The IceRays field guide
A paddler's guide to sun sleeves
On a kayak your arms do all the work, and they catch most of the sun. You hold them out in front of you for hours, with sun from above and glare off the water. Sun sleeves are a simple way to cover your forearms without reapplying sunscreen to wet hands every couple of hours. This page also gives you the honest facts about what happens when fabric gets wet, because on the water it will.
Why paddlers' arms catch so much sun
Every stroke puts your forearms out in front, angled up to the sky. On a calm day on a lake or estuary there is often no shade at all once you leave the bank. ARPANSA notes that UV can be reflected off surfaces such as water, so your arms get sun from below as well as above. A hat brim does not stop that reflected light.
Sunscreen helps, but it has a hard life on a paddle. It rubs off where the shaft runs through your hands, it washes off with every splash, and it leaves your grip slippery. ARPANSA advises reapplying every two hours. That is easy at the car and much harder halfway across a bay. Sleeves go on once at the ramp and stay put.
UPF in one line, and the honest bit about water
UPF tells you how much of the sun's UV gets through a fabric, and UPF 50+ blocks 98%+ of UV.
The IceRays fabric was tested by ARPANSA in 2015 (black sample) and rated UPF 50+. Like all UPF ratings, that test was done on dry fabric. Cancer Council says fabrics offer less protection from UV when they are wet, and how much less depends on the fabric and how much water it soaks up. We do not claim the sleeves keep the same rating when soaked, because the 2015 test does not cover that. You can read the test details (PDF, opens in a new tab) for yourself.
Cancer Council's own tip is to take dry clothes to change into if you are dipping in and out of the water. For paddlers that is easy. Roll a spare pair of sleeves into your dry bag. If the first pair gets soaked through after a swim or a capsize, swap into the dry pair at the next landing.
Check the fit on land, not on the water
- Put the sleeves on at the car or the ramp, with the shirt or rash top you paddle in.
- Hold your arms out as if gripping the paddle, then turn your body through a few slow strokes on each side.
- Look at the top of each sleeve. It should sit under your shirt sleeve with no gap when you reach forward.
- Put your lifejacket on and repeat. Make sure nothing bunches or rubs where the jacket sits.
- Settle the cuff at your wrist. If you wear paddling gloves, check there is no strip of bare skin between glove and cuff.
Avoid stretching the sleeve hard to make it reach further. ARPANSA notes that stretching a knitted fabric opens up the spaces in it and lowers its protection. One size fits all adults. If the top band pinches or leaves a deep mark, contact us and we will help.
Your lifejacket and safety kit come first
Sun sleeves are light clothing for sun cover. They are not a lifejacket, a wetsuit or cold-weather gear, and they will not keep you warm if you end up in cold water. Wear your lifejacket, follow the boating rules for your state, and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
If you fish from your kayak, keep hooks and knives well away from the fabric. A snag or a hole lets sun straight through. Our fishing page has more on handling sharp gear.
Hot days on the water
The fabric is light and breathable. A little damp, with a breeze across the water, it can feel pleasantly cool, much like a damp shirt on a windy day. That is a comfort feeling, not a change in your body temperature. Keep drinking water, rest in the shade when you land, and head back in if the heat gets too much.
Some paddlers dip their sleeves for that cool feel. If you do, remember the wet-fabric point above. On a high-UV day, keep a dry pair aside for the paddle home. Our page on what the wet test really shows explains the difference between feeling cool and being protected.
UV is usually strongest in the middle of the day, so early mornings and late afternoons make for gentler paddles. Check the UV forecast on the free SunSmart app before you go. Cancer Council recommends sun protection whenever the UV is 3 or above, and says UV can still be high on cool or overcast days.
The rest of your paddling kit
Sleeves cover your forearms. The rest of you still needs looking after:
- a hat that will stay on in a breeze, ideally with a chin strap
- sunglasses with a retaining strap, so a splash does not cost you a pair
- water-resistant SPF50+ sunscreen on your face, ears, neck and the backs of your hands
- sunscreen or cover for your knees and the tops of your feet in a sit-on-top kayak
For the drive to the ramp, the window arm is the one that catches the sun. That is your right arm in Australia, and your left if you drive in the US. Our driving page covers sun through the car window.
Salt, sand and looking after your sleeves
When you get home, take the sleeves out of the dry bag and follow the care label. Do not leave them balled up wet in the boot until next weekend. Check for snags from hooks, rigging or the hull before you pack them again.
A pair is two sleeves, one for each arm. For paddlers, two pairs is the sensible minimum: one on, one dry in the bag. A four-pack is AUD 120. That is $30 a pair, and $31.80 less than buying four single pairs, so there is a set for your paddling partner too. You can also choose your sleeves a pair at a time.
Questions and answers
Do the sleeves still protect when they are wet?
The 2015 test was done on dry fabric, and Cancer Council says fabrics give less UV protection when wet. We do not claim the same rating when soaked. Carry a dry spare pair and swap if the first pair gets drenched.
Can I swim in them?
They will cope with getting wet, but they are not swimwear. If you plan to spend a lot of time in the water, a long-sleeved rash top made for swimming is a better fit for that part of the day.
Will they rub under my lifejacket?
Check on land first. Put on your shirt, sleeves and lifejacket, then paddle through a few slow strokes. The top of each sleeve should sit under your shirt sleeve with nothing bunching.
How many pairs should I take on a paddle?
Two. Wear one pair and keep a second dry in your dry bag for after a swim or a splash-heavy stretch.
Will they keep me warm if I fall in?
No. They are light sun clothing, not a wetsuit or thermal layer. Dress for the water temperature and always wear your lifejacket.
Do I still need sunscreen?
Yes, on your face, ears, neck, hands and any other skin that is out. Use a water-resistant SPF50+ and reapply when you land.