UPF fabric is great. Stiff, ugly, uncomfortable sun shirts are not. Here are the four I actually wear.
Outdoor Research Astroman Sun Hoody
My every-day summer hiking shirt. UPF 50, soft stretch fabric, hood fits under a cap. No weird seam issues. Dries fast. I have three.
Minor gripe: the thumbholes get stretched out over time. Two years in mine are loose.
Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Graphic Hoody
Running-weight. Lighter than the OR shirt, less warm, better for high-effort days. UPF 50+. Fit is slimmer, which I like for running and not for lounging.
Pricey, but holds up. I have one that's 4 years old and still going.
Free Fly Bamboo Lightweight Hoody
Bamboo blend. Feels different on skin: softer, more natural. UPF 50+. Slightly heavier than Capilene, cooler to wear than you'd expect.
The one I wear to brunch after a run because it doesn't look like a workout shirt.
Kuhl Engineered Sun Hoody
My cotton-feeling pick. Polyester with a cotton-like weave. Not the fastest drying, but it's the one I grab on rest days when I want something comfy.
What I don't wear
Columbia PFG anything. Too stiff, too boxy, synthetic-smelling. Fine for fishing, not for hiking or running.
Any shirt with visible brand logos the size of my chest.
Fit notes
Thumbholes: useful. You want them, even if you don't use them every day.
Hood: it should fit under a ball cap or over a ball cap. Not between.
Length: should cover the sides of your hip pockets. Shorter and it rides up when you move.
Come in and try all four on. I'll tell you which fits your body best.
