My ExOfficio Insect Shield Halo hiking shirt is definitely my favorite long sleeve hiking shirt. Why? Because it protects me from nasty mosquito bites!
This top is on the pricier side when it is not on sale, but is highly durable so will last a long time. Since I’m very prone to mosquito bites (they love the Hiking Lady!), I wear this top along with my ExOfficio Insect Shield bandanna when I’m hiking in mosquito season.
Features I like about the ExOfficio Insect Shield Women’s Shirt:
- Bug protection woven into the fabric. When I’m hiking in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains at the peak of mosquito season (July), I have tried different ways to protect myself from unpleasant bites. What is great about ExOfficio Insect Shield shirts is that the treatment is woven into the fabric, so you don’t have to keep spraying your shirt with lemon eucalyptus or even DEET if conditions are really bad.
- UPF 30 rated. It keeps out harmful UV rays because of the shirt’s UPF 30 rating.
What I don’t like:
- The price! These retail for $80-90, so keep a watch for sales and the gear deals and discounts page I post on the Hiking Lady blog.
Other notables:
The ExOfficio tops tend to run a bit on the large side, but that makes it easier to wear another layer underneath. I like to wear close fitting base layers underneath my hiking tops, so I always order one size smaller in ExOfficio tops than my normal size so it fits like a standard hiking top, rather than an oversized one.
For more information on the ExOfficio Insect Shield tops, click here.
