Gear Picks
Sun Shirts: Your First Line of Defense Against UV Rays
Some even have a bit of style to boot
Featured
$49.00
from REI
The Mountain shirt has the understated style and technical chops that make you want to wear it day after day. Good thing it has a Polygiene antimicrobial treatment to cut down on stink. There’s a bit of spandex in the polyester-nylon blend for added mobility, and the whole package has a UPF 40 rating to keep you unburned.
$99.00
from REI
This is the fancy UPF 45 shirt you wear for the lunch date that might include a long stroll on the beach. The sleek Skyline is made from a breathable polyester that won’t wrinkle (so it’s perfect for travel), it dries fast, and it has a surprising amount of stretch.
$40.00
from REI
O’Neill goes casual with this long-sleeved slim-cut top, which is made from a light polyester with plenty of stretch, so you can wear it all day, whether you’re surfing, fishing, or just sitting in a beach chair. The notable UPF 50+ rating is one of the highest we found in a sun shirt.
$75.00
from Amazon
The Terminal Deflector offers top-notch protection for long days in the sun, with a hood and a built-in turtleneck-like gaiter. In addition to the UPF 50 rating, the fabric is loaded with metallic dots on the outside that reflect sunlight. And Columbia’s Omni-Freeze treatment, which reacts with your sweat to cool down, is also a fun trick.
$89.00
from Backcountry
As the name implies, this UPF 40 shirt is built with fishing in mind, but you don’t need to be carrying tackle to appreciate the details. It’s made from a light polyester-nylon blend that’s puckered like seersucker so less material touches your skin. A sunglasses cleaner built into the hem is a nice, user-friendly hit.
$65.00
from Amazon
ExOfficio blends Tencel, a natural fabric that has a cooling effect on your skin, with cotton to make this supersoft top that wicks well and has a UPF 40 rating. Pop comes courtesy of the Hawaiian-inspired floral print.
All Gear
$249
$174
from REI
30% off
The Micro Puff was our favorite jacket of 2018 because there’s a lot to love about this warm, superlight piece. “The PlumaFill is tacked between sheets of ten-denier nylon fabric in long strands, so it won’t shift and create cold spots,” our tester wrote.
$180
$140
from REI
22% off
In 2019, we gave the Carbon X our coveted Gear of the Year award. “The Carbon X is the everyday runner’s superhero cape,” wrote testers Cory Smith and Lisa Jhung. “Hoka’s rocking-chair-like outsole propels heel and midfoot strikers onto their toes, maximizing launch.”
$300
$269
from Amazon
10% off
“Though we’ve tested pricier, more feature-rich watches, we liked the budget-friendly simplicity of the new M2,” wrote our Buyer’s Guide tester. “It provides all the data you want (heart rate, activity tracking, interval timers) without any extraneous, confusing metrics that you don’t need.”
$120
$100
from REI
17% off
Outside tester and mountain guide Andrew Skurka summed up the Lone Peak best in his roundup of backpacking shoes: “[It’s] a favorite of thru-hikers, who appreciate its extra-wide toe box and generously cushioned 25-millimeter stack height when putting in long days on well-maintained trails.”
Sponsor Content
NDO Wind Block Tights
$198
from Tracksmith
Running in the coldest conditions just got easier with the Tracksmith NDO Wind Block Tights. With double-sided with wind-blocking lining on the front and thighs, three pockets and snug, high-waisted fit, plus reflective sashes on the front thigh and back left calf for visibility in low light, you’ll be ready to brave the elements with confidence.
$199
$150
from Amazon
25% off
This quiet, four-speed tool helps ease sore muscles. “It doesn’t come with a lot of frills—there is no carrying case and no extra attachments—but it is a solid piece of machinery that can give you a relatively deep massage,” wrote our tester. “For the majority of people, the Impact is likely as much of a gun as they’ll ever need.”
$1400
$1200
from REI
14% off
We featured this trainer in our 2021 Buyer’s Guide roundup of the best home gym gear. “Sync this trainer with popular apps like Zwift to simulate real rides or plot your own—the Neo 2T changes resistance to mimic descents and hills up to a 25 percent grade,” wrote tester Hayden Carpenter. “It folds for storage and fits most setups.”
$120
$90
from Backcountry
25% off
Back in 2017, we rounded up the best hiking shoes, according to adventure guides. The Boulder X made the cut: “The laces go all the way down to the toes so it's easy to fine-tune the fit and the Vibram outsole grips equally well to wet and dry surfaces,” wrote one guide.
$10
$9
from Amazon
10% off
Dubious about the hyped-up claims of many skin-care products, travel editor Erin Riley tried this popular mask, and now it's part of her weekly routine. “My skin feels better than it ever has: softer, clearer, and firmer,” she wrote. Read her full review here.
$55
$28
from Backcountry
49% off
You can never go wrong with a classic, and that's why we still love the Vans Classic Slip-On shoe. With simple street style and a rubber waffle sole, they're the perfect shoe to grab and go anywhere around town. To save up to 50%, get them here.
$500
$430
from REI
14% off
Outside contributor Andy Cochrane wrote an in-depth profile on the new GoPro Hero 10 this past fall, and gave it a rave review. "It incorporates a noticeably faster processor and new video stabilization, among other upgrades, which have earned it a permanent place in my camera bag," he said. Now, it could be yours for a 14% discounted price.
Gear Picks is a curated selection of products we’ve tested and heartily recommend. We stand by this gear—and the brands that sell it—and many of our editors and writers use this stuff weekly. Whenever possible, we provide a link to a past review so you can make sure it’s something that suits your lifestyle—ideally at a steeply discounted price. Happy shopping—and gear-picking.