What is the first thing you notice when you are watching any sports? If your answer is the colorful kit that an athlete wears, you have a good eye for sports gear. Sports equipment is the soul of an athlete.
Athletes take special care in choosing and designing a kit. This article is about your conversion to choose the best gear for yourself when you are involved in any athletic activity with particular stress on rash guards to recreate snorkeling.
Sports zealot always notices the athlete’s clothing. If you are a zealot, you must have seen bikers, surfers, wrestlers, and other athletes wear a particular type of kit. The kit looks right and smart. Even the tight-fitting does not hamper the athlete. Many of you must have got the hint about the identity of the unique fabric.
What is a Rash Guard?
Simply put, it can be described as special compression clothing designed for an athlete. In principle, this is the main objective of this special kit.
Manufacturing companies use synthetic materials such as nylon, spandex, polyester, lycra, and elastane to make these kits. Bamboo fiber is also used. The combination of all these materials allows obtaining a fabric with unique qualities. Let’s take a look at the main advantages of a rash guard over regular sportswear.
The kit is a reliable ally for protection against many things that we disregard in our everyday lives. During production, the T-shirt is impregnated with a special antibacterial compound that effectively kills fungi, staphylococcal bacillus, and lichen virus. Due to the high density of the fabrics, athletes’ skin is reliably protected against multiple types of external damages.
Thanks to the snug fit during combat sports like wrestling, you definitely won’t be able to get caught in your partner’s clothing. In many types of fighting during training, athletes wear a rash guard.
The particular type of inserts is used to regulate body temperature. Unlike conventional wool-based thermal underwear, the rash guard wicks moisture away.
Additional protection of the ligamentous-articular apparatus is provided. As mentioned above, the shirt fits perfectly to the athlete’s body, but at the same time, total freedom of movement is maintained. During jogging or cross-fit training, the rash guard keeps your muscles warm and does it significantly better than normal sportswear.
This flexibility allows athletes to maintain maximum full-body functionality throughout the session. Besides, the risks of sprains and other injuries during breaks are reduced. This fact has made the rash guard quite popular in the fraternity of bodybuilders.
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Do I Need A Rash Guard For Snorkeling?
Seawater and the blazing sun are a deadly combination for the skin. The Rash Guard came to attention because of surfers, and they wore it for protection against the chemicals in the seawater. The dense fabric protects from ultraviolet radiation, sunlight, and cold waves.
Snorkeling is not so different from surfing. If you are interested in the pastime, it’s better to enjoy it without skin diseases. The thick jerseys protect the athlete’s body from external influences, bacteria, greatly facilitating their task and helping the athletes to maintain healthy skin.
While we surf or snorkel, especially in summer or in tropical places, we are directly exposed to the sun. Besides, the seawater’s mirror effect, when the sun’s rays are reflected from the surface, doubles the radiation effects.
Read More: Should I Wear Gloves While Snorkeling?
Can’t I Just Wear a T-Shirt Instead?
If you are worried about the aesthetics, then do not worry; rash guards come in various prints and colors. If you are concerned about the tight fit or do not like it, rest easy it comes in the loose-fitting if you want to get wet in water. Go to a shower, but remember there is no excuse for you to wear anything else except wet suits in winter.
T-shirts do not serve the purpose of the protection that you need at the beach. It may, to some extent, protect you from the ultraviolet rays, but it won’t keep you safe from the chemicals of the sea. The rash guards are designed to resist any type of bacteria, and a t-shirt may aggravate the effects rather than decrease them.
A typical t-shirt instantly gets wet, becomes heavy and difficult to train in any type of activity. The special equipment is designed to make life easier for athletes. One more thing to remember is the resistance you will get in swimming or snorkeling while wearing a t-shirt. The Rashguard acts as your second skin and has no fraction and engagement issues. It will help you to make smooth movements in water without hampering your speed and agility. It will keep your muscles warm and emphasized to get better traction.
What Should I Wear Under a Rash Guard?
The rash guard is a specially designed fabric that does not require any inner fabric. The modern Rash Guards are aesthetically pleasing and have the function of wicking away the sweat. The combination of spandex, nylon, and polyester makes workouts more hygienic and movements more fluid.
Today’s Rash Guards are made from a synthetic base material dyed using sublimation techniques that ensure that the print or color will never fade with washing or rubbing. It should also be noted that being a compressive material, the guard helps strengthen and compress the muscles, thus helping to roll longer and recover faster.
It serves for a long time and does not require serious maintenance. Compared to compression shirts, the rash guard is about twice as reliable and durable. This type of clothing does not tear or stretch.
Do I Still Need to Wear Sunscreen?
A rash guard does not cover your face. It covers your torso and thighs. Your face is still exposed, and it’s the most sensitive area of your body. You have to keep your face protected, and without sunscreen going out to the blazing sun would be madness.
Many water sports zealots, due to carelessness, go to the coasts and beaches without any protection against the sun rays. Burns on the body due to sun rays remain on the skin because of the phenomenon called “skin memory.”
The adverse effects of UV rays on the skin accumulate over the years. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are responsible for damaging the DNA of skin cells. They come to us mainly through sunlight. They have also been shown to weaken the immune system and cause cataracts, among other eye diseases. Also, it causes premature aging of the skin. So, sunscreen is a requirement that is exposed to the sun.
Difference Between Rash Guards and Wetsuits
The thing to remember is that wetsuits and rash guards are similar in appearance, but it’s the purpose that distinguishes one from the other. The primary purpose of a wet suit is warmth. Wet suits are a reliable kit for athletes who have to work and train in cold conditions. Surfers or extremes boating athletes wear it in ice-cold waters.
However, a wet suit has an edge, and that it acts like a rash guard as well. The Rashguard is not cold weather or water kit. It is designed for summer sports and cannot be used as a wet suit. Rash guards act as a protection against the abrasions caused by chemicals or sand in the water, and if you are interested in using it typically, you can use it as a swimming or snorkeling kit.
Remember, even if the water is clean, rash guards fulfill their purpose by protecting you from sun rays. Be aware of scammers as they try to sell wetsuits as rash guards because of the similarity. However, the thickness of the wetsuit is more than a rash guard. Yes, you may want to buy it if you have an inclination towards cold water exploration or snorkeling.
Rash guards are covered in protective material, which can be removed using detergents, so avoid washing them in such stuff. Wetsuits require a hand wash and should not be tortured in any sort of laundry machine. Depending upon your requirements, choose the kit that is suitable for your pastime.
Types of Rash Guard
When choosing a rash guard, you need to pay attention to several indicators, as the market is full of various brands. It is pretty evident that any clothing must be comfortable. Unfortunately, different manufacturers may have their size scales. However, this problem is solved with a simple adaptation, which, of course, should not be neglected.
1. Workout Rash Guard
Choose a rash guard that doesn’t hinder movement but should not sit too loosely on the body. If the suit hinders your movement, you will not be able to do a complete workout. If it’s loose, the warmth provided to the muscles will not be retained. That said, the shirts can vary concerning the length of the sleeves.
2. Sports Rash Guards
The second factor is to look at the density of the material. Manufacturers produce jerseys that can be tailored to get a kit of a specific sport. For example, a surfer does not need a high-density rash guard because they require protection against the sun rays and abrasions.
3. Combat Rash Guards
If the athlete is in combat sports like martial arts, then the material’s density comes to the play. In combat sports, attention is paid to the seams and stitches so that the shirt does not rub against the body and wear does not tear off easily because of the extraordinary movements of the limbs.
4. Customized Rash Guard
The colors or aesthetics are your personal choice. Some athletes prefer aggressive colors and prints and others prefer cool colors. The sleeves can be full or half, but if you are going for the half cuts, use sunscreen on your arms.
5. Ultra-Safe Rash Guard
Extra protection is also available in some kits. Usually, the additional protection is for the neck. Depending on your choice, you can get full necked or no neckless shirts.
6. Female Rash Guards
Females can also choose a rash guard for themselves if they wish. Unfortunately, all manufacturers produce female body types, but the fair sex has a choice. When creating rash guards for women, all the physiological features of the female structure are considered.
7. Children Rash Guards
Children can also get rash guards. Some manufacturers have mastered the production of even children’s T-shirts. These unique shirts can provide you the ease of mind if your children are outdoor lovers, especially in summers.
Conclusion:
If you were not aware of the importance of rash guards and involved in any sort of water sports, this article is for you. Rash guards are not to make you look good or athletic; they are for your protection against external threats you may not be aware of.
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