We've always been told that the worst color to wear in the sun is black. But after seeing sun/UV clothes in black, it made me wonder.

 

After reading up on it, black may be the coolest color to wear, afterall.

 

Does anybody wear black sun/UV gear? If so, what are your thoughts compared to the other colors?

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/5903956/the-physics-that-explain-why-you-should-wear-black-this-summer

 

I have a few of the HUK Elements tops.

The one pictured below is what they call Blacktip 

Despite being vented & mostly breathable, in direct sunlight - They Are Hot.

Good for a cool Michigan morning or evening adventures.

But summer mid-day, not so much.

A-Jay

 

Come on down to Florida in August and wear black. 

 

When you get out of the ER after being treated for heat stroke you can tell us all about it !

19 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/5903956/the-physics-that-explain-why-you-should-wear-black-this-summer

 

I would not rely on this source to do your physics homework because it is not correct. The energy that comes from the sun essentially causes things to generate heat. In other words, the energy transfer results in heat. Whereas what is coming from your body is the heat coming from energy transfer that has occurred in your body.

 

If your body and the sun were doing the same kind of energy transfer, I don’t think our species would survive, think of all the ‘sunburns’ that would occur during the course of reproduction.

 

There is an interesting study of Bedouins that where thick black robes that keep them cool. However, the key to the coolness was not the color but the thickness. The heat absorbed by the black robes dissipated before it reached the skin. The color didn't matter. https://www.nature.com/articles/283373a0

10 hours ago, davecon said:

Come on down to Florida in August and wear black. 

 

When you get out of the ER after being treated for heat stroke you can tell us all about it !

Save yourself some mileage and gas money and just stop here in Georgia. 

not to worry. i love mine!

44 minutes ago, lo n slo said:

not to worry. i love mine!

Unless that's a Dr Pepper - Alcohol may have been a factor right there . . .

btw - Digging that hat

A-Jay

 

Let me ask you this....when you are sitting inside, wearing a white shirt, do you feel hot? Do you feel like you are "cooking yourself" as the article puts it? No. 

 

That article is really not using the physics correctly here. A black shirt is absorbing more of the sun's lightwaves than a white shirt, plain and simple. As a result, some of the light energy is then turned into thermal energy (heat) and the shirt gets hotter, just like white stripes on pavement are cooler than blacktop on a summer day. The hotter shirt will then convey that heat to your body through conduction. 

 

I'm sure anyone who likes to go barefoot in the summer and has a black trolling motor pedal can appreciate the strength of this "conduction" of heat to your skin. 

 

The only thing I think might be beneficial to wearing black is if you get it wet. It will probably dry faster and in doing so may feel cooler. But I for one do not like being covered head to toe for 12 hours in soaking wet clothes. 

Yeah, I found it odd too but then I saw a handful of articles talking about it, so it made me wonder. 

 

I'm curious why companies even make sun gear in black then. I suppose for cooler spring/fall days.

Dark color under armor cool gear type shirts work. But only if there’s at least a light breeze and only if you sweat just enough to be constantly evaporating as much as you sweat. Once the breeze dies or you stop giving off a little sweat you’ll cook. I have a few in blue and dark blue. I also have speedo rash guards that are dark blue almost black (from the days before underarmour).

 

When I wear these, it’s fine all day, but as soon as the sun goes down and the wind dies, it gets too hot. It’s a strange feeling because when the temperature goes down at night, you actually get hotter.

 

 

I have a black digital camo sun shirt. I don't really notice it being any hotter or cooler than any other color.