Rash guards can be a little confusing to understand. There are a ton of options available on the market and many of them just don’t offer a satisfactory amount of protection. If you are going to spend the money on a rash guard, you should get something that is worth it.
But if you don’t know the right questions to ask or where to start, you are going to have a hard time figuring out what makes a good rash guard.
To help you figure out what you should be looking for, we decided to take five of the most commonly asked questions about rash guards and answer them, so you and other readers can finally have a clear understanding of what your rash guard should include and if you need to invest in one.
1. What Is a Rash Guard?
A rash guard is a piece of clothing worn on the torso that protects against rashes caused by UV light, abrasions, or hazards like jellyfish or fire coral. They are commonly made from lightweight, spandex material because of the comfort and protection it provides.
Quality rash guards, like those made by Seavenger, typically include flat-lock stitching to prevent internal chafing and irritation and inset sleeves to maximize your range of motion.
2. What Is a Rash Guard for?
When you are out enjoying the water — whether it’s at a beach, lake, or a pool — rashes like sunburns or chafes are pretty common. A rash guard prevents most of those things from developing.
If you are poolside, a rash guard is generally the best kind of torso protection you can have from the sun. Our rash guards come with a 50+ UPF rating. They are also casual and comfortable enough to be worn in and out of the water.
If you are lounging at a nearby lake or spending the day at the beach, they offer the same protection from the sun with the additional benefit of giving you an extra layer of protection against stings or scrapes from the many different mild hazards in the ocean.
You can even opt for a specially designed long-sleeve rash guard to get nearly complete upper body coverage.
(We even named this particular rash guard as one of the three perfect products to have for your next beach trip.)
Since they are made out of material like spandex and tend to be a little looser than a wetsuit, they are a viable option for people who are doing light snorkeling or exploration.
3. Do Rash Guards Keep You Warm?
Worn on its own, a rash guard is typically not enough to keep body warmth trapped since it is a loose fit and made from less rigid material than a men’s or women’s wetsuit. But if it is a particularly cold swim, you could layer a rash guard under a wetsuit for an extra layer of heat preservation.
If you are looking for something specifically to keep you warm in the water, you are probably better off going with a wetsuit. But if you need a single layer for a little protection from the elements, a rash guard will do the trick.
4. Do Rash Guards Have UV Protection?
This is entirely dependent on the rash guard you choose. In most cases, a rash guard should protect from the sun to some degree. But to ensure the best protection, you should look for a rash guard that has a 50+ UPF rating like those that we offer in our store.
A piece of clothing with a 50 UPF rating will block roughly 98 percent of the harmful sun rays that will be crashing into your skin. As the number of UPF decreases, so does the amount of protection you are getting.
5. Are Rash Guards for Swimming?
Quality rash guards are able to handle both dry and wet conditions and should function well in both settings. In fact, our rash guards are built specifically to also protect from things like jellyfish and fire coral, which are two common reasons for people to contract a rash in the ocean.
