Description
For mosquito defense and bushwhacking, we prefer the dense, woven nylon construction of the REI Co-op Sahara Long Sleeve Shirt . Treat it with permethrin insect repellent and you’re good to go! Price: $65 Weight : 6.6 oz UPF Rating: 30 Fabric: Woven nylon Pros : Durable material. Difficult for mosquitos to bite through. Cons : No stretch. Warmer and less breathable than non-button-ups Construction & Features This basic, lightweight button up hiking shirt is rated to UPF 30, and is an effective answer when you need something tougher than the thinnest and airiest possible sun shirt. For as simple and affordable as this shirt is, it actually has lots of features. Not only is it wicking and quick-drying, it has an old-school vented back yoke, a chest pocket sunglasses loop, and button tabs for securing rolled sleeves. Okay, nothing incredibly fancy, but it’s not missing anything either. The REI Co-op Sahara Pattern Long Sleeve Shirt is a good candidate to be your bug shirt or bushwhacking shirt, thanks to its durable and dense woven nylon fabric. It may not be the best sun shirt overall, but it’s certainly a useful hiking shirt. Mosquito proboscis will have trouble penetrating the weave, and branches will have trouble snagging it. The same could not be said with our top overall pick, the Echo Hoodie. Treat this one with spray on permethrin and it will provide more than adequate mosquito protection. Verdict We wouldn’t recommend the Sahara as an all purpose hiking shirt because it’s less than optimally breathable – for that choose a sun hoodie. But the durable nylon fabric has some important niche uses and it’s a great arrow to have in your quiver.
