Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Aldeer General Forum UV Cooling shirts?

I'm in the market for some UV/fishing/cooling shirts for wearing when I'm involved in any outside activity and trying to avoid overheating. What I've found is that there are shirts beginning at $0.99 to more than $50. I have a few Magellan and Columbia shirts that are vented and have mesh in the upper back area but they're far nicer shirts than I want to sacrifice to yard mowing and other labors of the land. I like a shirt with a collar vs a crew neck but that's not an absolute requirement if I get feedback that sells me on Tee shirts. What say the masses that have gone before me on this quest?

I bought several drake shirts in camo
They were on sale $29 each. I think they’re normally $49

Check and see if you can find them on sale. Back when I had to wear nice shirts I’d always buy short sleeves in late summer when they were on sale. Buy long sleeve late spring on sale. Usually 50% off. I still have several closets full of dry cleaned nice shirts, some are 20’years old lol.

Those camo shirts are multi use. I can hunt or work at the farm in them and their camos hide grease stains well. They’re the coolest ones I’ve found. Some of the cooling shirts don’t breathe well

I have several PFG shirts

They have a sale right now
https://www.drakewaterfowl.com/collections/all-casual-sale

I buy Hanes long sleeve. Lightest and best I’ve found. I’ve washed some 100’s of times.

https://www.amazon.com/Hanes-Mens-Long-Sleeve-T-Shirt/dp/B00KBZOAZU
They’re the lightest and coolest, I honestly do not know the UV protection, some are thicker which may have more UV?

I wear Free Fly bamboo hoodies fishing now; lightweight, no oder retention and don't shrink. Very comfortable.

https://freeflyapparel.com/products/mens-elevate-lightweight-hoodie-sea-pine

From what I've noticed so far is, the cheaper Walmart\Amazon brands seem to hold up and be as good as the Columbia PFG shirts. Of course it may have to do with me not wearing a $50 dollar shirt out to mow or do yard work in too. I don't feel near as bad tossing a $10 shirt that gets stained, torn or covered in cow shit.

I like the long sleeve lightweight fishing hoodies. Got a couple of Huk shorts and “World Wide Seportsman” brand from bass pro. They’re very breathable, UV protection and I like having the hood. I wear them fishing, cutting grass and basically anytime I’m spending an extended amount of time in the sun. It seems counterintuitive but this shirts with the sleeves down are noticeably cooler than a short sleeve tshirt because they keep the sun off you.

I wear the PFG. Cost more but they last a long time. I’ve ripped a few but never really wore one out. Wore them on the airfields where there was no shade. Just don’t wear cobalt blue in my backyard in the summer. Deer flies love that color.

A4 for pullover shirt
I think habit shirts are cheaper than most button up from Costco or Sam’s

I bought these off of Amazon a while back and have been happy with them. They have held up well.

UV Shirts

I like the huk shirts, have a Magellan but it’s not as cool and moisture wicking.

I’ve been going through this search, this summer. Higher upf equals low breathability. In the sticky southeast, breathability is king! 50upf is 98% blockage, 30 upf is around 95% blockage and breathes much better. They all stink, some are worse than others and tend to seemingly hold the stink after washing, too.
All were bought on sale, locally or online (Amazon and mainly hiking/mountaineering apparel stores). The winner of my test was a tie between Ketl Mountain Nofry and Outdoor Research Echo, with Ketl Mtn. winning due to lifetime repairs. Both are the lightest and most breathable ones I tried. Aftco (samurai, trade winds and airmesh), Burlebo, Southern Shirt Co, Columbia PFG, Kuiu (Gila and Merino 105], and a couple of cheap poly ones. The one I didn’t get, that I wanted to try, was the Patagonia Capeline. All were long sleeve, some quarter zip (favorite to dump heat), one with buttons like a Henley and some with hoodie (not my favorite, but some were only offered with it).
There is actually a cooling effect with the more breathable ones, especially if you aren’t standing still with no breeze at all. Bamboo feels nice, but it dries as slowly as cotton and almost as heavy when wet.
Ketl Mtn
OR Echo

I’ve tried them all. In my opinion nothing beats 100% cotton

I’ve had good luck with the World Wide Sportsman 3D cool shirts from BPS. Been surprised how well they have held up for doing outdoor work. A have a couple that are 2 plus years old covered in grease stains but still holding up.

Bamboo shirts do not stink; try one.

I know an AC guy that swears the Cool Gear shirts work at keeping you cool.

I second freefly bamboo as being cool. I also wear Columbia and Magellan

I have a few and like them. They don’t stink like poly, but I can make both my bamboo and merino stink….just not the same intensity or depth(?). Some synthetics emit some weirdly odd stank, no matter what anti-odor agent is applied!

1/2 cup white vinegar in the wash cycle will solve the shirts holding BO stink problem.

Wylie , I get a lot of mine from Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro , I have about every brand made. I got a short sleeve , Artic Cool with a pocket there last summer for $5. Don't see many long or short sleeve with a pocket. I suggest lighter coolers and get them loose fitting. That's all I wear in the summer, I have a bunch of 'em. Hanes are good for the $. As mentioned above , some folks don't like them because the stink can stay in somewhat after washing . It's nothing a 1/2 cup of vinegar won't fix.