The NIXY Men's and Women's Rash Guards (UPF 50+, $29) are built specifically for paddleboarding: thumbhole cuffs that keep sleeves anchored under your paddle grip, quick-dry fabric that does not weigh you down stroke-to-stroke, and anti-chafe seams where a paddle shaft rubs your underarm.
Paddleboarding is harder on a rash guard than most water sports. You are exposed to direct sun for the full session plus the UV reflecting up off the water, which roughly doubles your effective dose. Your paddle pulls fabric tight across your shoulders and chest every stroke. Saltwater and freshwater both dry the skin under your arms where the paddle shaft brushes. A surf-only rash guard handles the sun part. It misses the rest.
The NIXY rash guards are designed for the way paddlers actually move. UPF 50+ blocks more than 98% of UV at the shoulders, arms, and torso, where most paddlers burn first. The thumbhole cuff stops the sleeve from riding up your forearm mid-stroke (a real annoyance on a long paddle). The athletic fit moves with you instead of bunching at the small of your back when you reach forward. Reinforced seams sit clear of the paddle-shaft contact zone, which is the spot that goes raw on cheap rash guards by hour two.
Pick yours:
NIXY Men's Rash Guard UPF 50+, $29 (6 colors: Black, White, Teal, Mint, Brown, Light Blue)
NIXY Women's Rash Guard UPF 50+, $29 (7 colors: White, Black, Mint, Blue, Violet, Brown, Mustard)
Both pieces share the same paddle-tested features: UPF 50+ rating, thumbhole cuff, quick-dry fabric, athletic fit. The women's version is cut for a flattering athletic silhouette that holds its shape across multiple paddles. The men's version is cut slightly longer through the torso so it stays tucked over board shorts on the reach.
Frequently asked questions
Why not just wear a regular t-shirt? Cotton soaks, gets heavy, and stays heavy. A wet cotton tee on a 90-minute paddle is like wearing a small wet towel across your shoulders. It also blocks roughly UPF 5-7, not 50. By hour two you are sunburned through the shirt and chafing where the wet collar rubs your neck. Rash guards solve both problems.
Will a rash guard chafe under a paddle stroke? Not if it is cut for paddling. The NIXY models put the side seam below the natural underarm rub zone and use flat-lock stitching where most paddle-shaft contact happens. The thumbhole cuff is the bigger comfort win. It keeps the sleeve in one position all day instead of letting it crawl back toward your elbow every five minutes.
Do I need long sleeves for paddleboarding? For sessions over 30 minutes, yes. The back of your hands and forearms catch the most reflected UV on flat water because the paddle is up at chest height for the full stroke. Long sleeves with a thumbhole give you continuous wrist coverage without needing reapplication of sunscreen every hour. Short-sleeve rash guards work for casual lake floats but not for a real paddle.
What color is best? Color does not change UPF rating on a single-layer rash guard. Lighter colors (White, Mint, Light Blue) read a little cooler in direct sun. Darker colors (Black, Brown, Teal) hide sunscreen residue and look fresher into year two. Pick the color you actually want to put on. Sunscreen compliance matters more than shade.
Will the same rash guard work for surfing, kayaking, and swimming? Yes. The features that make these good for paddleboarding (UPF 50+, thumbhole cuff, anti-chafe seams) carry over directly to surfing, kayaking, paddleboard yoga, and lap swimming. The athletic fit also doubles as a base layer under a wetsuit without bunching.
For more on what to wear paddleboarding from the waist down, see our note on the changing ponchos collection for after-paddle coverage.
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