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6 Tips About Choosing the Best Rash Guards and Swimwear for Children

If your little one enjoys a lot of fun in the sun, you want to make sure that they are well protected from the elements. 

Young children have sensitive skin and overexposure to the sun can cause long-term damage. The ultraviolet radiation from the sun can cause sunburns, heat exhaustion, skin cancers, and heat rashes. 

One of the best ways that you can protect your child while they enjoy outdoor activities is by ensuring they wear the best rash guards. A rash guard comes with a few surprising benefits for your child. 

Keep reading to learn six tips on choosing the best rash guard for your child. 

What Is a Rash Guard?

A rash guard is worn to protect skin from the rush, to prevent rashes from the heat, and to provide warmth during certain outdoor activities. 

Rash guards come in a variety of fabrics, including nylon, spandex, and polyester, and each serves a different purpose for protecting your child's skin. The material helps to pull moisture away from the skin, prevents doesn't chafing, and dries quickly. 

This type of swimwear can also be worn as additional coverage for a more modest appearance while engaging in aquatic activities.

1. Ensure Comfort and Fit

A comfortable rash guard that fits properly is essential for your child to enjoy a hot summer day. If your child is participating in a water sport, an ill-fitting rash guard makes for an uncomfortable experience. 

If a rash guard is even slightly too big or too small, it will not be as effective for your child. 

Know your child's ideal size before purchasing a rash guard. If you've found the ideal rash guard online, but you aren't sure of the size, try going into a store to double-check the size before buying the item online. 

2. Choose the Right Fabric

Rash guards and swimsuits come in a variety of different fabrics. To ensure comfort and functionality, you want to be sure that you choose the right fabric.

Here are four different fabrics that are used for rash guards: 

Polyester

This is the most popular fabric for swimsuits because it is durable. It can resist corrosion for saltwater, chlorine, and last a few years. 

Nylon

Nylon is a great fabric that is highly durable. Swimsuits made out of nylon are a little more pricey than polyester but they are high in quality. 

Polyurethane

This material has spandex-like elasticity and is quick-drying. Polyurethane also resists corrosion. 

Poly PBT or XLA

These are blended synthetic materials that absorb little water and are the quickest to dry. Swimsuits and rash guards made from these materials have a blend of all the best features of the other materials. 

3. Look for Thermal Protection 

Certain rash guards provide warmth for aquatic sports that are done in colder water. 

If your child is going to be in cold water for extended periods of time, you want to ensure that they are warm with a thermal rash guard. You can wear this in addition to a wetsuit for extra warmth. 

These rash guards are for sports like surfing, snorkeling, or scuba diving.  

4. Ensure General Sun Protection 

Most rash guards provide general sun protection while enjoying outdoor activities. These will not have thermal protection but will ensure that your child is safe from the sun's harmful rays. 

These are generally lightweight, made to fit snug, and provide freedom with movement. They come in different styles, with surfing tees, short sleeve, and long sleeve shirts, depending on the coverage that you desire for your child. 

If you want to buy rash guards that give ultimate sun protection, Manatee apparel offers a selection of cute and stylish rash guards for kids. 

5. Know When You Need Full-body Rash Guard Protection

Full body rash guards offer the same protection as regular rash guards but they have a full-body cut similar to a wetsuit. They offer more coverage and are great to use for a variety of ocean sports. 

If your child is heading out for a long day of kayaking, windsurfing, waterskiing, or wakeboarding, a full-body rash guard is your best option for protection from the sun. They will also help keep your child warmer than a surfing tee or even a long sleeve tee.  

6. Invest in Quality Rash Guards 

When choosing rash guards and swimwear for kids, investing in high quality can make a world of difference. You are investing in the health and safety of your child. 

The right quality rash guards will provide comfort, mobility, warmth, and sun protection.

Most rash guards also provide UV protection and the best quality rash guards for kids will provide protection up to UPF 40

These quality rash guards for kids will give them the protection they need with the style they will love. 

Protect Your Child From the Sun With the Best Rash Guards 

Whether you live in a place where the sun shines all year round, or you're taking a tropical family vacation, you want to ensure the protection of your child's skin at all times. If you're looking for some of the best rash guards for kids, ensure that they are comfortable, made with the right fabric, offer sun protection, thermal protection if necessary, and feature high UPF protection. 

You can save your child's skin from long-term damage and have the peace of mind of knowing that your little one can enjoy their time in the sun. 

Be sure to visit our website for a full selection of stylish and protective rash guards for children.

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