Thumbhole cuffs are one of those small features that look cosmetic until you've paddled for an hour without them.
The two problems they solve
- Sun coverage on the back of your hands. When you're paddling, your hands are up, exposed, and angled directly toward the sun for the entire session. Without thumbholes, your sleeve rides up your forearm and the back of your hand burns first. With thumbholes, you get continuous UPF 50+ coverage from shoulder to knuckle.
- Sleeve creep. Every paddle stroke pulls the sleeve a little further up. Without thumbholes, you're tugging the sleeves back down every 5–10 minutes. It's the kind of thing you don't notice until it's gone — then you can't paddle without it.
What makes a good thumbhole
- Reinforced opening. The hole shouldn't stretch out or tear after a few uses. NIXY uses a flat-lock reinforced cuff.
- Positioned correctly. The hole sits at the inside of the wrist, not the outside, so the sleeve covers the back of your hand naturally.
- Comfortable around the thumb. No raised seam pressing on the web of your thumb where you grip the paddle.
Bonus: thumbholes for surf and SUP paddlers
If you paddle in cool water (Pacific Northwest, Northern California, alpine lakes), thumbholes also help keep the sleeve under a wetsuit or jacket — no bunching at the wrist when you layer up.
NIXY Rash Guards
Both the NIXY Men's Rash Guard UPF 50+ and the NIXY Women's Rash Guard UPF 50+ include reinforced thumbhole cuffs. Combined with UPF 50+ fabric (blocks 98% of UV), four-way stretch, and flat-lock seams, you get a rash guard that actually disappears on the water — which is what you want.
$29 each, sizes XS–XL, 6–7 colors.
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