Let's Talk Sun Protection 😎
Sun protective clothing is specially designed to offer protection from harmful sun rays mainly during sporting activities. These garments are produced using a fabric which is rated according to the level of ultraviolet (UV) protection offered.
Sun protection qualities in clothing come from the type of fibre, weave and dye components of the fabric. Additionally the fabric can be pre-treated with UV inhibiting ingredients during the manufacturing process to enhance protection from harmful sun light.
What is UPF?
UPF is short for ultraviolet protection factor which represents the ratio of sunburn-causing UV without and with the protection of the fabric. This is similar to SPF which is the sun protection factor rating system for sunscreen. Standard summer fabrics have a UPF rating of around 20+, sun protective clothing typically has a UPF rating of 30+ which means that only 1 out of 30 units of UV will pass through the fabric.
UPF Rating
Modern sun protective clothing was popularised in Australia and the standard UPF rating system for the UK, USA and Australia is based around the protection categories of Good, Very Good and Excellent as shown below.
| UPF rating | Protection category | % UV radiation blocked |
|---|---|---|
| UPF 15–24 | Good | 93.3–95.9 |
| UPF 25–39 | Very good | 96.0–97.4 |
| UPF 40–50+ | Excellent | 97.5–98+ |
UPF 50+ is the Best Available
Our base layers and training tops with their UPF rating of 50+ block 98% of the sun's rays and allows only 2% (1/50th) to penetrate reducing your exposure risk significantly. Wearing a UPF50+ shirt offers the same benefit as wearing SPF50+ sunscreen but with greater certainty of protection as sunscreen can rub off or become less effective over time.
Our UPF 50+ Sun Shirts
Our base layers (long sleeved, short sleeved and sleeveless) and Flex leggings all have the excellent ultra violet sun protection rating of UPF 50+. This, along with their light and breathable fabric, makes them absolutely perfect for wearing in hot climates. Many people refer to these as SUN SHIRTS.
Sun protective clothing is recognised by dermatologists and skin cancer medical professionals as a method of protection against UV radiation. For the best protection when riding in hot weather, a combination of high UPF rated clothing, sunscreen and awareness can help limit your exposure to the sun's rays.
Shop UPF 50+ base layers here.
