Ah, UPF rating. Who would have thought that we'd need yet another acronym to keep track of when it comes to protecting ourselves from the sun? I mean, SPF wasn't enough? But here we are, with UPF ratings for our hats, shirts, and even our pants.
I can just picture the scientists who came up with this idea, sitting around a conference table, scratching their heads and thinking, "Hmm, how can we make protecting ourselves from the sun even more complicated? I know! Let's create a whole new rating system!"
While you might remember to slather on sunscreen, you may be overlooking another crucial item for sun protection: a hat. But not all hats are created equal. In fact, you might have noticed some hats labeled with a UPF rating. So, what is UPF rating, and why does it matter for protecting yourself from the sun's harmful UV rays? In this article, we'll dive into the world of UPF ratings for hats and explain why it's essential to consider when choosing the right headgear for your outdoor adventures. We'll also share the independent third party lab testing on Sprints hats that showed our OG polyester fabric delivers the highest rating of 50+ UPF protection.
UPF stands for "Ultraviolet Protection Factor," which is a measure of how much UV radiation from the sun can penetrate fabric and reach the skin.
What Is UPF Rating
UPF stands for "Ultraviolet Protection Factor," and it is a measure of how much UV radiation from the sun can penetrate fabric and reach the skin. The UPF rating system was thought up by some smart scientists to scorecard the level of sun protection provided by fabrics, including hats.
A UPF rating of 15 or higher is considered good protection (never settle for good), while a UPF rating of 50+ is considered excellent protection. Hats with a higher UPF rating provide better protection against the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays.
Why Should You Give A $h!t
When it comes to sun protection, many people make the mistake of thinking any hat will do the trick. However, the truth is that not all hats provide the same level of protection against the sun's harmful rays.
While a regular 'ol boring baseball cap might keep the sun out of your eyes, it doesn't necessarily protect your face, neck, and ears from UV radiation. The same is true for many fashion hats, such as straw hats, which may look cute but offer little to no sun protection.
Hats with a high UPF rating, on the other hand, are designed to provide superior sun protection. They are made from specially engineered fabrics that block a high percentage of UV radiation from penetrating the material and reaching your skin.
By wearing a hat with a high UPF rating, you can reduce your risk of sun damage, including sunburns, premature aging, and even skin cancer. It's an easy way to stay safe in the sun without sacrificing style. Sprints lawyers make no claims about our awesome hats ability to prevent anything but the science is the science and we're just reporting facts.
So What Affects UPF Rating?
The UPF rating of a hat is determined by several factors, including the type of fabric, the color of the fabric, and the weave of the fabric.
Fabric Type: The type of fabric used in a hat can significantly impact its UPF rating. Some fabrics are naturally more protective against the sun's harmful rays than others. For example, tightly woven fabrics such as nylon and polyester (those are Sprints fabrics of choice) are more effective at blocking UV radiation than loosely woven fabrics like cotton.
Color: The color of the fabric can also impact its UPF rating. Darker colors tend to absorb more UV radiation than lighter colors, making them more effective at blocking the sun's rays. Sprints prints patterns on many of our hats so this printing can change the UPF rating of the fabric.
Weave: The weave of the fabric used in a hat can also impact its UPF rating. Hats with a tighter weave, such as those made from microfiber, are more effective at blocking UV radiation than hats with a looser weave.
Sprints UPF Results
So here it is, full transparency on Sprints UPF testing. We tested our base level of polyester with no pattern printed on it. We've got lots of fancy words like erythemal weighted ultraviolet radiation and solar spectrum transmission. The word you should pay attention to is EXCELLENT, and the color green which is synonymous with fabulous things. Sprints protects and we have the receipts.
Now That You Know
Now that you know the importance of UPF ratings for hats, you might be wondering how to choose a hat with a high UPF rating. Here are some tips to help you make the best choice for your sun protection needs.
Look for Hats with a UPF Rating: The easiest way to ensure you're choosing a hat with a high UPF rating is to look for hats labeled with a UPF rating of 15 or higher. Many hats designed specifically for sun protection will have a UPF rating listed on the tag or product description.
Choose Dark-Colored Hats: Darker-colored hats tend to absorb more UV radiation than lighter-colored hats, making them more effective at blocking the sun's harmful rays. Look for hats in dark colors such as black, navy, or dark green. This puts you solidly in our tacos, midnight mile, night jags family just to name a few hats.
Select Hats with a Tight Weave: Hats with a tight weave, such as those made from microfiber or polyester. All of Sprints fabrics use this method.
Buy Sprints hats because they offer the greatest combination of fit, style, performance and UPF protection on this side of the Mississippi (which side is your guess). While we're putting our trust in some lab in middle America we believe that was better than letting our office manager buy a litesizer off Amazon and winging it based off a Youtube video set of instructions from some guy named Steve.