Because they dry quickly, they’re also great for swimming. They have replaced traditional rash guards for many people. I wear mine to the beach and the pool. When I go on vacation, I take three or four Sun hoodies with me and often do laundry in town when I don’t have a Sun hoodie that isn’t salty from sweat and/or the ocean waves in Maine.
On a hot, sunny day, they are often even cooler than bare skin. Yes, long-sleeve sun hoodies do bundle you up, but because the fabric is so light and breathable — and I wear my hats just a little baggy — they block sunlight and dissipate heat so well that I find them more comfortable than any other clothing or no clothing at all.
what to wear
Here are four favorites from my sun hoodie collection – I have a few more that I wouldn’t recommend or that are past seasons and out of production.
heavy rotation: The sun hoodie I wear most is the EMS SunGuard Overhead Hoodie. It is very soft and comfortable with a generous cut that wicks away sweat. I wear it to the city pool, and after a few minutes sitting back in the lounge chair, it’s dry enough to wear to the grocery store without it dripping everywhere.
heavy duty: The heaviest sun hoodie I own, and the one I’ll wear on the mountain, is The North Face Summit Series Direct Sun Hoodie. This is a slightly thicker hoodie, although it is still lightweight and very breathable. Because it has a zipper you can also get more ventilation if you need it, so weight is never an issue. When fully zipped up, the shirt also has a collar to protect your neck and jaw from wind or sun. The fabric of The North Face’s SPF-rated clothing is applied a proprietary finish, which varies by garment.
More Discreet: “Day-to-night” dresses, which transition seamlessly from the office to a casual dinner to a night out, are a cliché in women’s fashion. But sometimes you really want something that can do double duty. When I’m going to wear a sun hoodie to a bar or restaurant, I reach for the blackstrap Brackish Sun hoodie, which looks more like a regular shirt than any of the other arrows in my quiver. I have it in Shark Tooth Jori, a red and black pattern that looks like something I would wear even if I wasn’t trying to keep the sun off my back. I also really like that it’s safe to wipe the lenses – I’ve had several pairs of glasses scratched and I’m extremely careful about what I wipe them with.
All Natural: I tested an older version of the Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Performance Hoodie and I really liked it. Bamboo is extremely soft and naturally odor-resistant, although less so than wool. This hoodie is a little warm and only offers SPF 20 protection, but it dries relatively quickly, and the loose cut is excellent.
And what about your feet?
Hoodies with shorts are a bit controversial in some circles, but I’m glad our colleagues at GQ have blessed this look again and again. The best way to wear a sun hoodie is with swim trunks. You may think swim trunks are just for the pool or the beach, but I believe they have the potential to become the male equivalent of yoga pants that you can wear everywhere in the summer (again, GQ agrees). Luckily, I’ve been testing some of them too.
eye catching: These red-and-white striped patterned minnow boardies, called Gondola, have a Venetian flair. They’re on the smaller side (6 inch inseam), but stretchy and soft. They are advertised as comfortable enough to wear all day, and I can confirm that they are – in the pool, out of the pool, to happy hour. They’re a showstopper, but you’ll need a dark and neutral colored sun hoodie to pair with them.
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