Sun Protection Beyond the Beach: Driving, Gardening and Everyday UV

Australians are good at sun protection at the beach — and surprisingly exposed everywhere else. Dermatologists often note more sun damage on the right arm and hand than the left: that's the driving arm. Here's where everyday UV adds up, and the simple gear that stops it.

In the car

UVA — the ageing, deep-penetrating kind — passes through side windows. On long commutes and road trips, hands and forearms cop years of accumulated exposure. UPF 50+ driving gloves and arm sleeves block around 98% of it, without the greasy-steering-wheel problem sunscreen creates. Fingerless styles keep grip and touchscreen use.

In the garden

Gardening is hours of stooped, hands-forward exposure — the back of the neck, ears, forearms and hands take the worst of it. A wide brim or legionnaire-style hat covers the neck and ears; long UV gloves protect hands that sunscreen can't help once you're in the soil. A lightweight long sleeve UV shirt beats re-applying sunscreen every two hours in the heat.

Walking, sport and the school run

Incidental exposure — the lunchtime walk, watching Saturday sport, hanging out washing — causes a large share of lifetime UV damage precisely because nobody sunscreens for it. UPF clothing works with zero effort: put it on, protected all day, no reapplying.

The 10am–3pm rule still applies in winter

UV in most of Australia stays at levels requiring protection well outside summer — check the UV index, not the temperature. Cool, cloudy days routinely reach UV 6+.

Explore the full UPF 50+ range — free shipping on orders over $100.