Background: Doing the EBC trek in end March. I am quite pale and burn more than I tan + I have a big event (getting called to the bar yippee) immediately after the hike, so as a vanity sort of thing I really do not want to show up looking extremely sunburnt and rough lol.
This is what I've gathered from looking through various subreddits:
- High SPF sunscreen & lip balm reapplication every 2 hours;
- UPF clothing where possible;
- Large sunglasses that cover as much surface area as possible;
- Wide brimmed sunhat at lower altitudes; and
- Using a buff.
A few questions:
- What sunscreen? Do stick sunscreens even work?
- I've used an Anessa sunscreen that has worked well for lower altitude hikes / water activities (from what I understand it's a hybrid chemical & mineral sunscreen that is waterproof) – would that be enough for high altitudes with higher UV?
- Is UPF clothing necessary at higher altitudes when you are layering up?
- When it gets colder and I'm wearing both a base layer + mid layer (and maybe even an outer layer), do I still need UPF rated clothing? the current base layers I'm using are merino wool, which seem to have naturally high upf ratings already (not too sure if this is true).
- Face protection when it gets colder (and I stop wearing the sunhat)?
- Is a buff sufficient? I've seen UV face patches (https://global.oliveyoung.com/product/detail?prdtNo=GA221116872&srsltid=AfmBOop0k32Jd3pLUtBUjR3itU7G7AQXAG9mRkPFNsXnu41eNfXunu1d) and UV masks (https://ohsunny.sg/collections/mask/products/shieldguard-sun-protection-mask?variant=47530042556726) which are popular amongst Asian golfers/hikers, but obviously breathability is a concern. (and I also do not want to look crazy lol) Any experience with them?
Thanks in advance!
by HistorianOk3858