I didn’t realize Shimano made a pair. It’s too damn difficult to find anything on their site. I can only find the leg sun blockers. Are your arm coolers black? If so do you think that makes them hotter? I like the look of black better, but thought white sleeves would be functionally better 
1 Like
I find the same thing. It actually helps when it’s a bit nippy in the morning, but protective and not hot in the afternoon.
2 Likes
Definitely has to be white! Here is what I have:
2 Likes
i use them in summer in Australia for longer rides, i find it cooler than riding without them, and dont have to slather on sunscreen so much (can skip the arms anyway)
1 Like
I have been using them this year in Tejas. I will say they make me hotter but not as hot as an undershirt (hey that’s another thread 
).
I am at this point feeling like they are worth the extra heat and it is not a tiny amount of heat. I suppose what I am trying to say is when it gets hot I can tell I have them on, but it’s not a huge burden either.
I have a white set and it’s kind of a weird balance between feeling hotter with another layer and not quite as hot because it’s keeping the direct sun off of me. So net net it’s hotter, but not enough that I have wanted to put them away until fall.
I hope that helps.
1 Like
I wonder if the white arm covers will feel cooler for heavy sweaters but hotter for light sweaters? 
I used them when I rode the 312 in Mallorca. I found it strange that the feed stations weren’t providing sun cream and I didn’t want to spend 12 hours in the sun, even in April without refreshing and I didn’t want to carry anything extra with me. For reference the temp during 312 hit 100+F (38C) but was in general around 80F (26C)
I used the Rapha sunscreens Pro Team Arm Screens | Rapha and found they worked great - I left them on all day never really felt too hot with them and would definitely use again on days when difficult to reapply sun cream.
Is there any benefit vs a long sleeve summer weight Jersey?
It makes your existing short sleeve jerseys more versatile. Performance-wise, no difference except that arm covers have to be quite snug to not inch down.
As someone that has had skin cancer they are great. I wear mine every ride. Lots of choices on Amazon and most are not very expensive. Some are more breathable than others. Make sure to use sunscreen on any other exposed skin area.
2 Likes
Cuz when mine do, I get a narrow red stripe circling top of my arm, the secret meaning of which is a little hard to explain to a non-cyclist.
1 Like
My father died from melanoma. I had melanoma 5 years ago. My problems with sun sleeves are that they are too hot to wear when I need to wear them and that they may give a false sense of security. I got sunburned through my helmet vents while wearing sun sleeves as I “felt” protected but wasn’t fully blocking the sun.
I have tried sun sleeves and am willing to wear them if it is cool enough, but I easily overheat and to be honest, my solution is to simply ride without them when the temperature is cooler and sun angle is lower. I avoid sun overexposure by training indoors and riding earlier in the day. I look to the UV index before starting a ride outdoors. Like all tools, they have a time and place, but they are not a panacea in my experience.
1 Like
I don’t understand. You mean a head cap?
I’m a head shaver and always use sunscreen on my head. The caps are too hot for me. Never burn my head so the sunscreen works.
Yeah, most of the bikepacking events I’ve done have involved arm sleeves. (TCR, TABR, RATN, TPR, Transiberica).
I had the Rapha Data Print ones for a few years and they were restitched a few times but eventually got too baggy so I replaced them with a pair of Assos white sleeves, which are now grey/brown of course. I think I also have some black Castelli sleeves around here somewhere which are a little heavier - basically light armwamers, if that makes sense. All good for reducing sunscreen use.
2 Likes
The best thing for my bald head was buying a Ballista aero helmet. No vents on top so I don’t need sunscreen under my helmet.
I ride sun sleeves in the hottest weather. I don’t overheat at all.
2 Likes
Sorry for not being clearer. What I meant was that wearing the arm sleeves made me feel protected so I neglected to take all necessary sun protection steps (like a cap or sunscreen on my head).
I shave my head as well (simply to make it easier for my dermatologist to do skin checks since she found squamous cell carcinoma on my head). In addition to looking awful, the Assos sun cap feels so hot. Sunscreen on my head drips into my eyes so I’m not a fan either. Thus my approach- ride earlier in the day when sun exposure is not as big a concern.
2 Likes
I wear de soto skin cooler sleeves on any ride or run over an hour and a half. I would much rather throw them on than lather up in sunscreen, and in the AZ heat they feel really nice to wet them a bit before I head out on a ride. I don’t feel much hotter, and would even say that keeping the direct sun off my skin makes it feel just a smidge cooler.
3 Likes
Some of the sleeves breath better than others. I am a melanoma survivor as well and the sleeves are an easy protection. I still put sunblock on my face, neck, ears, etc for coverage.
These breath pretty well.
1 Like
Yes, I do. I started using because after so many years of sun exposure, age, my skin got damaged. My skin now easily scrapes, resulting in superficial bleeding. Also with age you lose the collagen content. I wish I would of started using them 20 years ago, I believe I could of prevented a lot of the damage from sun exposure.
I live in Texas so there’s plenty of sun (and heat) to be had, and I have enough friends who have survived melanoma that I don’t want to go through it. For shorter rides sunscreen is fine, for longer rides I know reapplying over my whole body isn’t going to happen.
I’m not shy about looking dorky, and I’d rather be warm than sunburned, so I cover up my arms, my legs, and something over my head (honestly, I’ve never had a lot of luck with cycling caps so I’m moving more and more toward beanies / skull caps). Then putting on / reapplying sun screen to my neck and face keeps me covered.