So I got a package from Reed Chillcheater. I have to tell you the warm shirt came just in time! But the cool part is the way it’s stitched. When I was in Wales I talked to Chris Reed about how I always got nasty rashes in salt water. (yeah fun conversations lol) Even when I wore “rashies”. Chris explained to me then that the major culprit was the seems. A good rash guard, he told me would be stitched inside-out so the seams don’t rub against your skin. Especially under the arms where I personally get some really nasty rashes. The problem of course is your average paddler doesn’t want shirts that look inside-out. So you can use cloth that causes the least friction, but you still have the nasty seams. Thus “rash guard” is not always “rash guard”.

In Puerto Rico it took me a couple days to remember to turn my shirt inside out. So I started off with a bit of a rash. Even with the fancy anti-friction roll-on. But it was true, after a few days with inside out shirts the rash went away and did not return. Now THAT is good information. Much better than when I did my BCU 4* with duct tape over bloody painful wounds under each arm! Ewww!

Which brings me back to my nice warm shirt. The stitching is of course all on the outside. You can request your Reed gear sewn this way if you have problems with that like I do. Just let them know you want the stitching on the outside. If you do, all the little tags and logos etc will still be on the outside like normal, you’ll just get the reverse stitch and the blessing of paddling miles on end without pain.

Thanks Chris!!