John Florence’s Go-To: The Hooded Rashguard

Sometimes, the greatest innovations come from focusing on the areas where others are not. The Hooded Rashguard isn’t a new concept. Typically reserved for sun-conscious elder surfers or boatmen in the far reaches of the tropics, you would have been hard-pressed to find a local ripper wearing one – until now.

John’s brief to us was simple: if we’re going to make something, how do we do it better than it’s ever been done?

The answer: Premium material you immediately recognize as unique the moment it hits your hands. A more considered fit. UPF 50+ material. Subtle branding. Bluesign certified materials. A piece of gear that’s so good we can’t keep it in stock.

ABOUT FLORENCE UTILITY UPF GEAR

When the team is building gear, the brief from founder John Florence is simple: make things that help people stay outside as long as possible doing what they love. Utility UPF Clothing is the quintessential embodiment of this idea.

WHAT WE MAKE

Florence Utility UPF Tops are multipurpose shirts with built-in sun protection. Designed to withstand long days in and around the water, they're engineered with breathable panels, antimicrobial fabric and 30-50 UPF+ to help you endure all conditions.

WHY IT’S DIFFERENT

If you’re not going to make something the best it can be, what’s the point? Our experienced development team sourced the highest quality fabrics possible that checked the right boxes from moisture management to performance to lightweight textile innovation. From there, we tested their performance with John and our crew of Test Pilots under the oppressive sun on the North Shore of Oahu. We had people take them on transatlantic sailing voyages. We had snowboarders layer them under their jackets to block sun reflecting off the snow. The feedback was unanimous: these are the best UPF garments they’d ever used.

Since those early days, we’ve dimensionalized our offering, with a variety of materials (AirTex, Adapt, Sun Pro) available as well as multiple silhouettes (Hooded, Long Sleeve, Short Sleeve) to match your needs and sport.

And we’re just getting started.

Shop the entire line here.