Protection from the sun is essential to healthy skin down the road. By working in the sun every day you increase your risk of developing skin cancer. That’s why it’s important to take measures to protect yourself from the sun.
Here is the gear that I use to both keep me cool and protect me from the sun.
Sun Hat
I used to use a regular baseball cap to keep the sun off my face. But after a few sunburnt ears, I decided to invest in a good sun hat.
I don’t like the look of other sun hats because I think they look ridiculous. So I needed to find one that looks good for my style so that I would actually wear it.
A sun hat is pointless if you won’t wear it, that’s why I chose the KeepSa Sun Hat (link to Amazon).
Some of the features that I like about it are:
- The sun hat comes in 5 different colors so you are sure to find one that you like.
- It is low priced.
- It has an extended rim that buttons up on the sides for added style and for great sun protection.
- It also comes with two adjustable straps to keep the hat on your head during windy days.
- The vented top is perfect for keeping my head cool.
Neck Gaiter
I love neck gaiters! They are awesome for roofing. A neck gaiter is like a bandana on steroids because it has so many uses and different ways to wear it.
My favorite neck gaiter is the Mission Multi-Cool (link to Amazon).
There are at least 12 different ways to wear it.
You can use it to protect your neck from the sun, and unlike other neck gaiters, this one has a UPF rating of 50. If you dip it in water, it will also help to keep you cool for hours.
Another thing that I love about it, is that it acts as a dust mask during roof tear-offs. If you ever have seen the sun reflecting off the fiberglass dust during a tear-off then you will understand that this is a must.
Water Bottle
As you know, hydration is critical when working on a hot roof under the sun all day. Because hydration is so important, it’s worth it to ensure you have a good quality water bottle.
From my experience, Hydro Flask (link to Amazon) insulated water bottles are the best ones because they can sit in the sun all day and still be cool when you take a drink.
They keep hot drinks hot for 6 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours because they use a double-layer vacuum to insulate them.
My buddy once left his insulated water bottle in the hot truck all day, and when he went to take a drink at the end of the day he still had ice in it.
They come in various sizes but I usually say the bigger the better that way you have to refill it less.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are great for not only sun protection but also for dust and dirt protection.
The best type of sunglasses is those that act as both safety glasses and sunglasses while still looking good.
For those reasons, I recommend Uvex by Honeywell (link to Amazon). These sunglasses look great while still providing us protection needed for the job.
With these sunglasses, you have three different frame options and 16 different lens options to choose from ensuring there is one to fit your style.
Another more affordable option is tinted Safety Glasses created by Carhartt. There is less variety with these but they have a nice style and design.
Arm Protection
We have two options to choose from for protecting our arms from the sun. That is sunscreen or long sleeve shirts.
Both have pros and cons to them. For me, I found that long sleeve shirts don’t last very long. I usually end up getting holes in them within about two weeks of using it.
On the other hand, sunscreen acts as a glue for dirt and dust to cling to your arms. Something you don’t experience with long sleeve shirts.
A good shirt that I would recommend is one that has a UPF 50+ protection rating and is made out of a light material that will help keep you cool.
Baleaf (link to Amazon) makes a great shirt that meets both of those requirements.
As far as sunscreen goes, it’s better to get the water-resistant ones so the sunscreen doesn’t come off as easily when you sweat. Both the spray-on sunscreen and the rub-on sunscreen are good options (links to Amazon).