I dislike long sleeved shirts for summer

Paddling, but it looks like I may have to start wearing them.
I have been religious about using sunscreen for years and I haven’t burned BUT
the skin on my lower arms and hands has become so delicate that it takes the slightest abrasion for it to bruise and bleed.
I thought since I didn’t burn, I was fine.
I have now read that UV makes the skin less elastic and more prone to damage, sunscreen or not.
I see that I can get long sleeved , wicking shirts on Paddling Perks. May be time to rejoin.

Love my long sleeve shirts and pants! I wear them year round. Aside from skin cancer concerns I have an autoimmune disorder that is aggravated by UV exposure. Also sunscreen puts just what into the water when it wears off?

I wear a tight fitting wicking long sleeve shirt in the heat of summer. When wet the evaporation is about the only thing that will keep me cool. As a bonus it protects from the sun too.

We can talk. In the bicycle world there are arm warmers (black) and arm sun protection (white or yellow). Last summer I started the protector things. They’re hot. You have to douse them with water now and again or you WILL be hot.

Long sleeve wicking shirts are great - even better if they have collars to protect my neck.

I wear long sleeves all year.

I started wearing wicking, thin-fabric long-sleeved shirts for paddling this past summer and now I can’t imagine what took me so long to try that. I was not any hotter in the sun with the long sleeves than without, and obviously was better protected. Then there’s the added bonus that I could wear the same shirts to keep warm when it was a little on the cool side as I did to be comfortable when it was blazing hot, and that’s pretty amazing. After last year’s experience, the idea just makes good sense.

Don’t wear any short sleeve shirts in the kayak. Usually wear fingerless gloves too. I ran nice but I hate the sun. Look what it does to things around you. How’s you skin going to hold up?

I am pretty good about wearing a hat, keeping most of the skin covered, and as I aged began applying sunscreen to the portions prone to burn- ears, nose, tops of hands- of course if you’re in a bug zone then long sleeve shirts are must. When the flies are bad a button up collar and cuffs are what you want. Usually in summer a cotton t shirt helps keep me cool. When kayaking, usually I’m wearing some manner of swimsuit but am covered up with sprayskirt, and often a lightweight paddling jacket with neoprene cuffs- prefer short sleeve when weather allows- you don’t catch water in the sleeves… More likely to wear long pants canoeing- used to wear the dickie work pants, now favor the “nylon” hiking pants. I wish I had used sunglasses more when I was canoe tripping. Pretty sure the glare has affected my eye sight. Never could get the hang of sunglasses in ww- were pain to use and lose. Some folks get real dapper and wear dress shirts under the pfd. No Tilley hat though, want something with a brim that sticks out under a helmet- I’m a ballcap guy.

Just get the sleeves wet during summer. The evaporation cools you down. An added plus is that skeeters don’t like sleeves.

Almost always long sleeves, something wicking. Throw water on them. A lot less bother than keeping track of when you did the sunscreen.

I wear cotton long sleeves in the summer when it gets hot and the sun oppressive.It does that in Alaska and Northern Canada especially in previously burned forest fire areas and big lakes like Wabakimi.

Cotton twill. not cotton jersey as in t shirts. Tight weave. The evaporation of water keeps you cool. Douse it and then enjoy the heat relief.

Hyperthermia is as debilitating as hypothermia. I don’t find the rule that cotton kills accurate in the summer. It is decidedly better at thermoregulation than nylon

With the added plus of not releasing hundreds of thousands of plastic microfibers with each washing. I often wore white long sleeve cotton shirts growing up in FL.

UV 50 long sleeved rash guards always. I find them cooler and more comfortable even in direct sun and the UV protection works. My skin tone in the summer is about the same as in winter (I also use UV50 sunscreen).

I’ve been doing a bit of reading on the microfiber issue and found this at Patagonia:

"Wash Less Often & Invest in a Front-load Washer: Microfibers shed in the wash—so wash your gear only when it’s absolutely necessary (you’ll conserve water in the process). Even your most-used outerwear should only need a full wash occasionally. If it’s caked with dirt (and we hope it will be), consider using a rag or sponge to spot clean rather than putting it through a machine cycle. And consider your washing machine: Studies show synthetic jackets laundered in top-load washing machines shed more than five times as many microfibers as the same jacket in front-load washers.

"Fiber Filters Help: Putting your synthetic clothing into a filter bag before washing by hand or machine can significantly reduce the flow of microfibers into your drain. "

Patagonia’s developed a filter bag and a Vermont company has developed something called the Cora Ball, although I’ve no idea how effective it is.

While I have my own well and septic system, I can easily filter the water from my (front load) washer because the discharge hose empties into a laundry tub first. Just need to figure out what to use for a filter.

@Rookie said:
Way to go Girl! You always seem to take the next step or dig deeper on a topic.

I often wear outer garments multiple times. I would think hand washing would also keep fibers from shedding as much. I have wool socks, long johns, shirts, sweaters and pants that I wear in cold weather, but I have long been a fan of fleece, and quick dry UV protected garments too. Yet I want to be a responsible citizen of the earth so other life forms aren’t adversely impacted. A good steward and pass on a healthy planet to future generations. It is beginning to seem a futile task.

I have become a big fan of loose fitting long sleeved shirts for paddling over the last couple years. For me, the skin tight ones often cause a rash in my armpit, so I prefer the loose fitting ones.

The generic white polyester “G” brand from target has served me very well now.

I think its actually cooler than no shirt. At least when its wet.

Anyways, I think you’ll come around to it. Give both a tight and loose fitting shirt a try.

In the heat, I wear wicking shirts . It seems to me that they tend to get odiferous faster than cotton.

Ah’s dun’t even owns a long sleevy shoyt…

For central Florida (meaning hot and humid) I like the lightest weight paddleme.com long-sleeve shirts, or lightweight Patagonia Capilene, in light colors. Both are very comfortable. You can always push long sleeves up your arm to make them “short-sleeved” but in really hot weather you are cooler when your skin is covered. In South Florida the paddlers often cover up completely with long sleeved shirt, hat and buff that covers neck and face.

Greg

Long sleeve, light color UV rashguards and full coverage hats/caps when paddle surfing or kayak fishing in the summer. With all the knowledge about damage to the skin with overexposure, covering up is the healthy choice.

sing

I guess I should add that I prefer loose fitting shirts, anything tight just feels too hot, for me, in extreme heat.