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Family Fitness: Here Comes The Sun
Sandcastles. Water parks. Peak bagging. Now that summer vacation is looming like Hurricane Katrina, parents are plotting on how to move the family outdoors. Dad wants to look good in his road bike shorts and Mum knows that she'll run into EVERYONE at the pool. But the transition from sweaters to swimsuits doesn't come without a price. As our team of testers can attest, the twin evils of jumping into sun sports are burnt skin and sore muscles. Here are a few products that will help your quest for sunlight and all the skin and smiles that come with it!
TYR APOLLO DIAMONDBACK SUIT
Swimsuits are mandatory equipment in our family, and it seems like I'm buying new ones every year. Of course kids grow out of them, but most suits simply don't last. Then I discovered TYR's new Durafast Polyester suits, and there's no looking back. We've been testing the Apollo Female Diamondback suits for nearly five months. The girls wore them for two weeks straight in March, and otherwise about 2-3 days a week. The suits look absolutely new - plus the colors are vibrant and the fit is great. Durafast Polyester lasts three times longer than traditional Lycra. The combination of PBT and Polyester provides chlorine protection, sun resistance and quick-drying capabilities to prevent color fade and degradation. TYR makes the Apollo in five colors, and in sizes that range from children to adult. $72; TYR.com
Cloudveil COOL PRINT SHIRT
Developed for hot weather and guaranteed performance in all conditions, the men's Cool Print shirt from Cloudveil is functional without compromising fashion. The CoolTouch fabric is a high-tech 100% woven nylon fabric that looks and feels like soft cotton. It even has an interior finish treatment that enables the fabric to wick moisture from your skin. The shirt can be machine washed and tumbled dry, and always comes out looking like it's just off the rack. The zip pockets are great - they don't ruin the shirt's lines, and husbands and boyfriends won't lose the shopping list. $55-$60; cloudveil.com
Columbia BUGA BLISS WATER SKIRT
In this economy, everybody is pulling double duty. That goes for apparel that jumps from the beach to the trail without stumbling. The Buga Bliss Water Skirt from Columbia got six thumbs up from my testers (three girls). This 3-in-1 gem is a stand-alone pair of shorts with a snap-on over skirt. It can be a skirt one day, shorts the next, and on the third, a fashion-forward skort. It's short enough to not restrict movement, but long enough to wear to school. And despite the UPF 30 rating and quick-drying, abrasion resistant qualities, it looks more fashion than function. So 9-year-old tomboys who want to mix with the Hannah Montana crowd can do so without compromising their ability to climb trees and turn cartwheels. The fabric is Columbia's proprietary OmniShade that's endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation. $24.95, columbia.com
Optic Nerve GEMINI SUNGLASSES
My husband wears women's sunglasses. It's not that they are his first choice, but he loses his with alarming regularity. So when he's driving, belaying, or watching the kids at the school, mine are often the only ones he can find. He loves Optic Nerve Gemini's because they make the transition from the female face to the masculine visage effortlessly. The frame of Optic Nerve's Gemini sunglasses is a clean and simple silhouette combined with polarized lens performance. Good polarized lenses are often in the $150 to $200 category, but Optic Nerve has delivered a fashionable package that reduces glare from reflective light, as well as 100 percent UV protection (A, B and C). Polarized polycarbonate lenses really make a difference in any high glare condition-from driving to fishing to hanging out at the pool. The lenses exceed FDA impact standards and the frames are a resilient nylon that never become loose or stretch. $59; nerveusa.com
Patagonia KID'S RASHGUARD
New this spring from Patagonia is a kid's Rashguard. Made from recycled polyester (mainly used soda bottles), the light-weight top (only 4 ounces!) has built-in 30 UPF sun protection. The underarms have seamless gussets for full range-of-motion. Whether surfing, paddling or playing Marco Polo in the pool, the top protects children's shoulders, chest and back from harmful rays. The quick-drying Rashguard is made in the U.S.A. and features a low-profile mock turtleneck that shields skin from the sun without being binding. I figure the Rashguard has paid for itself in sunblock-and definitely saves a small fortune in Aloe Vera and Solarcaine. $35; patagonia.com
TYR SWIMPLE METALLIZED GOGGLE
Kid's love to swim, but chlorine is hard on their eyes. There's no better value than the new Swimple Metallized Goggle. Kids can easily adjust the headstrap with a nifty easy-to-manipulate button. The small frame is designed especially for kids, so there are no gaps or leaks. The anti-fog lens is an optical grade, polycarbonate material with UV protection, so your children's eyes are protected while they are splashing around or swimming laps. And kid's love the metalized finish that makes them look like space aliens (plus it provides advanced anti-glare properties!). $13; TYR.com
SOL KINDERSPORT SUNSCREEN
My children have the white skin that glows in the dark-the pale, pasty complexions that make one think of rainy England. They get sun at recess, running club, swim lessons and climbing expeditions. And, even the best-intentioned mother can't constantly be at their child's side, re-applying sun block. Hat's are great, but try keeping one on a six year old at the pool. The most effective sun block I've found is Sol's KinderSport. The formula won't sting eyes, so kids don't mind having it slathered on their little faces. While most sun blocks have to be reapplied frequently, KinderSport's formula involves suspended Zinc Oxide, and as the Zinc reflects light, it doesn't break down over time. My kids tested sun blocks in Palm Springs during spring break and the side with Sol's KinderSport never got pink. $12.95; 4 oz.; solsunguard.comPost a comment
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