Choosing a Rash Guard and Swim Shirts at Reef Gear
As more and more people try to get away from sunblock and the associated chemicals, rash guards, or “rashies” as they are known, have become overwhelming popular. Companies like REI and Academy Sports have taken to the trend and are offering some basic styles for those people looking for rash guards.
While shopping at REI and Academy might be locally more convenient, still the most cost effective option is to purchase online from companies like Reef Gear. Like most choices, price, is one of the most convincing. While some companies choose to offer “off-brand” sun-protective shirts and charge a premium as if they were “name-brand”, most specialized companies and online retailers offer brands and styles that people actually want to wear while purchasing enough stock to be price competitive.
Swim shirts, Rash Guards, and rashies, while made for protection from the sun, are often as much as a style statement as they are for keeping the UV rays at bay. Style has been, and is, the current driver in design and fit of sun-protective shirts. When searching for style, the same things are key as shopping for a shirt; do the colors complement your skin and complication, do they match your associated board shorts, swim trunks, or bikini, and finally, do you “look” good in it?
Rash Guards were first made for just that, to protect against rashes that occur when in salt water, specifically for those surfers and water sports enthusiasts. Not everyone is built like a pro surfer, and a majority of time rashies are made to be form fitting. “Tight” for most people is just something that clings in an unbecoming way. Tight is a necessity for those that are actively surfing or using equipment close to the body in water. Finding a sizing chart is critical when purchasing online, while not as necessary in store it is definitely helpful when choosing your rash guards to try on. Some Online Retailers, like reef gear, offer sizing charts for each of their lines; because a Dakine rash guard fits differently than an O’Neill rashie, which fits differently than a Quiksilver swim-shirt or rash guard.
Focusing on price, size, and fit are critical to making a good purchase, but what ultimately influences the decision to purchase from one place over another? Convenience and expertise. It is just not convenience mixed with price, style, and fit that make a good purchase. That convenience needs to come with the added piece of mind that an expert, or someone who knows rashies, has helped make an informed decision.
Most returns of swim-shirts or surf shirts come from people that purchased it like a tee shirt from Hanes, they made sure they liked the color and style, but they were not properly advised of the fit. An expert would as questions like, “What are you going to be using this swim-shirt for, just a day at the beach, snorkeling, surfing, etc.?”. From there they would help the customer find a rashie that met their price point, had the style they were looking for, the fit that they needed, but all of this would be done in the context of what the consumer was actually going to do with the rashie.
Finally, the last rule of thumb when choosing and purchasing a rash guard is is there anyone in my family or one of my friends that needs one of these. Online companies from Beachdepot to Reef Gear offer buy one get one deals. As stated above, the protective element is the swim shirts raison d’etre, why not share that with loved ones? Children are particularly at risk for melanoma, recent studies have shown that ninety percent of skin cancer cells are created in the first 10 years of life. If purchasing for oneself, it is important to ask are there any loved ones that could use a rash guard.
Everyone needs to keep their skin in good condition, no one wants to put extra chemicals on their body, and anyone wants to do it is a stylish and cost-effective way. Whether purchasing at a local big-box retailer, or finding your own personal Reef Gear, making the switch to a rash guard from your Banana Boat Sun Block is the way to go.
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