White cotton or linen shirts don’t provide ideal protection from harmful rays, especially in strong sun or in situations where you’re outside for a long time.
A linen shirt actually offers less protection than SPF 15 sunscreen, said Christina Annunziata, MD, PhD, who leads research teams at the American Cancer Society. (Experts recommend sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.)
That said, many button-up shirts can offer solid protection. Look for those with a tighter weave, a dark color, synthetic or blended fabric, and a loose fit.
Here are the UPF-rated shirts whose comfort, performance, and style made us more likely to stay covered up.
Our testers found that the stylish cut and colors of this shirt made them more likely to wear it — and stay shaded from the sun.
This boxy, stretchy, breathable shirt comes in handy for trail, travel, or just hanging around.
The Cotopaxi Sumaco Long-Sleeve Shirt (women’s, men’s) is the best-looking UPF shirt we tested. As of late 2025, this shirt has been discontinued, but you can still find it in limited sizes while supplies last. The company plans to release a new sun shirt in 2026, according to a spokesperson.
Our testers said they’d be likely to wear this snap-front, UPF 50+ shirt not only for hiking but also while traveling or around town.
With its workwear style and boxy cut, it’s best suited for wearing untucked, either snapped up or open as an overshirt to cover your arms and shoulders. Back vents and a zipper pocket are incorporated into a central chest panel.
The Sumaco shirt wrinkles if crumpled in a suitcase, though not as dramatically as REI’s Sahara long-sleeve shirt. For stashing an extra layer in your bag, it folds into its own pocket.
It’s available in women’s sizes XS to XL and men’s sizes S to XXL, though stock is limited.
This hiking shirt’s classic look and thoughtful details make it a versatile choice.
Mountain Hardwear’s Canyon Men’s Long Sleeve Shirt is undeniably a hiking shirt, with pockets, venting, and buttons to secure rolled-up sleeves.
But thanks to its slightly boxy, untucked cut and understated colors, our testers chose to wear this lightweight, UPF 50 shirt out to lunch and on walks in the park as well.
The dobby weave of the Canyon shirt’s 100% polyester fabric creates tiny, nearly imperceptible checks, giving the shirt a soft, slightly variegated look. There’s no mistaking it for a linen shirt, but it’s more elegant than many other performance fabrics.
It also wrinkles less easily, but is a tad thicker, than other shirts we tested.
The women’s version has a more tapered cut and a single vertical vent down the back, which can look more polished off the trail. Unfortunately, the women’s shirt lacks the extra protective collar that makes the men’s version shine.
We also found that it fits quite snugly, as some buyer reviews note. I usually wear a women’s small, and I found the medium too tight for comfort. We think many people may prefer the men’s version, as our women testers did.
The men’s shirt comes in sizes S to 3X tall, and the women’s version comes in XS to XL.
This soft shirt has a simpler design than many outdoor shirts and can translate to other casual contexts, especially as a comfy overshirt.
Some people looking for a classic men’s cut may find this unstructured shirt a bit too drapey.
Columbia’s Silver Ridge Utility Long Sleeve Shirt (women’s, men’s) is one of the least expensive and most comfortable UPF button-ups we tested.
It also comes with the reassurance of a Skin Cancer Foundation seal of recommendation, which some people may appreciate for such a thin shirt, especially in light colors.
The UPF 50, 100% polyester fabric is silky and a bit stretchy. It has an unstructured style, and our testers said it felt great buttoned up or worn as an overshirt. People who prefer a crisp shirt may find the Silver Ridge too blousy, though.
The Silver Ridge shirt’s outdoor touches are more subtle than those on other hiking and fishing shirts. That said, the collar is floppy in comparison with the one on the Mountain Hardwear Canyon shirt and offers minimal neck coverage.
The top two closures on both the women’s and men’s shirts are snaps (the rest are buttons), making it easy for you to adjust the shirt for more coverage or more airflow throughout the day. Both versions have venting along the back and two chest pockets; the women’s shirt has a small internal pocket as well.
The women’s shirt comes in sizes XS to 3X, as well as in printed options. The men’s version comes in XS to XXL, with limited availability in big sizes at this writing.
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