Blog

Montbell Spring Sun Protection, Part 2: The Active Setup | Shorts × Leg Covers for Movement and Coverage

2026.04.03

"Cover up for the sun and you inevitably restrict how you move." I put this outfit together to break that assumption — the active version of a spring-mountain sun-protection setup. It's part two of a three-part series built around Montbell, the Japanese outdoor brand. You get more freedom than long trousers allow while genuinely reducing exposed skin, which is the best of both.

UV is more of a concern every year. But on rocky ground and routes with real elevation gain, I don't want to give up freedom of movement either. Here I'll walk honestly through an active outfit that comes together by adding just two pieces to the six basic sun-protection items.

The thinking behind it: movement and sun protection together

The foundation is the six shared pieces from part one — hat, neck gaiter, arm fit shirt, leg covers, multi tube gaiter, inner gloves. To that I'm adding a long sleeve T and shorts, which makes the outfit workable on a day with serious ascent. For the detail on those six, see the six basic items post.

The key idea is keeping freedom of movement with shorts while reducing exposure as far as possible. Rather than covering yourself in fabric and putting up with it, you build something you can adjust by taking pieces off and putting them back. That's the heart of this setup.

WIC. UV Tect Long Sleeve T (¥4,600)

On top is the WIC. UV Tect Long Sleeve T. It's from the same UV line as the neck gaiter in the shared six, rated UPF50+. Being Wickron — Montbell's quick-drying fabric — it dries very fast, so you can cover your upper body with long sleeves even in sweaty conditions. It doesn't shift in the wind on a ridge, and it wears as one piece with everything else. UPF50+ and this quick-drying at this price is good going.

Worth sorting out here is how it differs from the arm fit shirt in part one. The arm fit shirt has no UPF rating and prioritises airflow — comfort first — with a mesh body, designed as a base layer. By contrast, on a day when you absolutely don't want to burn, or when you know you'll be on an exposed ridge from morning to evening, the UPF50+ long sleeve T is the more reassuring choice. Pick based on the day's route and how high sun protection sits on your list.

Canyon Shorts × leg covers (¥6,700)

For the bottom half, the Canyon Shorts. They're designed for canyons and trails, so they balance freedom of movement against durability and don't get in the way when you're lifting a leg high. The pockets sit clear of a pack's hip belt, which makes them usable while walking.

Pairing them with leg covers — the Trail Leg Cover Light from the shared six — is the strongest combination I've found. The shorts keep the knee area free, the leg covers handle the exposure below. That division of labour is very easy to reason about. You don't carry the weight of long trousers, and you don't have to leave your legs bare.

Adjusting on the move

The great strength of this outfit is that you can add or remove coverage piece by piece. Sun protection doesn't have to mean keeping everything on and enduring it.

• Entering the tree line: take the leg covers off. Airflow around the legs improves and walking gets easier. They're thin enough to stuff into a side pocket of the pack
• On the ridge, when wind and sun pick up: put the leg covers and neck gaiter back on
• Once you've stopped sweating at a break: cover the backs of your hands with the inner gloves (the backs of the hands burn more easily than you'd expect)

Full coverage on the ridge, minimal in the trees. With long trousers you end up hot with no way to take anything off; leg covers you simply remove. Being able to adjust to the temperature and the sun where you are is what makes this comfortable.

Where it fits, and where it doesn't

It fits routes with real elevation gain, rocky or chained sections where your legs are working hard, and active day trips. It's less suited to trails where your legs are catching on brush or rock — if protecting your shins matters most, long trousers are the safer answer — and to days built around staying put, like a long stop at the summit. For those, part three, the dress-based setup, will feel more relaxed.

What I've settled on

The additions are the long sleeve T (¥4,600) and the Canyon Shorts (¥6,700) — two pieces, ¥11,300. If you already have the shared six, that outlay completes your sun protection for active days. (Those six come to roughly ¥30,110 for reference.)

• For days of real walking: shorts × leg covers, movement and sun protection together
• For slower days: go to the dress-based setup
• Choose your top by the day: UPF50+ long sleeve T when you don't want to burn, arm fit shirt when airflow comes first

If you'd rather not sacrifice movement for sun protection, this is the setup for you. Prices are as of filming, and outlet items in particular change in price and availability, so do check the official site.

🛒 See the gear from the video as a list → Montbell staples: light and dependable

※As an Amazon Associate, Yoshimi Iwasaki earns from qualifying purchases.

Related posts

6 Montbell Pieces for Sun Protection | Covering Neck, Arms and Legs on the Trail, Honestly Reviewed

Is a Dress Actually Viable for Hiking? A Model's Honest Take on Montbell's Sun-Protection Outfit

Hokendake and Kisokomagatake | A Two-Day Traverse of the Central Alps from Senjojiki Cirque

Montbell EX Light Thermawrap Jacket Review | About 200 g, and Hard to Beat for the Money

This post contains affiliate links. Prices and specifications are as of the video's publication date. Most items are sold in Japan.

← All posts