provides moisture-wicking and breathability. We turned to this shirt for our multi-day warmer-weather outings when we wanted to stay cool and not stink after just a few hours of sweating. Though it’s not as light as other options in this guide, it’s fine if you’re not performing highly strenuous efforts in the heat.

The hood isn’t as large as some other shirts in this guide, but the material has some stretch. We had no issues keeping the hood on over a ponytail and hat, though it was a bit tight. The hood wasn’t big enough to come down over the crown of a hat. The flatlock seams are off the shoulder, and we didn’t experience any issues with rubbing.

Sadly, this sun shirt doesn’t have thumbholes to hold it down over the hands, something that we consider essential in a shirt designed for sun protection.

Materials: Poly blend — 63% merino wool, 29% polyester, 8% nylon; Nylon blend — 58% merino wool, 42% nylon | UPF Rating: 36 | Weight: 4.8 ounces (women’s medium)

Shop the Men's Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool HoodieShop the Women's Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie

Best Budget Sun Shirt: REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie ($50)

Pros:

• Great value
• Durable

Cons:

• Heavier material
• Boxy fit and weird women’s cut

The REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie was the first introduction our main tester had to sun shirts many years ago, and it was a shirt she wore until it was no longer wearable. And then she bought a new one. This is an excellent option for those looking to save a little money and who are willing to tolerate a slightly heavier material to do so. Even though it’s a little thicker, this shirt was moisture-wicking and breathable enough to wear on hot days.

Made of 92% polyester and 8% Spandex, the material is stretchy and has a UPF 50+ rating, providing ample sun protection. The shirt has a loose cut that some might find a bit boxy. While the men’s version of the shirt has a straight hem, the women’s is strangely curved. We assumed this was better to accommodate the shape of women’s bodies and hips, and REI claims it provides additional protection from a pack if you’re backpacking. To our main female tester, it felt overdone, regardless of the reason for it.

The hood has plenty of space, and the sleeves are long enough to cover the hands when using the thumb holes. While there isn’t anything particularly outstanding about this shirt, it does everything reasonably well and is an excellent value for its price.

Materials: 92% polyester and 8% Spandex | UPF Rating: 50+ | Weight: 8.8 ounces (men’s)

Shop the Men's REI Co-op Sahara Shade HoodieShop the Women's REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie

Other Great Sun Shirts

Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody ($70)

Pros:

• Lightweight material
• Hood provides great coverage
• Thoughtfully designed thumbholes

Cons:

• The pocket is too loose to carry anything heavier than a credit card without bouncing

Lightweight, comfortable, and non-technical in appearance, the Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody quickly became a favorite sun shirt for everything but the very hottest temperatures. The 100% recycled polyester UPF 50 material provides an incredible amount of sun protection, so we weren’t worried about staying out in the sun in alpine or open desert landscapes when the UV index was high.

The scuba-style hood provides ample protection for both the front and back of the neck and ears, and we found it to fit over a hat easily. The full coverage fits snugly over the head, which means that it has less of a tendency to blow off when the wind picks up. We appreciated the many small details that went into the design of this shirt, including the lack of seams anywhere near the tops of the shoulders.

We wore this hoody under light and heavy running vests for long days in the heat and never felt any irritation or chafing. The thumb holes are the best executed in any sun shirt we’ve tried. Their diagonal cut naturally pulls the shirt over the top of the hand and doesn’t put pressure anywhere. The fit is casual, loose enough to allow for airflow but not so much that it whips in the wind or feels baggy. This is one of the best sun shirts in this guide to wear in casual situations.

There’s a small side pocket on this shirt that can hold small and light items. We wouldn’t put much besides a credit card in there because of bounce, but it doesn’t negatively affect the shirt, so we’re pretty indifferent about it.

Material: 100% recycled polyester | UPF Rating: 50 | Weight: 5 ounces (women’s medium)

Shop the Men's Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 HoodyShop the Women's Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody

Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie ($75)

Pros:

• Very lightweight and breathable
• Good cut and fit

Cons:

• Relatively low UPF rating

When running in hot weather and wanting to wear long sleeves for sun protection, we turned to the Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie. This incredibly lightweight material works on hot days, but the tradeoff is that it’s so thin that it isn’t as sun-protective as thicker materials.

The light colors of this shirt only have a UPF 15 rating, which is the lowest a garment can have to be considered sun-protective. The darker colors of the shirt have a slightly higher UPF 20 rating. You might want to consider wearing sunscreen under this shirt to maximize sun protection, but you’ll have to be less concerned about sweating it off over time.

This synthetic shirt was reasonably odor-free after use due to its ActiveFresh odor-control technology. We found the 100% recycled polyester material breathable, stretchy, and comfortable. Our tester liked the cut of the shirt and found that the hood stayed in place, even over a hat and ponytail.

Outdoor Research backs all of their clothing with a lifetime guarantee, so you can trust that this shirt will last. We didn’t worry about the smooth material snagging on trailside brush as much as some of the other shirts we tested. We haven’t noticed any damage even after well over a hundred miles of wear, with much of it during off-trail brushy travel.

The thumb holes are just large slits in the cuff of the shirt. They hold the sleeves in place but don’t pull sleeve material up over the hands for added sun protection.

Material: 100% recycled polyester | UPF Rating: 15 | Weight: 4 ounces (women’s medium)

Shop the Men's Outdoor Research Echo HoodieShop the Women's Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie

Arc’teryx Taema Hoody ($90)

Pros:

• Lightweight and cool
• Durable

Cons:

• Material not stretchy
• Baggy fit

Our tester for the Arc’teryx Taema Hoody took it out on several shorter runs before selecting it for a three-day, off-trail fastpack through the Utah desert. While nearly everything else she was wearing on that trip ended with significant damage after more than 40 miles of travel that included significant stretches of schwacking through pointy and pricky high-desert brush, this sun shirt only had one small hole — which our tester deemed nothing short of miraculous given the number of times she got caught up on branches and scooted over and around rough rocks.

She also noted that the shirt didn’t pick up any odor after three days of wear in reasonably hot temperatures. While this sun shirt is light enough for hot-weather runs, it’s not as light as some of our other picks. We found that it excels in mild to moderate temperatures.

The brand’s Phasic LT material is UPF 50+ rated and treated with a Durable Anti-Odor (DAO) finish. It also has a Durable Water-Repellant (DWR) finish, so it doesn’t soak through at the first sign of moisture. It is made entirely of polyester, with 80% of the material from recycled sources.

The stitching is off the shoulder to minimize chafing under a pack, and the overall fit of the shirt is fairly baggy compared to others. The material also isn’t as stretchy as other shirts in this guide. Our main tester liked the fit of it, but the lack of stretch may make it less accommodating for different body types.

The hood is big and fits well over a hat and ponytail, and we could also fit it over a bike helmet. The material comes up high to the chin, making it easy to bury the bottom half of your face in the shirt if you want to get it out of the sun, and it provides good coverage for the front of the neck.

The thumb holes aren’t the best; they’re just small elastic strips sewn to the sleeves’ end. While they keep the sleeves in place, they don’t add extra material over the back of the hands to provide sun protection. Note: The men’s version of this hoodie is the Cormac.

Materials: 80% recycled polyester, 20% polyester | UPF Rating: 50 | Weight: 4.9 ounces (women’s)

Shop the Men's Arc'teryx Cormac HoodieShop the Women's Arc'teryx Taema Hoody

Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody ($99)

Pros:

• Great hood
• Off-the-shoulder seams
• Can be worn casually

Cons:

• It’s a little warm for hot-weather runs
• No thumb holes

The Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody feels equally at home on a run as it does hanging out afterward. It doesn’t scream tech shirt in any way, but it still performs as one. The material has a UPF 50+ rating, which is the highest given. You can feel confident that the skin covered by this shirt is protected. The material features the BD.cool technology that uses minerals embedded in the fibers of the shirt to reflect heat from the sun away before it has the chance to warm your skin. This makes the shirt feel cooler than its thickness would indicate. The shirt also has a Polygiene treatment to prevent the buildup of odors.

We found the overall fit of this shirt to be fairly casual. The hood isn’t huge and won’t fit over a helmet like some other hoods in this guide, but it’ll fit over a ponytail and a hat. The seams are off the shoulder, reducing the chance of chafing if you’re wearing a pack.

This shirt doesn’t have thumb holes, and the sleeves only comfortably come down to the wrists. While this makes it more stylistically acceptable for social situations, we do lament the lack of coverage for our hands.

Materials: 87% polyester, 13% elastane| UPF Rating: 50+ | Weight: 8.6 ounces

Shop the Men's Black Diamond Alpenglow HoodyShop the Women's Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody

Comparing the Best Sun Shirts for Running

SUN SHIRT	PRICE	MATERIAL	UPF RATING	WEIGHT
Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve	$82	Recycled polyester/spandex	50	5.8 ounces
rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0	$70	67% recycled polyester/25% polyester/8% spandex	50	6.2 ounces
Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie	$85	Merino wool/polyester/nylon	36+	4.8 ounces
REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie	$50	Polyester/spandex	50+	8.8 ounces
Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody	$70	100% recycled polyester	50	5 ounces
Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie	$75	Recycled polyester	15	4 ounces
Arc’teryx Taema Hoody	$90	Polyester	50	4.9 ounces
Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody	$99	87% polyester, 13% elastane	50+	8.6 ounces

 

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Sun Shirt for Running

There are endless possibilities for long-sleeve shirts to run in, but a few key considerations set the best sun shirts for running apart from the rest.

UPF Protection

Since the goal of a sun shirt is to protect the skin from the sun, it needs to keep rays from getting through. Clothing receives an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating, which indicates the percentage of the sun’s rays, both UVA and UVB, that will penetrate the material. For example, a UPF 50 shirt, like the rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0 or Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody, will allow 1/50th, or 2%, of the rays through. The higher the UPF factor of the material, the more protective a piece of clothing will be.

To receive the Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation, a shirt must be rated at least UPF 30. Clothing with a UPF under 15 isn’t considered sun protective. As a reference, a thin cotton shirt will have a UPF rating of about five, allowing 20% of sun rays through.

Most of the shirts in this guide have a UPF rating above 30. If you’re looking for maximum sun protection, choose a shirt with a UPF 50+ rating, like the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody.

Generally, materials with a tight weave or reflective material provide the highest level of UPF protection. Unfortunately, tighter weaves or heavier materials are also hotter, so it’s a tradeoff of comfort and protection when running in a sun shirt on a hot day.

Colors can also impact a piece of clothing’s UPF factor. Darker and brighter colors have higher UPF factors than lighter colors. Again, there is a tradeoff for runners, as darker colors will absorb more heat on a hot day.

Material

Most sun shirts employ a polyester blend. The denser weave of this material provides ample sun protection, and when blended with Spandex or elastane, it is stretchy and comfortable. The downside to polyester is that it’s prone to picking up odor. Many polyester-blend shirts in this guide, like the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody, are treated with odor-control technology to prevent the dreaded stink.

Several wool-blend sun shirt options are also available, and our favorite was the Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie. This shirt features a merino wool and polyester and nylon blend, and we found it cool and light enough to wear on hot days. Woven wool is a more porous material than polyester, so it doesn’t provide the same sun protection as synthetic options, but it’s still significantly better than cotton or other materials.

Breathability and Moisture-Wicking 

As with any piece of gear, if you’re not going to use it, it’s useless — and sun shirts are no exception. If you choose a shirt that’s too hot or not breathable enough, you won’t want to wear it in the sun. The Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie is an incredibly lightweight option, even though it has the lowest UPF rating of the bunch. It’s still much better than not wearing anything at all.

Sun shirt material is all about tradeoffs. A thicker weave will provide more sun protection, but it will also reduce the material’s breathability. Darker colors will also provide more sun protection at the expense of absorbing more heat. We found the Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody to be quite light and breathable for the amount of sun protection it provided.

All sun shirts included in this guide use breathable and wicking materials. Whether wearing the synthetic Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve or the wool-blend Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie, we never experienced the clammy, sweaty feeling associated with cotton or other poorly wicking materials.

Coverage

The more skin a shirt covers, the more it can protect you from the sun. For this reason, most sun shirts come with a hood that can cover the back and sometimes the front of the neck and the ears. If you’re not wearing a hat underneath the hood, it can also potentially cover your forehead.

We appreciated the high level of neck coverage provided by the Arc’teryx Taema Hoody, as it covered both the front and back of the neck when the hood was up. The Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody has a full scuba-style hood covering both the neck’s front and back.

Most sun shirts have longer sleeves, allowing you to pull them over the tops of your hands to protect them from the sun. Conveniently placed thumbholes can keep the sleeves down without causing discomfort. The Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve had good placement of thumb holes and longer sleeves that didn’t compromise our range of motion.

Fit

Most sun shirts have a looser fit to provide a high level of breathability and increased sun protection. The material of tighter-fitting clothing will stretch more and allow more sun rays through, so it’s better to err on the side of getting a sun shirt that’s a little bit big than a little small.

Most of the shirts in this guide, including the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve, have a bit of stretch to the material. We found that the Arc’teryx Taema Hoody was less stretchy than most of the other options.

Thumb Holes

While seemingly a small detail, the thumb holes of a sun shirt can be a make-or-break feature. Most people don’t think much about protecting the skin on the backs of their hands, but it’s an area that gets a lot of UV exposure in daily life and during runs. For many people, wrists and hands are sweaty areas of skin, making it harder to keep the area effectively covered in sunscreen. Having thumb holes that pull long sleeves down over the back of the hands can effectively protect this bit of skin.

We appreciated the thought that went into the Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody thumb holes. They were placed high enough on the sleeve to cover the backs of the hands and had a comfortable diagonal cut. Some other shirts in the guide, including the Arc’teryx Taema Hoody, only had small pieces of elastic as thumb holes, which functioned to keep the sleeves down but not over the hands. The Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie did slightly better with a slit in the cuff of the shirt. We were disappointed that the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody didn’t have thumb holes at all.

Hoods

In our opinion, a sun shirt is nothing without a good hood that can protect the back of the neck, ears, and sides of the face. Our favorite sun shirts had big hoods that stayed in place when running.

Several of the testers for this guide were women who frequently ran with their hair in ponytails and hats on. All of the hoods in this guide easily fit over the setup, and many of them, including the Arc’teryx Taema Hoody, were big enough to fit over a bike helmet as well. The Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody and Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie had tighter fitting hoods.

Why Trust Us

The iRunFar team has decades of running experience, much of it in the high-UV areas of the mountains of Colorado, Utah, and New Zealand. Much of the testing for this specific guide happened throughout two New Zealand summers on single- and multi-day trips around the South Island, mainly in Central Otago.

For various reasons, the UV index in New Zealand frequently reaches 12 on a scale where 10 is considered extreme. Kiwis take their sun protection seriously, and we deemed it the perfect place to take out over a dozen different sun shirts for testing. The backcountry of New Zealand also provided an ideal testing ground for the durability of the shirts, as matagouri and speargrass are always quick to draw blood and destroy clothing. We also took sunshirts romping throughout the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the French Alps, and the Wind Rivers in Wyoming.

We rated the shirts based on their breathability in hot conditions, fit, comfort, and durability, and we also considered the hood’s size and shape and the thumb holes’ location — two important features in any sun shirt.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sun Shirts for Running

What is a UPF rating?

All materials can receive an Ultraviolet Protection Factor rating, which measures the percentage of sun rays that can penetrate it. The higher the UPF rating, the more protection a material offers. A material must have a UPF rating of over 30 to receive a Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation. A UPF rating of 15 to 29 is considered good, 30 to 49 is very good, and over 50 is excellent.

You can calculate the percentage of rays a material will allow through by using its UPF rating. For example, a UPF-50-rated material will allow 1/50th of the rays through, or 2%. Even our lowest UPF-rated shirt, the Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie, with a UPF 20 rating, only allows 1/20th of sun rays through, or 5%. A material needs at least a UPF rating of 15 to be considered sun-protective.

A thin cotton shirt will have about a UPF 5 rating and let about 20% of rays through. If you’re looking for the most protection possible, choose a shirt like the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody or the REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie with a UPF 50+ rating.

What UPF rating should I look for in a sun shirt?

Sun shirts are all about compromise. While in most hot conditions, it’s cooler to wear short sleeves or a tank top, a good sun shirt can keep you comfortable enough and provide good sun protection. To maximize sun protection, look for a shirt with a UPF 50+ rating, like the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody.

On the other hand, if you’re running in hot conditions and want to stay as cool as possible, a shirt like the Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie will do the trick while still providing a decent level of protection. Our favorite shirt, the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve, has a UPF 50 rating and is also made of very light material.

What’s the difference between UPF and SPF?

UPF is a rating used to measure the amount of sun that can make it through a material. The best sun shirts for running, including the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody, will have a UPF 50+ rating. A UPF rating takes into account the penetration of both UVA and UVB rays. Meanwhile, SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, measures the level of protection provided by sunscreen. Theoretically, if your skin would take 20 minutes to redden without protection, a sunscreen with an SPF 15 rating would extend that time by 15.

When is it too hot to wear a sun shirt?

The main drawback of sun shirts is that they can get hot, especially if you’re running with the hood up. The maximum temperature at which you can get away with wearing a sun shirt is entirely a personal choice.

While getting material wet can decrease sun protection, dunking a sun shirt in water is a great way to cool your upper body, including your arms. Choosing a lightweight sun shirt like the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve can extend the temperature range, and you can wear long sleeves and a hood without overheating.

Why are thumb holes important in a sun shirt?

One of the body’s most ignored pieces of skin is the back of the hands. Properly placed thumb holes in a shirt with longer-than-average sleeves will allow you to pull the sleeves down over the tops of your hands and keep them there with the thumb holes. They are also helpful for keeping sleeves from riding up if you’re running in cooler weather and wearing extra layers.

Shirts like the Janji Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve, Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody, and the rabbit UPF Deflector 2.0 have great thumb holes, while the Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie doesn’t have them at all.

Does a sun shirt need a hood?

Technically, a sun shirt doesn’t need a hood, but it significantly increases the level of protection it can provide. Hoods can cover the back of the neck and the ears, two areas prone to burns. It’s common to find skin cancer behind the ears because people frequently forget to apply sunscreen.

Some sun shirt hoods, like that on the Marmot AirExchange UPF 50 Hoody, will also cover the front of your neck. A good hood will fit over a hat or ponytail and stay in place even if the wind picks up. Even the tighter hoods of the Black Diamond Alpenglow Hoody and the Outdoor Vitals Tern Ultralight Merino Wool Hoodie fit easily over a hat.

Call for Comments

• Do you like running in a sun shirt, or do you prefer to use sunscreen on your arms, neck, and ears?
• Do you have a favorite sun shirt that we don’t have listed here?