- Rash guard
A rash guard also known as a [http://www.rashvests.co.uk rash vest] is a type of athletic
shirt made ofspandex andnylon orpolyester . Rash guards are used for light coverage in warm to extreme summer temperatures for severalwatersports includingsurfing ,scuba diving ,snorkelling ,wakeboarding ,body surfing ,body boarding ,windsurfing andkayaking .Rash guards are most often worn in
surfing when the weather is too warm for awetsuit , and to prevent wax-based chafing from sliding on and off of the surf board. The board's wax holds sand from the beach that would rub against the surfer's torsos as they paddled out to the break. Rash guards also offer some protection from the sun and slight protection against jelly fish stings and are sometimes worn under wetsuits to preventchafing . Some rash guards offer Ultraviolet Protection Factor to protect against the rays of thesun . A rash guard helps to prevent irritation caused by rapid impact with surface water and waves as well.Rash guards are thought to have originated in
Australia ,Fact|date=August 2007 where they are commonly referred to as "rashies" or "rashys". They are now produced by multinational corporations like Quiksilver, O'Neill, Rusty,Variations of the rash guard have made their way into many other sports including
baseball ,American football ,water polo ,Brazillian Jiu Jitsu ,Mixed Martial Arts andfootball .Swim Shirts
Swim shirts are relatively new to the consumer market, but are growing in popularity. They are very similar to the fore mentioned rash guard and Under Armour, but are generally more loose fitting and casually worn. Their primary purpose is to offer an alternative to sunscreen to protect the wearer's skin from the sun's UV radiation and eventualskin cancer . Many swim shirts carry aUPF rating of 50+, which blocks out over 98% of the sun’s harmful rays. Swim shirts were created as an alternative to sunscreen and other forms of sun protection. Many people find that sunscreen isn’t always enough; it is often not used correctly and some have skin allergies or sensitivities to chemicals that sunscreens can contain.There are two ways companies go about making UV protective swim shirts, either chemically treating the material or with a special weave/mesh that blocks the sun without added chemicals. [http://www.uvskinz.com UV Skinz] and [http://www.coolibar.com Coolibar] are examples of swim shirts that are not made with any sun-blocking chemicals or lotions; the weave of their unique micro-fiber blend provides the protection. The Beach Depot [http://www.thebeachdepot.com UV Rashguard Shirts ] provide 150+ SPF sun protection.
Although the name implies water sports, people use swim shirts for an array of activities:
swimming ,boating ,golfing ,tennis ,gardening , playing in the sprinklers,water parks , beach trips, pool play, rivers and lakes,water skiing ,surfing ,snow skiing ,sledding , etc.
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