My height is 5' 10½" and my body weight is 165 lbs. My body's shape is slim and am in reasonably good athletic condition. This post is a review of the Hanes (Men's) Long Sleeve Cool DRI T-shirt UPF 50 plus. The chosen size was 'medium'. The chosen color was 'white'. My reason for purchasing this T-shirt was to provide protection from the sun's harmful UV rays while playing tennis on outdoor courts. As such, it was worn underneath a thin (short-sleeved) cotton T-shirt. My Amazon order arrived within three days in a package containing two (2) identical T-shirts, in addition to other items which I ordered. If you decide to order two different colors when placing a single order, the cost is higher, since additional shipping charges will apply. If your order does NOT combine colors (e.g., two white shirts, as I ordered), you will obtain free shipping once you add additional items to your order - such that the total cost of the order exceeds CAD $35, before tax. Upon arrival, I examined the two T-shirts carefully and found them to be of notably high-quality workmanship. They appeared to be very durable with double-stitching. They are light-weight and extremely compact - convenient when packing for camping or traveling. After machine washing (warm water with no chlorine bleach) the shirts were virtually dry, even before placing them into the clothes dryer with other articles of clothing. On the tennis court they performed very well. Despite being worn underneath a cotton T-shirt on a rather sunny and hot (29° Celsius) day, the wicking effect was great. Moisture was pulled away from my body quickly and my body did not feel wet, despite heavy perspiration and two layers of clothing. As mentioned, these shirts dry very quickly. Air also seems to pass through these Hanes T-shirt quite well, thereby offering excellent ventilation during prolonged exertion or intense exercise. (Note: The cotton outer-garment became wet with perspiration and took longer to dry than the Hanes T-shiirt which was worn as an undergarment.) As others customers have noted, I found the underarms on these T-shirts NOT to be form-fitting. When lifting the arms overhead, the sides of the shirt will tend to pull upwards slightly with a triangular piece of cloth (air gap) remaining under the arms, since the the stitching for the underarms tends to be positioned a little too low on the shirt (not body-hugging under the arms). For me, this was not a concern, since the T-shirt was to be worn underneath another light-weight casual shirt. Accordingly, however, for those concerned about style or aesthetics, this T-shirt probably wouldn't be highly-rated as an outer garment. Additionally, the 100% polyester fabric tends to 'hang' or 'drape' onto the body, unlike cotton fabrics which tend to rest more naturally when worn. Despite these minor shortcomings, the T-shirt felt comfortable to wear and was neither too tight, nor too loose. The sizing ('medium') was perfect for me. The arm length was neither too long, nor too short. The chest and shoulder widths fit perfectly. There is plenty of length to tuck into pants or shorts. In other words, I found the sizing to be accurate, since I typically wear a size 'medium' with all my other shirts. No surprises or letdowns were found to exit in this respect. The Hanes label with the patented 'Cool DRI' insignia are clearly displayed inside the T-shirt. These shirts are NOT knockoff products. They are manufactured in Guatemala as genuine Hanes products. . UPF is an acronym for "Ultraviolet Protection Factor". It is somewhat analogous the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) ratings applicable to topical sunscreen lotions. The Amazon specifications for these T-shirts - unambiguously - claim that these T-shirts provide UPF 50-plus protection. This is the highest UV protection available for an article of clothing. Essentially, this means that less than 1 out of ~50 units of UV will pass through the garment (~ 2%). These T-shirts are NEITHER zinc oxide NOR titanium dioxide infused, so the UPF rating should not diminish with washing over time. Nor will the UPF rating improve over time due to automatic clothes drying, since polyester will not shrink (when heat is applied) to provide a tighter weave. No where on these garments, nor their packaging, is ANY reference made to their UPF rating. However, polyester contains a benzene ring that absorbs UV light. This dynamic is enhanced in cases where the polyester fabric is denser (i.e., tight weave, heavy weight, minimal stretch). Though tightly woven, these polyester T-shirts are quite thin. Therefore, I'm not confident that they actually provide the level of UV protection which is promised on Amazon. That being said, I am delighted that I purchased these T-shirts, since cotton T-shirts alone block only about 5% of the sun's harmful radiation. Coupled with other measures, these Hanes T-shirts will definitely enhance my UV protection. Conclusions: This is an excellent product at an excellent price. For my intended use of these T-shirts (stated above), I am definitely pleased that I made this purchase. Nonetheless, I certainly won't be making any fashion-statements on the tennis court with these T-shirts! :)
