Wear a UPF-rated rash guard, quick-drying boardshorts or leggings, and a hat you can secure, and skip cotton entirely, because once cotton gets wet it stays cold, heavy, and useless. Dress for getting wet, not for staying dry, since even confident paddlers go in eventually. The goal is sun protection, freedom to move, and fabric that dries fast.
Start with the top layer, because that is where the sun hits hardest. A long-sleeve rash guard covers your shoulders, arms, and back for hours without reapplying sunscreen every time you splash. Look for a UPF 50+ rating, which blocks most UV, and a four-way-stretch fabric so your paddle stroke is never fighting your shirt. On the bottom, quick-drying boardshorts, swim leggings, or a swimsuit all work. The only rule is that it moves with you and dries fast.
Cover the details that ruin otherwise good days. A hat with a chin cord or a low, snug fit stays on in wind. Polarized sunglasses with a floating strap cut glare off the water and survive a fall. Water shoes or sport sandals protect your feet at rocky launches. And sunscreen on every spot the fabric does not cover, reapplied at the turnaround.
The NIXY Rash Guards UPF 50+ (men's and women's, $29) block 98% of UV rays in a lightweight four-way-stretch fabric, with flat-lock seams that cut chafe on long sessions and thumbhole cuffs that keep the sleeves over the backs of your hands while you paddle.
What to skip
Leave the cotton t-shirt at home. It soaks up water, hangs heavy, chills you as it evaporates, and offers little sun protection wet. Same goes for anything restrictive or anything you would be upset to lose to the lake. Paddle clothing earns its place by drying fast and moving freely.
Frequently asked questions
Should you wear shoes paddle boarding?
It depends on the launch. Bare feet grip the deck best once you are on the board, but water shoes or sport sandals protect your feet from rocks, shells, and hot pavement on the way in and out. For rocky or unknown shorelines, wear them to the water and stash them on the deck.
What do you wear paddle boarding in cold water?
Add insulation under or over your rash guard. A wetsuit or neoprene top handles genuinely cold water, and a changing parka or robe gets you warm fast when you come off the water. The rash guard still works as a base layer for sun and chafe.
Do you wear a swimsuit under a rash guard?
Usually, yes. Most paddlers wear a swimsuit or sports bra under the rash guard so they are ready to swim and the top has something to layer over. The rash guard adds the sun coverage and chafe protection a swimsuit alone does not.
New to the water? Our complete beginner's guide to paddle boarding covers what else to bring on your first outings.
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