Best UPF Sun Shirts and Sun Hoodies (2026)

A sun hoodie replaces most of the sunscreen you would otherwise reapply: arms, shoulders, neck and, with the hood up, the ears. Anglers wear them for glare off the water and hikers for exposed ridges. The deciding things are the UPF rating and what it was tested to, whether the fabric vents, and a fit loose enough that it does not stretch thin.

How we chose: we did not test these hoodies; we compared UPF ratings, the standards and certifications behind them and each maker's features, and kept only hoodies sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store and in stock on September 29, 2026.

Six sun hoodies side by side

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

The Terminal Tackle's UPF 50 and hood detail come from Columbia's product page; the other figures come from each Amazon listing.

What UPF 50+ means, and the tests behind it

UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) is the fabric's version of SPF. The Skin Cancer Foundation's sun-protective clothing page says "a UPF 50 fabric blocks 98 percent of the sun's rays and allows two percent (1/50th) to penetrate." It also says an ordinary white T-shirt rates about UPF 7, and only 3 when wet.

Three standards turn up on labels:

• AATCC TM 183 is the US lab method that measures how much UV passes through the fabric. The test lab Hohenstein notes that it measures "new, unstretched and dry materials."
• ASTM D6603 is the US labeling guide. Per ASTM's summary of D6603, the label should give "the lowest protection value expected during consumer use over a two-year period," using fabric put through repeated laundering and simulated sun under ASTM D6544.
• AS/NZS 4399 is the Australian and New Zealand standard. Hohenstein's summary gives its classes as UPF 15, 30, 50 and 50+, with extra rules for how much of the body a garment must cover.

So a "UPF 50+" tag tested to AATCC 183 alone describes new fabric. One labeled to ASTM D6603 describes fabric after simulated wear. That is the most useful thing to look for, and the listings here rarely say which.

Which makers name the test

Of the six, only Coolibar says how its figure is set. Its sun protection FAQ promises UPF 50+ "guaranteed for the life of the garment as set by ASTM/AATCC standards," and offers to re-test a garment if you think you burned through it.

The other route to a checked number is the Skin Cancer Foundation's seal, which requires a minimum UPF 50 for fabrics, per its seal criteria. Columbia and Coolibar both appear as fabric brands on its recommended products list, and the Tidal Tee II listing names the seal directly.

HUK and Baleaf give "UPF 50+" without naming a method on these listings. That does not make the number wrong; it means you are taking the maker's word, as the verdicts say.

For anglers: glare, slime and heat

On the water you get sun from above and glare from below, and you stand in it for hours. A hood you can wear up all day and fabric that dumps heat matter more than pockets.

The HUK Pursuit Vented is our pick for that. The listing gives UPF 50+ and "cooling fibers" that "work to remove heat from the surface of your skin," and HUK adds a stain release finish that it says resists "oily substances" attaching to the fabric. The cooling is HUK's claim; the vents are the part you can see.

The HUK Icon goes further on airflow with a full back panel of wicking mesh and raglan sleeves for casting. The listing does not say whether the mesh panel carries the same UPF 50+ rating as the rest, so on a long day with your back to the sun, add sunscreen there or pick the Pursuit.

The Coolibar Andros is the full-cover option: hood, a face mask with a "shapeable wire nosepiece" and laser-cut holes that Coolibar says reduce lens fogging, underarm mesh, and a finger loop for the backs of the hands. It was listed as limited stock when we checked.

For hands that the sleeves do not reach, see our sun gloves and arm sleeves guide. For HUK against Columbia on venting and ratings, see HUK vs Columbia.

For hikers: a hood that works with a hat, and fit

On the trail, the hood is for the ears and neck, and you will wear it under a hat. The Columbia PFG Terminal Tackle has what Columbia calls a streamlined hood "thin enough to fit under a ball cap or fishing hat," a high neckline and a relaxed fit, per its product page. It is UPF 50, and Columbia is on the Skin Cancer Foundation's recommended fabric list.

For women, the Columbia Tidal Tee II has a crossover hood and thumb holes that "help keep the sleeves in place," so the backs of the hands stay covered when you use poles. The baleaf Women's Sun Hoodie is a zip style with a ponytail opening, four pockets and thumbholes, per the listing.

Pair any of them with a brimmed hat; our sun hat guide explains why a brim of 3 in or more is the line.

Fit, venting and when fabric loses protection

The Skin Cancer Foundation lists what changes a fabric's protection. "Loose-fitting apparel is preferable," it says, because "tight clothing can stretch and reduce the level of protection offered." And when clothing "gets stretched or wet, it will lose some of its protective ability."

Three practical rules follow:

• Size for air, not compression. If a hoodie is snug across the shoulders when you reach forward to cast or plant a pole, go up a size.
• Look at where the vents are. Vents under the arms (the Andros) or across the back (the Icon) cool you, but check whether the maker rates the vent fabric too.
• Color matters. The same page says dark or bright colors absorb UV rather than letting it through, while a light color can still be UPF 50+ if the fabric was built and tested for it.

If you swim in it, check the label. Coolibar's own Seaside hoodie, for example, is listed as "not recommended for swimming" and not resistant to chlorine or salt water, so read the care and use notes before you jump off the boat.

Care: what washes out and what does not

Sun hoodies need less care than rain gear. Coolibar ties its UPF 50+ guarantee to "the life of the garment," so it is not a finish you have to reapply. HUK's stain release and Columbia's wicking finishes are treatments, though, and the makers do not say how many washes they last.

Wash on the maker's care label, skip fabric softener if the label says to, and retire a hoodie that has gone thin or see-through; the Skin Cancer Foundation's point about stretched fabric applies to worn fabric too. Sunscreen still goes on the face and neck; see our sunscreen guide for outdoor sports and work.

Related: cooling towels and neck gaiters for the neck and face in heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a sun hoodie hotter than a T-shirt?

Not always. A light, loose, wicking hoodie keeps direct sun off your skin, which is why HUK and Columbia pitch theirs for hot days. A T-shirt leaves your arms in the sun, and the Skin Cancer Foundation rates a white cotton tee at about UPF 7.

Does UPF go down after washing?

It can. That is why ASTM D6603 asks makers to label the lowest value expected over two years of use, after simulated laundering and sun, rather than the value of new fabric.

What is the difference between UPF and SPF?

SPF is a sunscreen rating under the FDA's rules. UPF is a fabric rating from a lab test such as AATCC TM 183 or AS/NZS 4399.

Do I still need sunscreen under a UPF 50+ hoodie?

Not under it, but on everything it leaves out: face, ears if the hood is down, hands and the neck line. Where the Icon's mesh panel is, add sunscreen or treat it as uncovered.

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WildProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. UPF figures are the makers' own.