Sun sleeves vs window tint: which does what for drivers

If you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, you have probably wondered whether window tint is enough, or whether you need to cover your arms as well. The honest answer is that they do different jobs. Tint protects you while you are inside the car with the windows up. Sleeves protect your arms wherever you go. You can happily use both.

Why drivers think about this at all

Car windscreens are made of laminated glass. Cancer Council says they block UVB and about 98% of UVA. But the side windows are usually tempered glass, which lets through much more UVA. Estimates run as high as 79%, depending on the glass.

UVA is the part of sunlight that goes deeper into the skin. You cannot feel it and it rarely burns, but it still damages skin over time. The arm by the driver's window gets the most: your right arm in Australia, or your left in the US and Canada. Our page on sun through a car window explains the detail.

What window tint does well

• Big drop in UV. Cancer Council says clear or tinted films can cut total UV through tempered glass by over 99%.
• Covers everyone in the car. Passengers, children and grandchildren all benefit.
• Nothing to remember. Once it is fitted, it is there every trip.
• Some films also reduce glare. Ask the installer what the film you are quoted does.

Where tint falls short

• Window down, no protection. Cancer Council notes that tints only work when the windows are closed. Elbow out the window means full sun on that arm.
• It stays with the car. When you get out to fill up, walk to the shops or stop at a lookout, you are back in the sun.
• Rules apply. Every Australian state and territory sets a limit on how dark tint can be. Windscreens cannot be tinted, apart from a narrow band at the top. A qualified installer can tell you what is legal where you live.
• Cost and fitting. It means a trip to an installer, and it is fitted to one car. Get a quote for your vehicle.
• Not every car you ride in has it. Hire cars, a friend's car or the bus may not.

What sun sleeves do well

• Cover your arms anywhere. In the car, at the servo, on the walk from the car park.
• Work with the window down. The fabric is on your arm, not on the glass.
• Move between cars. Keep a pair in your bag or glovebox.
• Tested fabric. UPF is a rating for fabric. UPF 50+ means it blocks 98% or more of UV. IceRays fabric was tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample) and rated UPF 50+. See what the test covered (PDF, opens in a new tab).

Where sleeves fall short

• Only cover your arms. Your face, neck and hands still need sunscreen or other cover. See hands on the wheel.
• Only protect the person wearing them. Your passengers need their own.
• You have to remember them. A pair left at home does nothing.

Side by side

So which should you choose?

It depends on how you drive.

• Drive with the windows up, and rarely stop? Tint does a lot of the work. Sleeves are a handy extra for when you get out.
• Like the window down, or drive different cars? Sleeves make more sense, because tint cannot help you there.
• Drive for work, or do long trips? Cancer Council recommends people who spend long periods in a vehicle use a mix of sun protection. Use both, plus sunscreen, a hat for stops and sunglasses.

There is no need to pick a winner. They work well together.

A word on safety

Put your sleeves on before you start the car. Do not adjust clothing or reach into the glovebox while you are driving. If you need to, pull over somewhere safe first.

Related reading

• Can you get sun through a car window?
• Hands on the wheel: sun on your hands and arms while driving
• Sun sleeves for driving
• Arm sleeves vs sunscreen

The IceRays 4-pack is AUD 120 for four pairs, or $30 a pair. That saves $31.80 on four singles, so there is one for the glovebox, one for the bag and two to share. In the US, the 4-pack is USD 100. One size fits all adults.