Dorfman Pacific

Dorfman Pacific - Rain Bucket

$24.99
830D-TAN-SM
Color: Tan
Size: SM

The Dorfman Pacific rain bucket is a soft, water repellent poplin rain hat. While standing in the stream casting for the perfect fish you should be wearing this hat covered in your favorite flies. It has 4 stitched air vents, grosgrain ribbon trim. This hat is highly durable, crushable and packable making it the ideal travel or adventure companion. 

Brim:

  • 2 1/8"

Crown:

  •  3 1/2" flat topped

Sizes

  • Small - 6 3/4 to 6 7/8
  • Medium - 7 to 7 1/8
  • Large - 7 1/4 to 7 3/8
  • Extra Large - 7 1/2 to 7 5/8
Color: Tan
Size: SM

F.A.Q.

Contact Information

Please email us at customerservice@hatsunlimited.com or give us a call at (888) 997-4287 and we'll be happy to assist you!

What is UPF?
what is upf header

What Is UPF?

Whether you're out in the sun all day or only on occasion, protection from harmful UV rays is paramount. People are increasingly turning to ultraviolet protection factor clothing, as it helps prevent sunburns and the long-term effects of prolonged sun exposure, including sunspots, premature wrinkles and skin cancer.

In this guide, we'll discuss the definition of UPF and UPF clothing and examine how it compares to the better-known SPF standard. We'll also talk about the benefits of wearing one of the most popular UPF clothing items — hats.

 

little boy wearing bucket hat micrographic

Benefits of UPF

UPF is to clothing what sun protection factor is to sunscreen — it indicates the fraction of UV light that can penetrate a fabric. For instance, a 25 UPF rating means the fabric lets in 1/25, or 4%, of the UV radiation, and a garment with a UPF rating of 50 lets in 1/50, or 2%, of the UV radiation. 

The UPF clothing industry has seen remarkable growth in recent years, expanding from mainly practical items to a wider variety of attractive, everyday clothing styles. UPF clothing is now available in thousands of designs by dozens of companies, all of which use treated fabrics, tighter weaves or both to block UV rays more effectively. Some clothing manufacturers specialize in UPF apparel, including Coolibar, UV Skinz and Mott50. Other well-known brands, like Athleta and Uniqlo, also offer UPF items now. 

This surge in popularity is partly due to frustrations with sunscreen, which include its uncomfortable greasy feeling, the need to apply it frequently and the risk it may pose to aquatic life. Over recent decades, consumers have become more aware of the dangers of extended exposure to sunlight, which has also contributed to the growing popularity of SPF clothing. 

Testing 

UPF protective clothing, like sunscreen, undergoes testing at independent laboratories, but UPF testing is currently not a requirement. Generally, companies that manufacture and sell UPF items in the United States follow complementary standards established by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists and ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials. Clothing tags will often say the items have a UPF rating, but will not mention whether they have met those standards specifically.  

If the tag includes a Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation, that shows compliance, but not all companies apply for the distinction. 

Laboratories use AATCC and ASTM protocols to gauge the percentage of UV radiation that penetrates a specific fabric. Some UV rays pass through to the skin directly via micro-spaces located between fibers, and the fibers will absorb or deflect other rays. Moisture can also affect a garment's UPF rating, with a dry fabric usually providing more protection than the same piece when it's wet.  

Recommended Ratings

Garments with UPF ratings below 15 are not sun-protective. To get the voluntary Seal of Recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation, the item must earn a 30 or higher rating from either the ASTM or AATCC. Any rating above 30 provides sufficient protection, though 50 is the best. While a UPF rating can technically be higher than 50, it won't offer significantly better protection, so garments with ratings above 50 will report it as "50+." 

UPF vs. SPF — What's the Difference?

UPF and SPF are both standards for measuring UV protection. Most everyone is familiar with SPF, which has measured sunscreen effectiveness for decades. In contrast, the UPF standard is relatively new and created specifically for rating UV protection offered by fabrics. Originally, sun-protective materials in the United States used SPF ratings, and the UPF standard didn't come into existence until later. Since applying for a UPF rating is not mandatory, many sun-protective clothing manufacturers continue to use the SPF standard.    

SPF Rating System 

Companies perform SPF testing on humans. SPF measures how long someone can stay under the sun before their skin starts to burn. For instance, if someone starts to get a sunburn after only 10 minutes, if they apply adequate sunscreen with an SPF 15 rating, the sunscreen should give them 150 minutes of sun protection. 

It's essential to note that, while sunblocks with the same SPF ratings will provide identical protection from UVB rays, no sunscreen protects you from all UVA rays. Even if a sunscreen claims to protect against UVA rays, the SPF standard currently doesn't measure protection from UVA rays. 

While researchers still believe UVB rays primarily cause sunlight-induced skin damage, particularly sunburn, many experts hypothesize UVA rays may be involved in other sun damage types, including wrinkles, aging and skin cancers.