It seems like every major outdoor brand is selling a hooded sunshirt this summer. There’s a good reason: It’s a pain to coat yourself in sunblock every time you head outdoors for a hike, fish, paddle, or float. Throwing on a lightweight, long-sleeve shirt with a hood that covers the back of your neck is a quick and easy sun-protection solution. But is it comfortable to wear a long-sleeve shirt in the summer heat? Functional? Practical? I decided to find out.
My family of four just spent 12 days in Costa Rica, where temperatures range from hot to hotter, with jungle humidity permeating all the way to the coast. Heck, the ocean water is even hot. Before the trip, I ordered sun hoodies from a range of outdoor companies and packed them up with the rest of our stuff.
For nearly two weeks in the Central American tropics, my two teenage sons, my husband, and I tested sun hoodies as we visited friends and adventured around the country’s Pacific Coast and interior. Our experiential testing proved that, yes, wearing sun shirts in even scorching temperatures is more than doable—it’s smart.
While traveling, we each…
