Sun Protection for the follicly challenged

[il padrone]

I wore my Halo with Tail on a warm day, and was surprised to find it more comfortable than not. It would be neat to see how much evaporative cooling would take place if they were pre-wet with cool water. I'm guessing it could make a real difference in comfort.

Lots!!

A few years back when we had 'Black Saturday' with the horrible fires, there was one horror week before this with 4 days in a row above 43C. The first day I drove to work but the car was so hot it was an oven. The following three days I rode to work and I was more comfortable. The Halo was a key part of my strategy - I kept it wet by just squirting water on it at each traffic light stop. Great evaporative cooling. I kept my head tolerably cool in the conditions. For long distance touring in heat, if you can keep your head cooler you will sweat less, thus have a lower requirement for water.

Every summer there comes a time where I have to remember "Oh yes, water on me is better than in me".

[JimK]

My daughter did just two training rides before she came to Tasmania and did a 1000km ride with us.

Thanks for the encouragement! Our teenager runs track and lifts weights so he's in great condition. I had him out on a hilly 23 mile ride and he didn't begin to tire. I expect he'll do fine!

On the visor buff... I wonder if it isn't too clever. Maybe it would be better to have a separate visor along with an UV-buff. The neoprene visor is rather floppy. Mostly it stays in place but if I turn my head sideways going downhill it does collapse and block one eye. When I straighten my head it blows back into proper shape. But there is a bit of a hazard there. Plus when one is adjusting the buff, one is trying to optimize two dependent variables, the overall fit of the buff and also the placement of the visor. Having the buff and visor separate would just provide more flexibility. A separate visor would probably be stiffer and a bit longer, i.e. a bit more shade in front.

I'll probably stick with what I have. Anyway I can just put the visor at the bottom of my neck or wherever out of the way if I want to try a separate visor. But if you haven't taken the plunge yet, something to consider.

[Danneaux]

Jim!

Thanks so much for the further, extended-use report on the visor buff.  Reading carefully and weighing my needs, I do believe I would be better served by a visorless buff. Is essentially the same buff available from the vendor you mentioned -- sans buff?

Since I often scream downhill at well over 50+mph/80+kph and the tandem often hits the low-60s/100+kph, the visor distortion would be a major problem for me if it affected visibility.

If the visor proves to be problematic over time, might be be possible to snip off the neoprene visor, converting yours to the visorless type?

You've surely been good to share about your experience with it, and this has helped me greatly in learning what might better serve my needs.

All the best,

Dan.

[JimK]

I do believe I would be better served by a visorless buff. Is essentially the same buff available from the vendor you mentioned

Sure, e.g.

https://www.buffwear.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/53

I just wish there was something available in the SPF 50 zone!

[JimK]

Here's a photo of a fellow who seems well covered and you can more or less figure out what he's doing....

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=1&pic_id=1067030&size=large

[Danneaux]

Thanks very much for posting the link to that photo, Jim; it really is very helpful to see these things "in action" and yes, I believe I can figure out what he did to get it looking the way it does.

On further thought, I believe the buff may indeed be the answer for me, so long as it is missing the neoprene visor. As it happens, I was just trying on my helmet in front of the mirror with an additional hand mirror so I could see how low the helmet comes on my brow/sides of my head. The Halo just isn't doing it for me due to the ear-pinch factor. Seeing this photo you references makes me realize it might well be possible to double the SPF rating by adding a layer under the helmet scoops. I have a small Headsweats CoolMax beanie that would do that, and my Bretagne Santini CoolMax "pirate hat", comlete with tails that would also add a layer if needed.

Boy, it sure was easier having hair.    I'd always though being bare on top would be cooler, but it sure isn't (except in winter).

Thanks, Jim! You've really been a welcome help in my Quest, and I very much appreciate your kind efforts.

All the best,

Dan.

[Andre Jute]

In summer I wear a billed cap under my helmet. The purpose is to keep sweat out of my eyes, but it would also work to protect skin under the vents. It shouldn't be beyond human capability to sew on a drop around about a little more than half the rear circumference to turn it into a sort of Foreign Legion kepi to offer neck and ear protection as well.

In winter I wear a knitted cap, also with a visor, under the helmet to keep my head warm. This was sold in Milan as fashionwear for young women and I'm sorry now that I didn't buy half a dozen. I wear mine even with a formal trench coat, it is such a useful item of apparel. This one is shaped to cover the ears if you wish.

Something else that works in all seasons is a socalled microfiber (poly-something) skull cap sold to runners. It doesn't have a bill to protect your nose from the sun, but I've found it very good for passing through perspiration without letting it run out of my hair into my eyes, and also for keeping me warmer than one would think from its light weight and thin feel. It may be worth having a kepi run up of this material, round rather than peaked, of course.

Automobile racing polo necks have a very big neck. You'll be hot but at least you'll avoid melanoma.

Have you checked on the net for Yasser Arafat headwear? That style of Bedouin headgear is basically just a large square of cotton, held on with a ribbon tied around the head or even an elastic; a common sweatband worn on the outside might serve two functions. But you can get shaped ones. The one I had many years ago was much cooler than the pith helmets we all used to wear then.

Andre Jute

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

After trialing the Halo Skullcap ( http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3990.msg19663#msg19663 ), I have reluctantly returned it. The problem was the elastic headband rode over the top of my ears and after riding with it for awhile, it hurt so bad it made my teeth itch and took all the fun out of riding. The feeling was akin to having a pair of glasses with temples/earpieces that pinch at the ears...but on the outside of the ears.

Continuing my search -- and keying off Mylesau's and JimK's suggestions (thanks, guys!) -- I think I have found the ideal solution for my needs: A visorless Dry Cool Buff Pro in fluorescent yellow: http://www.buffusa.com/professional/collections/dry-cool-buff-reg-pro/styles/dry-cool-buff-reg-yellow-fluor  Cost was USD$16 + postage. A version is available with 3M Scotchlite stripes for nighttime visibility, but I decided against that option after a company rep confirmed the stripe did not breathe and made the buff less flexible. I decided on the neon yellow for daytime visibility, to prevent loss, and to match my sun-protecting jerseys ( http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_524336_-1___202490 ). All my cold-weather gear is black to better absorb the sun's warmth, so the yellow jersey will likely be covered by black when I am in camp and need a more stealthy appearance to avoid attracting attention. The full range of Dry Cool Buff Pros is shown here: http://www.buffusa.com/professional/collections/dry-cool-buff-reg-pro/styles/filter/construction

I plan to wear the buff primarily configured two ways -- as a sun-protecting cap with neck tail, and as a sun balaclava with full coverage over my ears and cheeks (see attached photo). The tag on with this model buff promises 95% UV protection. As a bonus, it has been treated to resist odors.

For me, this model Buff is much more comfortable than the Halo. It is simply a tube of not-so-tight knit Coolmax fabric with no elastic bands or seams of any kind. When one is as follicly challenged as myself (I'm bald as an egg up-top), things like seams are a real problem and lead to painful embossing of my noggin. This thing is just thin, smooth knit fabric; even the edges are unhemmed.

For a video showing the different possible configurations with this buff, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOxbjujEjO8&feature=endscreen&NR=1

This will greatly reduce the amount of heavy/bulky sunscreen I normally carry to avoid burning, should feel cooler compared to nothing at all, it can't hurt to have that much more neon yellow up where a driver can see it, and the buff can be treated with insect repellent. Now, I just need something to protect my nose.

Best,

Dan.

[cycling4chapatis]

Hello Thorns!

Just read my way down all this thread. Looks like Buff sans visor is indeed the way to go to keep ears and neck out of the sun. For the face an additional cap might have to come into play though...

To extend this topic beyond the head: we're heading Andes-way and thinking about sun-cover strategy. While expecting a fair bit of cloud cover, that makes matters worse in a way because the light is coming from all directions rather than just one. And the altitude makes things worse again. A year ago in Africa we got fried. Heads not so much as we were wearing brimmed hats (no helmets then, but come to our senses - were just rebelling against compulsory Australian helmet laws), which indeed have the severe downside of suddenly covering your face when going downhill and looking sideways...but hands and legs were a pain. Legs: never again going with short shorts. Days on end in equatorial sun at 2000m (Kenya, Tanzania) means that the top of the knee/ lower quad is the perfect solar panel. Going for all 3/4 length pants for that reason. My partner had real issues with sun burn on calves as once the sun is past say 3pm you get a solid side roasting (heading south/north) with no shade from the bike whatsoever. We slapped on sunscreen, but the only thing that saved us was the Malawi rainy season kicking in (which is still deceptively sun-burny, but at least concentrated illumination is reduced).

The body part we had the oddest sunburns with (no, not there...) was our hands! We were both wearing fingerless cycling mittens, which meant that the end of the fingers were out all day. Despite sunscreen slopping, sweat just washes it off after a while. We both got burnt under (!!!) our fingernails, bizarre I tell you, needless to say painful. I made some make-shift covers out of hairties & squares of material (one hair tie around the wrist, one twice around middle and ring finger), which limited further pain, but where practically a bit limited and looked like we were about to brake out into some tribal dance...

So: for sun-burn central riding, what do you do for your hands? Long summer cycling gloves? Fingerless mittens and then thinner ones on top? We'll have to prepare for both tropical as well as cold/ altitude/ bad weather conditions, but I'm trying to minimise 'stuff'. So our current thoughts are long summer cycling gloves (for padding, had cyclists palsy - weeks of numbness between little and ring finger- from initially going without cycling gloves), merino liner gloves and water/wind-proof MTB-y gloves. Your thoughts?