5 Easy Ways to Protect Yourself From the Sun While Paddelboarding
If you're like me, you love being outside and on the water. But that means you've probably had a few bad sunburns too. But did you know that more Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined? In fact, 1 in 5 people will get skin cancer by the age of 70. With those statistics from skincancer.org you may never want to go outside again. But you don't need to lock yourself inside. Here are five easy ways to protect yourself from the sun:
1. SUNSCREEN
Now this one seems like a no brainer and the most obvious but can easily be underestimated. There are a few things to look for in a sunscreen. One of the first things to consider is do you want lotion or spray? Lotions are you usually better because you can apply them evenly. While sprays are convenient, they can be easier to miss spots. You will also want a sunscreen that is water-resistant so if you sweat or jump in the water it doesn't come off. Finally, you will want a sunscreen that has a high SPF. I don't mess around and recommend using a sunscreen that has an SPF of 50 or higher like Banana Boat's Ultra Sport Sunscreen.
A hat is another easy way to protect yourself from the sun, but not all hats are the same. There are somethings that you may want to consider. First, are you going to be going on a leisurely paddle or for a workout? If you are going on a leisurely paddle a big brim hat or a straw hat like
Quiksilver's Pierside Straw Hat is perfect and provides the most protection If you're going for more of a workout a hat that is light and wicks sweat like Under Armour Men's Shadow Running Hat might be better. If you are bald, I suggest a fitted hat and avoid mesh or trucker hats. This will help prevent having funky patterns sunburned onto your scalp. One of my favorites to wear is my Detroit Tigers MLB Franchise '47 hats. They have them for most sports teams. Even with a hat on I suggest applying sunscreen to your head, neck, ears and face and reapplying as necessary.
3. UV PROTECTION CLOTHING (UPF 50+)
"Suns out, guns out" they say, but those guns aren't going to help against the suns powerful UV rays. Instead, put on a a shirt with a UPF of 50 or more to stop the sun's rays UV rays in their tracks. Similar to sunscreen's SPF, clothing has a UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor. A good piece of UPF clothing should be light, breathable, quick drying, and have a UPF of 50 or above. My favorite shirt to wear for protection is Hanes Long Sleeve Cool Dri T-Shirt with UPF 50+.
Made
popular by the TV show Survivor, BUFFs can be used in a variety of ways to help
protect you from the sun. You can wear it around your neck like a scarf to just
protect your neck. This works great and even better if you're wearing it along
with a UV protection shirt. A BUFF is also great to protect the often forgotten
ears from the sun. You can pull the back part of the BUFF up around your ears
to cover them up. Lastly, you can wear a BUFF as a face, neck, and head shield
from the sun to protect your whole head.
5. SUNGLASSES
Your eyes, or more importantly your eyelids are not usually the first thing that come to mind when talking about skin cancer caused by the sun. But eyelid skin cancer make up 5-10% of all skin cancers. The best way to protect your eyes is a good pair of sunglasses. You will want to make sure that they block out 99% of the ultraviolet rays. Another feature you will want to look for is that the lenses are polarized. This doesn't protect from sun damage but makes a big difference when you're on the water. If you are like me, losing or breaking sunglasses just comes with the territory. That's why I like a fairly inexpensive pair of sunglasses like KastKing's Skidaway sunglasses. These sunglasses are great for both men and women.
1. SUNSCREEN
Now this one seems like a no brainer and the most obvious but can easily be underestimated. There are a few things to look for in a sunscreen. One of the first things to consider is do you want lotion or spray? Lotions are you usually better because you can apply them evenly. While sprays are convenient, they can be easier to miss spots. You will also want a sunscreen that is water-resistant so if you sweat or jump in the water it doesn't come off. Finally, you will want a sunscreen that has a high SPF. I don't mess around and recommend using a sunscreen that has an SPF of 50 or higher like Banana Boat's Ultra Sport Sunscreen.
 |
| Banana Boat's Ultra Sport Sunscreen |
2. HATS
A hat is another easy way to protect yourself from the sun, but not all hats are the same. There are somethings that you may want to consider. First, are you going to be going on a leisurely paddle or for a workout? If you are going on a leisurely paddle a big brim hat or a straw hat like
Quiksilver's Pierside Straw Hat is perfect and provides the most protection If you're going for more of a workout a hat that is light and wicks sweat like Under Armour Men's Shadow Running Hat might be better. If you are bald, I suggest a fitted hat and avoid mesh or trucker hats. This will help prevent having funky patterns sunburned onto your scalp. One of my favorites to wear is my Detroit Tigers MLB Franchise '47 hats. They have them for most sports teams. Even with a hat on I suggest applying sunscreen to your head, neck, ears and face and reapplying as necessary.
 |
| Quiksilver's Pierside Straw Hat |
 |
| Detroit Tigers MLB Franchise '47 |
 |
| Under Armour Men's Shadow Running Hat |
3. UV PROTECTION CLOTHING (UPF 50+)
"Suns out, guns out" they say, but those guns aren't going to help against the suns powerful UV rays. Instead, put on a a shirt with a UPF of 50 or more to stop the sun's rays UV rays in their tracks. Similar to sunscreen's SPF, clothing has a UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor. A good piece of UPF clothing should be light, breathable, quick drying, and have a UPF of 50 or above. My favorite shirt to wear for protection is Hanes Long Sleeve Cool Dri T-Shirt with UPF 50+.
 |
Hanes Long Sleeve Cool Dri T-Shirt with UPF 50+ |
4. BUFFS
Made
popular by the TV show Survivor, BUFFs can be used in a variety of ways to help
protect you from the sun. You can wear it around your neck like a scarf to just
protect your neck. This works great and even better if you're wearing it along
with a UV protection shirt. A BUFF is also great to protect the often forgotten
ears from the sun. You can pull the back part of the BUFF up around your ears
to cover them up. Lastly, you can wear a BUFF as a face, neck, and head shield
from the sun to protect your whole head. |
| Wujia 6pcs Unisex Multifunctional Outdoor Seamless Buffs |
5. SUNGLASSES
Your eyes, or more importantly your eyelids are not usually the first thing that come to mind when talking about skin cancer caused by the sun. But eyelid skin cancer make up 5-10% of all skin cancers. The best way to protect your eyes is a good pair of sunglasses. You will want to make sure that they block out 99% of the ultraviolet rays. Another feature you will want to look for is that the lenses are polarized. This doesn't protect from sun damage but makes a big difference when you're on the water. If you are like me, losing or breaking sunglasses just comes with the territory. That's why I like a fairly inexpensive pair of sunglasses like KastKing's Skidaway sunglasses. These sunglasses are great for both men and women.
 |
KastKing Skidaway Polarized Sport Sunglasses for Men and Women |
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