By the time you notice the burn, it's already too late.
Sunscreen was fine at 8 AM at the trailhead. It's now 1 PM, you've sweat through your shirt twice, and the back of your neck is starting to feel tight. You could reapply — if you brought the bottle, if you can find a rock to sit on, if you don't mind rubbing white paste into a day's worth of grit. Or you could accept that the tops of your ears are going to peel by Sunday.
This hoodie covers what sunscreen misses — head, neck, ears, arms, and the back of the hands — with a fabric that blocks about 98% of UVA and UVB across the whole day, whether you reapply anything or not.
Here's how it works.
UPF 50+ is the rating for fabrics that let through less than 1/50th of incident UV — roughly 98% blocked. Unlike sunscreen, it doesn't wear off, doesn't wash out in a river crossing, and doesn't run into your eyes when you sweat. Put it on at the trailhead, forget about it until you're back at the car.
The integrated hood pulls up over the head and covers the ears and the back of the neck — the two spots that reliably burn first on a full day out. The extended thumb loops keep the sleeves anchored over the back of the hands, closing the gap where a long-sleeve shirt normally stops and the sun starts.
140 gsm 100% polyester with four-way stretch — light enough to breathe in 85°F (30°C) heat, structured enough that raglan sleeves don't bind when you're casting overhead, gripping a trekking pole, or paddling into wind.
The gear it replaces:
- SPF 50 sunscreen for full-day coverage — reapply every two hours or sweat it off in one
- Long-sleeve hiking shirt without a UV rating — covers the arms but leaves the neck and ears exposed
- T-shirt plus arm sleeves — mismatched coverage, sleeves that slide down every mile
What's in it:
- UPF 50+ rating — blocks approximately 98% of UVA and UVB across every area it covers
- Integrated hood — covers head, neck, and ears (the spots that burn first on a full day out)
- Extended thumb loops — anchor sleeves over the back of the hands during casting or paddling
- 140 gsm 100% polyester — light and breathable for warm-weather trail and water use
- Four-way stretch with raglan sleeves — unrestricted arm movement for hiking, fishing, and paddling
- Moisture-wicking quick-dry fabric — vents heat during activity and dries fast after a splash
- Slim fit — works as a standalone summer top or as a base layer under a shell
Specifications:
- Product type: Men's sun hoodie / UV protective top
- UV rating: UPF 50+
- UVA/UVB blocking: approximately 98%
- Material: 100% polyester, 140 gsm
- Construction: Four-way stretch, raglan sleeves
- Features: Integrated hood, extended thumb loops
- Fit: Slim
- Sizes: S to 3XL
- Colors: 6 colorways
- Intended use: Hiking, fishing, paddling, warm-weather travel
No reapplying. No burn line. No gap at the wrists.