Published July 30, 2025 01:21PM
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Three Things Making Summer Heat Bearable
This gear helps me stay active outdoors even when it's 90-plus
(Photo: Lisa Jhung)
It’s mid-July and stupid hot where I live in Boulder, Colorado (and in virtually every other part of the country). While I’d love to spend all day every day by a beach or in the water wearing a bikini—like these I tested over the past six weeks—there’s reality. Aside from societal norms asking me not to wear a bikini to the post office and the impracticality of not having pockets, there’s the fiery ball in the sky threatening things like skin cancer and heat exhaustion. Since I can’t live life in a bathing suit, I’ve honed in on a few practical pieces of gear to help me survive the summer swelter in other ways.
Paka Sol Hoodie
$95 at Paka (Women’s) $95 at Paka (Men’s)
My answer to not living by a beach in the summer is to head to the mountains for a run or hike with girlfriends or my dog. I’m desperate for cooler air, big trees, and mountain lakes (that I often jump into mid-run). Even when the temperature is 65 degrees and rising quickly at the trailhead parking lot, I’ve been pulling on or packing the Paka Sol Hoodie. The shirt is 30 UPF-rated and covers my arms, chest, and upper back which are usually bare and just begging for sun damage. When it’s in hoodie mode, even the sides of my face are shielded.
Aside from the sun protection, the extremely soft material—a blend of Tencel, nylon, spandex, and Royal Alpaca wool—makes me wish the weather would not reach the 90s in town so I could wear this thing all the time. When the temps do change this fall, I’ll be wearing the Paka Sol Hoodie for camping, sports watching, and hanging out on cool autumn days.
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Unlike most midlayers that provide similar coziness, however, the Sol hoodie is super thin, packable, lightweight, and highly breathable, making it a favorite summer piece as well. I usually run hot, but while friends are shedding their sun hoodies mid-run, I remain comfortable in the Paka Sol Hoodie until the temps climb to 70-something degrees. I like to start my mountain runs with it on, shed it for the heat of the day, and pull it back on after I’ve jumped in a lake for the run back to the car.
SunBum Signature SPF 50 Tinted Sunscreen Face Stick
I am a woman who spends a lot of time being active outside, and I’m no longer a teenager, so I need to protect my skin to keep from looking like my teenage sons’ grandmother. I’m also someone who cares deeply for the ocean and the coral reefs I’ve seen deteriorate over my lifetime—deterioration that is traced to the sunscreens we wear. There’s also ongoing science proving toxic sunscreen ingredients affect freshwater eco-systems and all animal life. So it’s not just the reefs we need to worry about with our sunscreen choices, it’s all water.
I’ve been on the lookout for a lightly tinted mineral sunscreen face stick that doesn’t feel sticky and gross and avoids toxic ingredients avobenzene and octinoxate. This stick from SunBum feels light and smooth, not thick and heavy. I’ve sweat and swum plenty while wearing it, and it seemed to stay on just fine, with no burns to report. The tint is just enough to even out some sunspots that I swear weren’t there yesterday and I love the grab-and-go, fit-in-a-pocket size and slender shape. Plus, being a mineral (zinc oxide) sunscreen, it’s compliant with Hawaii Act 104, which banned the sale and distribution of sunscreens containing octinoxate and oxybenzone. Don’t need SPF 50? An SPF 30 clear version is also available.
Rabbit Hydration Trail Bra
Did I mention that it’s been high-90s in Boulder, and that there’s no ocean here? Since I can’t escape to the mountains every day, I sometimes have to run in the heat, even if I get up early (which I kind of don’t).
To beat the heat, I’ve recently been running with something that makes me look both like someone with a protrusion on her back and the smartest runner out there: a hydration bra. The Rabbit Hydration Trail Bra comes with a small (250mL) HydraPak soft flask and a dedicated stretchy pocket at mid-back. Brilliant. I can carry a little water comfortably and hands-free without wearing a pack or belt. When I plan ahead, I’ve been sticking the full flask in the refrigerator or freezer for a short time before shoving it in the pocket and heading out to run. This helps to keep me cool—something you don’t get when wearing a hydration vest.
I don’t have the most flexible shoulders, but can still access the flask mid-run no problem. Returning it to the pocket requires me to slow my pace and shove, but I don’t have to stop completely. I imagine some runners will be able to do this easily, though others might have to focus and stretch harder.
Lisa Jhung writes about running and other outdoor sports and the gear that goes with them as a freelance writer and adventurer living in Boulder, Colorado. She is the author of Trailhead: The Dirt on All Things Trail Running and Running That Doesn't Suck: How to Love Running (Even if You Think You Hate It). Lisa also tests trail and road running shoes and other outdoor gear for Outside with a select group of diverse women runners.