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Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves are a fantastic accessory to add to your running gear wardrobe because they can help make your runs more enjoyable and even safer.  These arm sleeves are great to use in warm weather conditions, especially when it is sunny outside.

The sun is constantly emitting ultraviolet radiation (UV) which is the leading cause of skin cancer.  As a runner, we do a majority of our running outside and are exposed to these harmful UV rays.

Therefore, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves. Because these arm sleeves block harmful UV rays, they actually help keep us cool on our runs!

Searching for Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves can be confusing to beginners, as there are a few different types. Let me simplify it for you!

For my money, the best cooling and UV protection arm sleeves are:

Now let’s take a closer look at these cooling and UV protection arm sleeves and how to buy your first pair!

What Are Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves?

Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves are compression sleeves that extend from the top of your arm to just above your wrist. 

These arm sleeves are great for warm weather conditions because they keep you cool while on your run. They also provide sun protection to help keep your skin safe from the sun.  

How Do Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves Work?

You may be thinking to yourself, how can wearing more accessories and clothes make you feel cooler in warm temperatures.  One of the main reasons you feel hot during your runs is because the sun is directly shining on your skin.

Think about when it is hot outside and you stand in the sun vs. standing in the shade.  Because the sun is not directly hitting you, it will cause you to feel cooler and more comfortable. 

The sun is constantly emitting ultraviolet radiation (UV) which is the main cause for skin cancer.  Many of these UV protection arm sleeves help block a majority of these ultraviolet rays and can help protect your skin.

These cooling and UV protection arm sleeves are usually made out of nylon and spandex material.  These light-weight materials are moisture wicking and help keep you cool.

Top 3 Benefits of Using Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves

UV protection and cooling arm sleeves include a variety of benefits, but the top 3 reasons these arm sleeves can help you are: 

  1. Cools Your Body in Hot Temperatures
  2. Sun Protection
  3. Improved Performance

As a bonus, these arm sleeves also make you look professional!  Many elite runners wear these arm sleeves to keep cool during their races.  Not only do they look professional, but they also can improve your performance by helping maintain a lower body temperature in warm conditions.  By keeping cool, you will be able to run faster.

Difference Between Cooling Arm Sleeves vs. Arm Warmers

You may be more familiar with arm warmers but there is actually a difference between cooling arm sleeves and arm warmers.  On one hand, arm warmers are made out of a thicker Polyester material, while cooling arm sleeves are made out of a lightweight nylon material.  Their individual material difference allows the thicker material to keep you warm and the lightweight material to keep you cool.  Both arm sleeves provide UV protection because it blocks UV rays from directly hitting your arms.  

Are Arm Sleeves Unisex?

Most of these cooling arm sleeves are unisex.

However, there are a few gender specific arm sleeves on the market.  

Because these arm sleeves are made out of a stretchy material, generally the common Small, Medium, and Large options should work for most people. Additionally, some arm sleeves come in youth sizes.

How Much Should You Spend For Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves?

Buying a pair of cooling arms sleeves won’t break the piggy bank.  

You can purchase a pair of discount arm sleeves for under $10.

However, just as the cheapest car may not be the best, try and spend $10-$25 for a middle of the road arm sleeves and $25-$40 for the best quality cooling arm sleeves.

Best Budget Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves For Running: Aegend UV Protection Cooling Arm Sleeves

Here’s what I like about these arm sleeves:

  • Low Cost
  • Anti-Slip Down Your Arm
  • Multiple Color Options
  • 30-Day No Hassle Replacement

This is a great budget pick for beginners who want to try out UV protection and cooling arm sleeves.

These sleeves have an elastic band that fits securely on your arm, so the sleeves won’t annoyingly slip-off during your running workout.

An added benefit of these sleeves is they come with a 30-Day No Hassle Replacement.  If they don’t fit how you would like them to, you can replace them with a different size.  

Here’s what I don’t like about these arm sleeves:

Some users may find these arm sleeves a bit too tight.  However, thanks to the No Hassle Replacement, you can try different sizes until you find the one that works best for you.

Compared to the higher end arm sleeves, these might not last as long.  However, these are made out of a good quality polyamide fiber material with high quality stitching.  Aegend offers a 12-Month After Service Guarantee as well.  

Check the current price and read more user reviews of the Aegend UV Protection Cooling Arm Sleeves on Amazon. 

Best Mid-Range Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves For Running: NIKE Pro Adult Dri-FIT 3.0 Arm Sleeves

Here’s what I like about these arm sleeves:

  • Dri-FIT fabric accelerates evaporation to keep you cool
  • Slightly thicker upper band to prevent slipping down your arm
  • Can serve as a compression arm sleeve for injuries

These Dri-Fit arms sleeves provide great sun protection and cooling capabilities for warm weather runs.  

They can even be used for regular use whether it be driving in the car and protecting your arm from the sun or playing basketball and wanting to stay cool.

These sleeves are made out of a higher quality fiber mix of 80% polyester, 14% spandex, 6% rubber.  This mix of materials gives the arm sleeves a higher durability and higher quality feel.

Here’s what I don’t like about these arm sleeves:

Some users might complain about the lack of sizing options, however, the available options should fit the majority of people. 

Additionally, Nike makes these sleeves in youth sizes as well.

Check the current price and read more user reviews of the NIKE Pro Adult Dri-FIT 3.0 Arm Sleeves on Amazon. 

Best High-End Cooling and UV Protection Arm Sleeves For Running: ZENSAH UV Arm Sleeves

Here’s what I like about these arm sleeves:

  • High-quality stitching
  • Moisture wicking and anti-odor fabric
  • UPF 50+ for sun protection
  • Seamless for anti-chafing

These arm sleeves are made out of extremely high quality material which allow you to perform at the highest level.  

Their anti-odor fabric allows you to wear them multiple times without having to wash them.  

Another feature that makes these high quality is the seamless design.  This ensures that the arm sleeves will reduce most, if not all chafing (rubbing) issues even under the harshest conditions.

Here’s what I don’t like about these arm sleeves:

Some users might complain about the available sizing options.  Because of their compression feature and seamless design, the available sizes will fit most people’s arms.

This product is not sold by Amazon and is sold on the product company’s website.  This may result in a slightly longer delivery time, however, these arm sleeves are well worth the wait.

Check the current price of the ZENSAH UV Arm Sleeves on Zensah.com (the company’s website)

Verdict

Cooling and UV protection arm sleeves are a great way to protect your body from harmful UV rays while also keeping yourself cool on your runs.

As runners, we are usually in the sun for long periods of time.  It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protection of our body.

Once you try these arm sleeves out during a hot and sunny day, you will wonder how you ever ran without them!

My top pick for beginners wanting to get their first pair of cooling arm sleeves would be to go with a good all-around and budget-friendly option like the Aegend UV Protection Cooling Arm Sleeves on Amazon.

You can always upgrade to a higher-end pair of arm sleeves down the line as you get more competitive in the running world.  But if you’re just getting started and want to try out a pair of cooling arm sleeves, it would be difficult to find a better pair of cooling and UV protective arm sleeves for the price!

Hope this helps!