Consider this: When you’re dashing out the door for a much-needed run or hike, instead of spending precious time putting sunscreen on your back, neck, arms, and hands (plus your face and legs), you could quickly pull on a garment that offers sun protection—and won’t rub or sweat off! 

Workout wear offering sun protection—officially deemed Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF)—used to be a rarity, but now it’s almost commonplace. Which makes sense: As one of our 15 BAMRbassador testers wrote, “The dangerous effects of the sun in the world are only getting worse. Smart prevention and protection are key to staying healthy!” 

A bit of a UPF primer: A regular white cotton T-shirt may only provide a UPF rating of 5, which means roughly 20% of UV radiation passes through the fabric and penetrates your skin. Sun protective clothing with a UPF rating of 50+ means that only a maximum of 2% of all UV radiation reaches your skin.

Here are the seven tops offering a range of protection, from UPF15 to 50+, that our testers put through their paces.

Cotopaxi Sombra Long-Sleeve Sun Shirt

Price: $65
Sizes: XS-XL

The fabric of this UPF 50+ shirt garnered appreciative praise from our testers. “When putting on the shirt, it felt thick and I was concerned it would keep me too hot while running in the sun. However, because of the looser fit, waffle weave, and perforations, it kept great air flow through the shirt while on the trail.” The 100% recycled polyester fabric is antimicrobial and wicks well. One tester told us: “The waffle weave to this shirt isn’t as buttery soft as other shirts I’ve worn, but it really allows it to feel cooler while out on the trail, not holding the heat of the sun against you.” 

The Sombra runs true to size, cut “very boxy in the shoulders and waistline.” It has extra-long sleeves with thumbholes. “I loved that this shirt had long enough sleeves so they didn’t feel ‘pulled’ when I used the thumbholes,” reported an ultrarunner. 

She was concerned, however, about getting sun exposure on the back of her neck. If you can relate, opt for the $75 hooded version of this top.

Janji W’s Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve

Price: $88
Sizes: XXS-XXXL

“This shirt is up for multi-tasking,” declared a tester, who discovered it worked well in a variety of sunny conditions. “It offered protection from the sun and was cool on several hot, humid runs, and it gave a bit of warmth on a long, sunny, but chilly bike ride.” Yet since heat tolerance is so personal, a Minnesota mother runner got too warm running in the UPF 50 Sunchaser. Yet she “was very comfortable biking and hiking in it.” 

Testers were somewhat split on the fit of the sleeves. One raved: “The thing I loved the most about this top was how long the sleeves were: I have long arms, and sleeves are almost always too short. Not these sleeves—and there were thumbholes that I could actually use without cutting off circulation to my thumbs!” Another tester, however, complained about the sleeves being “a bit tight. On a hot, humid run, the sleeves got wet and sticky from sweat  and were a bit annoying inside the elbows.” The same tester praised the shirt’s quick-drying properties, thanks to its 84% recycled polyester, 16% spandex, majority-recycled-fiber fabric. Another tester described it as “silky and almost weightless,” and she liked how “the lightweight fabric specifically protected my shoulders and the back of my neck, spots that I always manage to burn.”

Arc’Teryx Taema Crew Neck Shirt LS Women’s

Price: $80
Sizes: XXS-XXL

A tester in Michigan addressed the question lots of us had about opting for something other than a tank top in the summer: “I’m always hesitant to wear long sleeves when it’s hot and sunny out, but this shirt was lightweight and breathable. I also liked the subtle texture—it had horizontal ‘stripes’ that definitely helped with breathability.” The top is made from a material containing 100% recycled content, and it delivers UPF 40+ sun protection and moisture management. “It was more comfortable to the touch than many synthetics I’ve worn,” wrote one runner. Interestingly, the fabric also has a special finish that repels moisture, making it a sun/rain top! 

This top looks like a textbook definition of a long-sleeve tee, but it held a surprise for one tester: Instead of thumbholes, “this shirt just had a little piece of fabric on the inside of the sleeve that you could slip your thumb if you wanted. It was so subtle I almost didn’t notice it at first.” Another tester agreed: “I really like that this top has a thumb ‘hook’ of sorts instead of a big thumbhole.” Two out of our three testers loved the slightly longer cut: “I like the length (not a Pooh-bear crop top), and the arm length was also perfect.”

Baleaf Fresh Horizon UPF 50+ Crew Neck Short Sleeve Tee

Price: $27
Sizes: XS-XXL

This short-sleeve tee is a screaming deal or, “a great value,” as one tester told us. “The shirt is well made, no issue with stray strings from the seams, and it washed and dried well.” It offers a looser fit, and “it ran larger than normal” on our testers. 

The styling is almost casual lifestyle rather than athletic, with a pleat down the middle of the back and a split round hem. Wrote one triathlete-tester: “I love the feminine detail of the curved hi/low hem.” The 100% polyester, UPF 50 fabric is heavier than most of the running shirts one tester wears, yet “it dried very quickly.”

Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie

Price: $75
Sizes: XXS-4XL

Oh, the options: This beauty is available in a mind-bending 10 color options and 10 sizes! While this hoodie has the lowest UPF (15) of any top in this round-up, the cut makes it still a hardworking piece: “The length of the sleeves, the higher neckline, and the hood made protection easy. My entire arms were covered, the neckline protected my chest, and the hood protected the back of my neck even when I wasn’t wearing it.” 

This 100% recycled polyester fabric pleasantly surprised a New Jersey runner: “It was lightweight (I could see through it) yet it didn’t feel flimsy.” And it was ideal for hot summers: One tester wrote she “wore it when it was in the 80s with a real-feel in the 90s and humidity was about 70%—and it was perfect.” Bonus: The fabric has a special odor-controlling technology to fight funk. 

Two fun details: thumb loops that testers “loved” and a ponytail “port” at the bottom of the hoody.

 

REI Active Pursuits T-Shirt

Price: $29.95
Sizes: XS-3X

This short-sleeve tee is a heck of a bargain, especially considering it’s by the trusted brand REI. And it’s available in a wide range of colors and sizes. The 92% polyester, 8% spandex stretchy jersey fabric got high marks for being “soft, sweat-wicking, and fast-drying.”

Testers appreciated the fit of this tee: “The length sat nicely in my tummy area, and I felt that this shirt looked good on me with some  all-over roominess.” Two testers wore this “versatile top” for both working out—and work! “As a remote work employee, I’m always looking for workout gear that looks professional on virtual calls that then allows me to get out for a quick workout in between meetings. This top did the trick!” She found the “curved hemline flattering” and was grateful the neckline fully covered her sports bra straps. Another tester concurred: “The neckline was perfect without being too high.”

The North Face Women’s LightRange Sunriser Hoodie

Price: $70
Sizes: XS-XXL

This UPF 40+ hooded tee, made of 89% recycled polyester, 11% polyester, “had a lightweight airy feel even on 90+ degree beach days,” said a tester who wore it walking and cycling. “Skin cancer is quite common in my family, and this top kept me both confident and protected.” The fabric has a subtle texture, encouraging airflow through the garment. It also boasts an anti-odor technology, always welcome in workout wear! “I’d recommend the Sunriser Hoodie for temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees.”

The top’s three-piece hood has an integrated ponytail opening, while the sleeves have internal elastic thumb loops to provide protection for the back of your hands. A split hem at the front of the hip on the side seams “made it so this top didn’t feel restrictive when I did strides at the end of a run.”