I almost never wear short sleeve shirts when I’m working outside. Long sleeve shirts prevent sunburn as well as contact with poison ivy and other noxious plants that can cause an allergic reaction on your skin. They also provide a modicum of protection against thorns from the wild black raspberries that like to snag my arms while I’m mowing up against the treeline. I like to come in from spending the day working outside without the foreboding knowledge that I got too much sun, that I will have a rash that is going to last for weeks, or pulling thorns out of my forearms.

The BALEAF UPF 50+ shirts are perfect for fishing, hiking, sailing, running, hanging out by the pool, and working outdoors. Did you read “UPF” and wonder whether I meant to write “SPF”? UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protective Factor and indicates how much of the sun’s radiation (both UVA and UVB) penetrates the fabric and reaches the skin. A fabric with a UPF of 50 (like these shirts) will only let 1/50 of the sun’s radiation pass through to the skin. SPF is used to rate effectiveness of sunscreens, and only takes UVB rays into account. The bottom line is that the fabric in these BALEAF shirts are very effective in preventing sunburn, premature skin aging, and even skin cancer.

After owning and extensively wearing both, I can say that these BALEAF shirts are comparable to the long-sleeve Colombia UPF fishing shirts that cost three times as much. I have switched from the Colombia shirts to these for their price and versatility. The Columbia shirts are nice and do have a more “outdoors” feel to them, but I wouldn’t wear one to the pool and couldn’t imagine running in one because the don’t have the range of motion or the fit that the BALEAF shirts do.

The non-see-through fabric wicks away moisture and actually keeps you cooler than if you were wearing a short sleeve shirt because it’s so effective in keeping the direct sun off of your skin. These shirts breathe effectively and dry out quickly when they get wet.

These shirts are available in many different attractive colors. Some colors are available in a short sleeve version as well. I stay away from darker colors for my outdoor clothing, specifically blue, as it attracts more deer flies, which are a real challenge where we live during June and July. The lighter colors do show more dirt, but they also keep you cooler.

In addition to wearing long pants and these shirts, I also wear a boonie hat and these UV/dust face shields, which I reviewed in detail here.

I wear one of these as a face shield when I mow my own property as well as my customers’ lawns. I discovered these one day through a sponsored ad on my Facebook page – I must have googled “sun protection while mowing” in the recent past. These shields have made working outside foer extended periods of time much more enjoyable for me.

You can catch a lot of damaging UV rays when you’re on a zero-turn mower for several hours at a time in full sun. This exposure adds up over time and can really take a toll on your health, not to mention the appearance of your skin.

These SA UV/dust shields cover your nose, mouth, cheeks, ears, and most of your neck when worn as a face mask. These parts never get sunburned when I wear this shield, especially when worn with a boonie hat as the shield’s material is rated at 40 SPF. I am religious about wearing mine, as I am at higher risk for skin cancer and have had a couple of cases of it. I still apply sunscreen to the lower part of my neck when wearing this, as this area could stay exposed to the sun depending on the style of shirt you’re wearing.

You can wear these in a number of different styles: face shield, headband, neck gaiter, full hood, balaclava, and more (I had to look up some of these). The material is very soft and breathable. It doesn’t feel overly hot even in 90*+ temperatures and, in any case, it beats the alternative of getting sunburned.

The shield stays tight on your face and won’t fall down as you move around. This is the most important thing to look for with a product like this. I can put one of these on and then focus on mowing or trimming without having to constantly readjust it on my face. They come in one size, which will fit any adult (male or female).

In addition to protecting your skin from UV rays, this shield is also effective for preventing breathing in dust, grass particles, and bugs while you mow. Tree and grass pollen is still going to get through, but you’re not going to be inhaling anything larger.

I was skeptical how these would hold up given how cheap they were. I have had my original set of five for more than a year now and as I’ve already said, I wear them and wash them a lot. The colors have faded ever so slightly and I’ve noticed some very minor pilling, but I fully expect to get at least another year of service out of them.

When COVID-19 became a thing, I kept one in each of my vehicles to use as a mask for entering stores and other indoor public spaces. They take up almost no room in a center console or glove compartment.

These shields are available in many different colors and styles, although I prefer the solid earth tones, with the olive green being my favorite.

Sure, you can order a “tactical” web belt off eBay for under $10 with free shipping. You’re going to receive a belt that would be more appropriate as a cheap accessory for a Halloween costume.

This is my favorite belt to wear with a t-shirt and jeans combo. I’ve always felt like a leather belt (even a casual style) felt mismatched under a t-shirt. This tactical belt fits the belt loops of all my jeans and naturally also looks and feels good on my 5.11 tactical pants.

The black stainless steel buckle is the highlight of this belt. Cheaper imitations use a black polymer (plastic) buckle, but these usually do a poor job of keeping your belt how you want it because they can’t cinch down the way a metal buckle can. 5.11 touts a 6,000 pound rating for the buckle.

I also like the long velcro strip that holds the loose end of the belt in place. This isn’t a small square of velcro – it is a long strip that runs a decent length of the front of the belt and does an excellent job of securing the excess length.

While 5.11 occasionally adds and deletes color options for their gear, at the time I wrote this review, this belt was available through Amazon in the following colors: black, coyote, and TDU green.

I usually wear these boots to the farmers market and for running errands to the hardware store or lumber yard. They go well with jeans or tactical pants and do a great job of protecting your ankles and feet. I can be on my feet all day in these and be comfortable.

I would describe these as an all-weather boot – they do just as well in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Yes, your feet are going to get wet if you’re trudging through standing water, but I’ve been impressed with how dry they keep my feet dry even when it’s raining very hard. The soles have a balanced profile that provides excellent traction on concrete (both smooth and rough), grass, and dirt.

My favorite thing about these boots is the side-zip feature. I occasionally wear some of my old Marine Corps-issued Bates boots that are the traditional lace-up design. They are sometimes a real chore to put on due to the extreme rigidity of the area right where your heel slips down to rest on the sole. These side-zip boots are so much easier to put on, but feel just as stable once they’re on. It’s not something you think about if you’re going to have them on for hours at a time, but I appreciate the convenience when I find myself taking my boots on and off frequently when I enter and exit my house when I’m working on our property.

The leather seems to be good quality, as it remains supple but doesn’t scratch very easily. It also takes very well to a coat of Lincoln shoe polish. I prefer Lincoln over other brands of polish I’ve tried because it really gets into the grain of the leather with minimal effort.

This exact boot is one of the most popular among law enforcement due to its function, value, and durability. Millions of first-responders, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines rely on Bates boots. I had a positive experience with their boots while in the service and continue to be a customer to the present day.