Everyone knows you need to protect yourself from the sun and keep water to hand, but it can be harder to keep on top of the heat when doing something more challenging than your average beach holiday in Spain. When pushing yourself to the limits or setting yourself challenging goals, you don’t want the heat to affect your performance so it’s not just to keep your skin from burning, but from maintaining a comfortable level of body heat and hydration. Active or Mountain Sun Cream Obviously you need to apply sun cream, but the important thing is to make sure that you are actually using it properly. Apply to all areas of skin before you leave the house, or even before you get dressed to make sure you can easily access all areas like the backs of the arms and ears. It’s advisable to leave at least 15 minutes to allow the cream to absorb before you get dressed. Unless you’re extremely cool, you’re likely to be sweating, so water resistant creams are recommended. Once outside, it’s vital that you reapply every hour to ensure you are fully protected. Our Mountain Sun Cream is SPF 50 and our Active Sun Creams start at SPF 25, both these creams come in smaller stick sizes for your backpack or can be worn around your neck. You can buy wristbands that tell you when you need to top up your sun cream, but we’ve never actually used them before… just keep any eye on your watch. Every time you quench your thirst, is a good reminder to top your sun cream. Cover Up It may feel more comfortable to wear a t-shirt or vest, but wearing long-sleeved clothing is one of the most effective ways of protecting yourself during long days out. There is even clothing that has been specially designed so that it is lightweight and has a higher than usual UPF. Wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses are essentials, but you still need to watch the back of your neck. Time Obviously the time of day makes a big difference to the intensity of the sun, between around 10am and 2pm, it’s directly overhead and will increase the risk of damage to your skin. It’s likely you can’t just pop in the shade for lunch, like other summer holiday makers, but try and time your day around the sun if you can. Umbrella I know, you wouldn’t really think of saving space in your backpack for an umbrella, but actually a small lightweight umbrella could be invaluable. Many umbrellas will come with a UPF rating so make sure to get a higher one for maximum protection. Not only useful when stationary and shade is unavailable, but can be used while walking when the sun is really intense to help keep you cooler. Taking note of these very simple tips can help you stay safe and protected in the sun allowing you to maximise your ability.
