Buying advice for Lycras
What is Lycra and when is it recommended to wear it?
A Lycra is basically a thin t-shirt made from quick-drying, synthetic materials. Lycras are the ideal companion for all water sports, whether snorkeling, surfing or canoeing. The aim is to protect your skin from strong sunlight over a longer period of time, as well as from skin irritation that can arise from contact with sand, salt or wax on your surfboard while paddling.
They are the ideal companions for anyone who spends their day in or near the water!
What is the difference between surf shirts and lycras?
Lycras: Lycras are mainly used to protect against sunlight. They are quick-drying and can also be worn as rash guards under a wetsuit. Lycras are usually cut very tightly and should form as few wrinkles as possible on the body. They hardly slip even during heavy wipeouts and are still comfortable because of the stretchy material. Rash guards are suitable for all water sports that involve a lot of movement (such as surfing, kite/wind surfing, etc.) and for under the wetsuit.
Surf shirts: T-shirts with UV protection and rash guards are similar in terms of material composition and technical features, although the former have a slightly wider cut and fit like a classic T-shirt. T-shirts with UV protection are also made from a blended fabric and therefore offer a high level of comfort and plenty of freedom of movement. The material properties are similar to Lycra; Sun protection and quick drying. The cool thing about surf shirts is that you can wear them anytime and anywhere without it being noticeable that you are wearing a sun protection top. Since their cut is rather airy, as mentioned above, they are recommended for quieter sports (such as stand-up paddling, snorkeling, etc.) or for leisure activities (e.g. hiking, climbing, riding a scooter, etc.).
You can find more information about surf shirts and Lycras here .
What is the perfect fit? And what do you combine a Lycra with?
As mentioned above, there are basically two ways to wear Lycra. Either as a sun protection top in combination with board shorts/bikini/UV pants or under the wetsuit. If you wear a rash guard under your wetsuit, it should be skin-tight so that - as the name suggests - it can protect you from rashes. If you wear it as a single top, it doesn't necessarily have to be skin-tight. Depending on the sport, it may even make sense to go up a size so that you don't sweat.
What are Lycras made from?
UV shirts are made from a blend of nylon or polyester and elastane (Lycra, Spandex), which gives the Lycra a body-hugging to skin-tight fit with a high amount of stretch, which in turn ensures maximum freedom of movement. This type of fabric is also characterized by being quick-drying, durable and breathable (it absorbs moisture), making your Lycra ideal for wearing in water, on land and in high temperatures. Many Lycras are also made from chlorine-resistant materials so that they can also be worn in the pool.
What other sun protection items are available in our surf shop?
Since Lycras usually have a cooling effect on the body after a longer period of time in the water, there are also lined Lycras. This Thermo Lycras They also keep you pleasantly warm and if you wear them under a wetsuit, you gain an additional one or two millimeters to insulate you.
UV pants are also popular and can be worn for water sports, for example for yoga.
They are very popular with women UV Bodysuits . The main advantage is that the bodies do not slip and the women can concentrate completely on surfing during the takeoff and not on where the bikini bottom is.
There is now one too Full body sun protection suit . In addition to protecting you from sunlight, this also protects you from jellyfish and cnidarians.
What should you pay particular attention to when buying?
Frequent putting on and taking off, UV radiation and friction from wax, sand and salt water cause heavy wear and tear and take a toll on rash guards. That's why it's particularly important to pay attention to the material composition and quality when buying. In our Surf Shop we only stock items that we have tested ourselves and that have convinced us. You can find UV shirts from the following brands in our shop: Dakine, Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong, O'Neill, Rip Curl, IQ-UV, ION, Ocean & Earth.
