Water parks- rash guards?

[just teachin]

We're planning on spending a day at Typhoon Lagoon during our June trip. We (8 year old daughter, DH, and myself) do not own rash guards... Are they a necessity for a day there or will we be okay with liberal use of sunscreen?

Do you recommend wearing a tee over a suit?

Any recommendations are most welcomed! Thank you!!

 

[ChristusG]

More protection is always better! There's lots of people who just use sunscreen though. We wear rash guards as our swim suits all the time though...just feel that it is safer.

 

[4kids4karen]

We're planning on spending a day at Typhoon Lagoon during our June trip. We (8 year old daughter, DH, and myself) do not own rash guards... Are they a necessity for a day there or will we be okay with liberal use of sunscreen?

Do you recommend wearing a tee over a suit?

Any recommendations are most welcomed! Thank you!!

Wearing rash guards at a water park is not needed, as rash guards are tight fitted shirts and are designed for water sports such as surfing. Rash guards prevent rashes from the surfboard wax and sand mix rubbing against the body (and other rashes you can get during water sports from rough waves and the body rubbing against equipment).

The retail market has turned "rash guards" type looking shirts it into a sun protection shirt that some choose to wear anytime they are outdoors in water. These are not true rash guards but are "Swim Shirts" with UV protection and fit more loosely. My kids swim teacher did have a spot of sun cancer and now wears long sleeve swim shirt and sun hat in the pool while teaching the kids, but it is her profession to be in the pool and outdoors that much.

Wearing a UV Protection Swim Shirt is a personal preference. No water park will require them. Even with a UV protection shirt, you will have to reapply sunblock to other areas not covered by the shirt. Four kids, none of us own a rash guard or swim shirt. Wait, I take that back, my 18 year old is on the heavier side and wears a swim shirt because he is not comfortable going shirtless in the pool around his friends. We use a good sun block with a high SPF and reapply throughout the day. Don't forget ears and feet (common places to forget).


I do not know about Typhoon Lagoon, but many water parks do not allow normal street t-shirts in the pools because of the dyes, etc. Wearing a non-swim shirt like a t-shirt would stick to you and be uncomfortable. In addition, wet street clothes weigh you down and can prevent you from swimming properly and safely. If you were to wear a street shirt, an under armour shirt would be better than a cotton t-shirt because it would not be as heavy when wet. The price of an under armour shirt and swim shirt are probably comparable.

 

[dispooka]

Besides the pavement getting kind of hot, the wave pool is quite strong and can cause you feet to get scraped on it. This happened to my son last time. Would recommend some water shoes.

 

[TI double-GUH ER]

Just wanted to say that my DS is super fair-skinned, and burns ridiculously easily, so we've always had him wear the swim shirts in the water - no matter where we go.
Of course, I give him a coating of sunscreen before we leave the house, so he has some sunscreen on under the shirt as well. I'd rather be overprotective than let him get a burn.

If you are concerned about price on the swim shirts, check Old Navy and Target. they both have had them in the past and much cheaper than specialty stores.

 

[DisNikki]

Our boys have used swim shirts (rash guards, whatever ) for their whole lives so they're used to them. It gives me some peace of mind that they're a bit mroe protected from the sun. My husband never wanted to try one and just re-applied sunscreen early and often but I talked him into one last summer and now he loves it! We're all fair skinned though so worry more about burning than a lot of people might

Oh and I second Target and Old Navy. Their swim shirts are cute! I've seen suits for girls that are matching rash guards/bottoms too!

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We wear rash guards or swim shirts, my husband and I both take medication that make us more susceptible to sun burn so it is a good option for us.

We also have them for the kids. The Florida sun is very hot and eventually we as a family always end up with a sunburn after a while on vacation no matter how often we apply sunscreen.

We get our suits at Landsend.com, I just ordered some for DS & DD because they are growing. I have my suit for the last few years. Right now they have a sale on swim gear plus free shipping over a certain dollar amount.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

25% off plus free shipping in orders over $50

Rash guards are $19.50 Good Quality at lands Ends

Code is SWIM pin is 1518

 

[Yoshi]

When I go to a water park, I wear swim trunks with a tank top. I was very surprised at Blizzard Beach that I could wear the shirt on all slides even Slusher Gusher except Summit Plummet (I skipped it anyway because of the line). My local water park won't let you wear a shirt on any body slides but will allow them on slides where you use an inner tube.

 

[hgeisler]

Besides the pavement getting kind of hot, the wave pool is quite strong and can cause you feet to get scraped on it. This happened to my son last time. Would recommend some water shoes.

Definitely this! The rash guards are not a necessity, just lots of sunscreen

 

[just teachin]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I ordered some for all three of us from Land's End w/ their sale. If we try Target's and like them, the LE ones can go back.