Buffs, sun gaiters, the fabric tube thing you wear around your neck to look super cool, or whatever else you like to call them, are arguably one of the most popular products to hit the fishing world in the last 10-15 years.
The concept is brilliantly simple – a thin, comfortable, stretchy tube of fabric that hangs around your neck (like a bandana), that can be slid up over your face and ears to protect you from the sun. They’re a life saver for those who spend a lot of time outside, and our guides rarely hit the water without one.
That said, despite their simplicity, not all buffs are created equal! We’ve seen quite a few anglers lately wearing the Simms’ Sunhood at Andros South, and if sun protection is y0ur objective, we think its a huge improvement over your standard tube shaped sun gaiter, and here’s why.
- Vent holes. Holes situated over the nose and mouth work to keep your sunglasses from fogging up – one of our least favorite things about other sun gaiters.
- Stays put. The hood is contoured to fit snug over the top of a standard ball cap, not only keeping your sun protecting from ever sliding down, but also keeping your hat from flying off while on step as well.
- Full neck coverage. When wearing a standard crew-neck flats shirt, standard tube shaped sun gaiters can leave a gap of uncovered skin at the base of the neck. The sun hood however, is flared at the bottom, allowing material to tuck under, or hang slightly over, for full coverage.
- Cooler. While still rated to UPF 50, we find Simms’ solar flex material to feel cooler and more breathable than materials used in many other sun gaiters. Vent holes also allow for warm breath to escape keeping you cooler as well.
If you’re looking for ultimate sun protection while on the water, Simms’ SunHood is the best we’ve seen. A bit more pricey than your average buff, at $39.95 we think its a solid investment in comparison to a trip to the dermatologist. For more information on the SunHoody, check it out on Simms’ website, or visit your nearest Simms dealer by clicking right here.
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