Long sleeve lycra for wsurfing in tropics

[Ugly_Bird]

Hi,

Need advice on long sleeve lycra to sail in tropical waters. I was thinking that it should have light colors so it doesn't absorb heat much and be stretchy. Some long sleeve top I have now is ok while it's dry but gets very baggy when is soaked.
Would be thankful for particular models, links to the stores, etc.

Andrei

[dllee]

Light colored and tight, any make or company.

[thombiz]

I've been wearing O'Neill long sleeve 6 oz. rash guards for several years. I buy them in white and they do offer decent protection from the sun, they don't tend to go baggy, and they're fairly durable. I could probably get two seasons out of a rash guard, but they start to look dingy after awhile. Best I've found. I usually pay about $36 ea for them.

Last year I started wearing cycling tights for UV protection for my legs. They fit nicely over my swim trunks and they hold up well for about 1 year. They're pretty affordable off Ebay. Last year I wore "Livestrong" tights, this year it's the "Discovery Channel/AMD". They sure seem to help reduce my UV exposure and they don't look too dorky!

Similar looking to these except just lycra: http://cgi.ebay.com/2011-SOBIKE-Cycling-Thermal-Tights-Pants-Cruise-Blue-/140484572732?pt=US_Men_s_Athletic_Apparel&hash=item20b588763c

[d0uglass]

Any old lycra rashguard will do, in my experience, so I'd go with whatever is cheapest. Get it snug so it will last longer before getting bagged out. The color doesn't make much difference for how hot or cold it is, but beware of white ones because they get dirty easily and they show your nipples, chest hair, and belly button in an unflattering way.

[Ugly_Bird]

[dsgrntlxmply]

Having just returned 10 days ago from a week on Bonaire, with 6+ hours on the water every day for 6 days, I have some recent experience to offer.

I was wearing an O'Neill long-sleeved sun protection rash guard shirt (probably an earlier year's version of what shows as "Skins L/S Crew" on their Web site) in a mostly light gray color (with some white panels), and black Under Armour Heatgear leggings (the only color that I could find, and even these are difficult - I found this pair in a sporting goods store on Maui, of all places). Under the leggings, I was wearing Under Armour compression shorts, and over these I was wearing board shorts.

Both worked very well against sun exposure. I ended up with a sort of windsurfer's trucker tan at the gap that would inevitably open up between my gloves and the ends of the sleeves. I could see this happening after the first day, so just applied sunblock a couple of times during the day after that.

I also wore a helmet, both because I am clumsy enough to recommend one always, and for sun protection because I'm pretty much bald. And I wore SeaSpecs sunglasses. And booties because I like foot protection. This left just the forehead, cheeks, nose, and neck requiring sunblock. Or so I thought.

After a couple of days, my lips were destroyed, and by the end of the week they were bleeding despite attempts to keep them grouted with a cocoa butter stick. Now I know why one older guy there, looked liked he'd been eating Crisco. He turned out to be the smart one. And my nose was wrecked, despite futile attempts to keep sunblock on it.

Air temperature was around 82F/28C, and this gear was never too hot. One day as an experiment, I wore a 0.5mm dive skin, and this at times did get too hot.

The downside of the stretch garments showed up in a small way a few days into the week (I thought it was a mosquito bite), and in a larger way by the last day and after my return: Seabather's Eruption (unless I have incorrectly self-diagnosed and have some other condition). I ended up with my legs and forearms peppered with scattered red bumps, horribly itchy. Also a couple of spots on the feet and ankles. Fortunately the distribution is pretty sparse, like a dozen or so on each leg, and not the horrors that one can find in some clinical photos online.

The combination of board shorts and compression shorts (and the very long tail of the rash guard, making as many as 4 layers of covering) seems to have saved everywhere between waist and upper thigh from this annoyance, with the exception of maybe one or two spots.

Reading up after the fact, it appears to be recommended NOT to shower in fresh water without first removing stretch swim garments, then preferably rinsing the body off in salt water. Tiny jellyfish/coral/anemone larvae get trapped in the weave of the stretch garment and held against the skin, then fire their nematocysts, especially when hit by fresh water.

Whether local sensibilities would have permitted my stripping down to just compression shorts before using the available (entirely open to public view) shower is an open question. I suppose I could have put the board shorts back on over them before showering.

Whether I would have been better off leaving everything on and driving back to where I had a private shower, is also an open question.

White rash guards look ridiculous on many people, me especially among them. The gray O'Neill didn't look too embarrassing, and I had an Aquapac on a neck cord under it, that helped to further confuse the visual situation in my favor.

I did have one person point to the leggings and ask "why are you dressed like that", but they seemed to accept my answer of "sun protection".

[techno900]

These are the best:

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=26011&pdeptid=950

NRS - paddle gear company. I have the red/grey Hydrosilk shirt and it never looses its streatch. I live in Dallas, TX and use it in 100 degree weather with no problems. Since it is somewhat heavy, it retains dampness longer and keeps you cool in the hottest weather.

I have had several of the thinner white tops and they bag out after less than one season. They dry too fast and get hot quicker than the NRS shirts.

[mrgybe]

dsgrntlxmply............it's possible that few people questioned your appearance because they were frightened!!

[thombiz]

Skin cancer can usually correct smugness!

[swchandler]

It's important to note that all sunscreen products are not equal, regardless of the stated sunblock ratings. In all my trips to Maui and Kauai I never wore any lycra clothing, but instead wore either a neoprene shorty or vest. For the rest of me I used the Banana Boat brand sunscreen. In my experience, this is the best sunscreen out there in every way, and it's waterproof.

I should emphasize that I would usually show up in the islands as white as a sheet, because I normally wear a full wetsuit year around, and also because I have a very fair complexion. Believe me, skin cancer is a real risk, and I've had my problems with it over many years. However, by wearing the sunscreen I would still get tan, but without any burning. Still though, wearing the wetsuits, I would end up with goofy looking tan lines at the legs and arms. No matter, I gave up trying to look tan years ago.

Lastly, don't forget to wear a hat at all times while out and about in the sun, even with sunscreen on. While sailing, I always use a Gath helmet, but if a helmet isn't your thing, get yourself a hat to wear out in the water. Maybe one like Phil McGain wears.