Are there spf rated jersies?



enduro2

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Nov 13, 2016
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Australia has some of the highest UV indexes in the work and if we want to cycle for a few hours a week in the sun, we would be wanting to be pretty well protected.

Searching about the web, I don't see any manufacturers that rate their gear with SPF Ratings. There are a couple of pieces of clothing on obscure websites that might be suitable for a Sunday family ride, but not fitting for the average roadie.

What do you do to protect yourself (back and arms mostly) or what brands should I be looking for to protect myself from the sun.

Currently I am using a sunblock for my neck and face, long fingered gloves and a long sleeved jersey. My jersey has an unrated SPF, light easily passes through it and it's something that has to be improved upon. Long sleeved jersies seem to be mostly designed for European winter or shoulder season riding.
 
I'm very fair and sunburn easily, but I have never even been close to getting burnt underneath any jersey. Don't you cook in long sleeves during summer?
 
I'm very fair and sunburn easily, but I have never even been close to getting burnt underneath any jersey. Don't you cook in long sleeves during summer?

One can easily exceed their UVB and UVA limits without becoming sunburned.

Mostly, I don't want to have grease myself up shoulders to wrist and knee to ankle before a ride. I have two Fluid brand (cheapies but good) mid-tone LS Jersies and they breath and wick very well but the light comes through pretty well when held up, thus I would think they may be only be about SPF15-25. I too haven't noticed a burn even after a 2 hour ride. But that doesn't mean I haven't exceeded my daily sun exposure for the covered areas.

Tonally light colours (eg white) are typically cooler to wear than darker colours but in contrast they do tend to let more harmful UVA and UVB light through. Some garments can be dyed so as to specifically absorb more UV light which along with the garments weave density is helpful in reducing accumulated skin damage.

Hiking clothing regularly has UPF ratings (SPF is normally reserved for sunscreens) so when looking for cycling clothing I was a bit set back that there are so few brands that have their clothing tested in this way.
 
Having lived and cycled in Australia, and now Thailand, I must admit to never considering this. I always just cream exposed areas and cover the rest up. As the sun in NE Thailand is VERY strong during the spring months, with almost NIL cloud cover the whole time I think I will have to look in to this myself here. Thai people are very conscious of exposure to sun, so there may be something here. Going to several of the better bike shops over the next few weeks so if I find anything spf rated I will post brands on here for you.
 
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I get nil colouring underneath a jersey no matter how long I ride for, but I get colouring on skin that has had SPF50 on it.

Regarding SPF ratings SPF50 isn't 233% better than SPF15, it's just 5% better.
 
"I get nil colouring underneath a jersey no matter how long I ride for, but I get colouring on skin that has had SPF50 on it."

Wow! That's pretty reasonable and relates to information i have been reading: unrated clothing may be better at UPF than unrated clothing.

Still, when paying a small fortune for cycling clothing I'd like know how protective it is.
 
I use to ride the Mojave desert area of S Calif and all I wore was normal Jerseys and never once even got remotely red through the jersey riding for hours at a time, so I don't get this SPF for clothing either, I think it's a complete waste of money. Heck I've gotten red after apply sunscreen to my bare arms, but never under a jersey.

So I see no point or benefit in SPF rated clothing.
 

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