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Reviews > Health & Safety > Sunscreens and Skin Protection > All Terrain Winter Sport Sunscreen > Test Report by Kristine Mar

All Terrain WinterSport Skin Protectant/Sunscreen

Test Series by Kristine Mar
Initial Report - January 7, 2010

Biographical Information:

Name: Kristine Mar
Age: 44
Gender: Female
Height: 5'3" (1.6 m)
Weight: 120 Pounds (54 kg)
Email address: kmar546@yahoo.com
City, State, Country: New York, New York, U.S.A.

My love for the outdoors began about ten years ago, while I was living in Northern California. Most of my hiking experience includes day hikes, with an occasional 2-3 day backpacking trip. I'd consider myself a 3-season hiker and generally like to keep my pack as light as reasonably possible without spending a fortune. In 2007, I moved to New York City and have enjoyed East Coast hiking and experiencing the outdoors with four seasons. I enjoy trail hiking in all terrains, and have been fortunate enough to hike in a number of national and state parks, and several countries.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: All Terrain Company
Year of Manufacture/Received: 2009
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.allterrainco.com
MSRP: US$12.99
Reviewed: WinterSport Skin Protectant/Sunscreen with SPF 30
Other Sun Protection Products Available: TerraSport, AquaSport, KidSport, and WeatherShield lines
Weight Listed: 3 oz (85 g)
Actual Weight: 3.5 oz (100 g) including the packaging


Product Description:

The All Terrain sun protection products are marketed as a biodegradable and natural skin protectant containing Z-CoteŽ which according to the manufacturer's website, is recognized by the FDA as Category One skin protectant. Other added benefits (from the manufacturer's website include):

  • Reduced eye sting for sensitive eye area
  • "No slip - dry grip" so you're ready to go
  • Sweat / water resistance for active lifestyles


Product Instructions and Information:

The manufacturer's packaging as shown includes the following on the back of the product:

Manufacturer's Original Packaging

Active Ingredients / Purpose

Dimethicone 1% - Skin Protectant
Octinoxate 7.2% - Sunscreen
Oxybenzone 6% - Sunscreen
Titanium Dioxide - 3.5% Sunscreen
Zinc Oxide (Z-CoteŽ) - 3% Sunscreen

Uses
  • Temporarily protects chapped skin
  • Helps protect from the drying effects of sun, wind and cold weather
  • Helps prevent sunburn
  • Higher SPF gives more sunburn protection
  • Retains SPF after 40 minutes of activity

Directions
  • Apply liberally 20-30 minutes before sun exposure and as needed
  • Children under 6 months: ask a doctor

Inactive Ingredients

Aloe Vera Gel, Bladderwrack Extract, Borage Seed Oil, Calendula Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-21, Cucumber Extract, d-alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Glycerin, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Jojoba Oil, Lavender Oil, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Gylcol, Sea Kelp Extract, Water, Xanthan Gum.

Warnings

  • For external use only.
  • When using this product, keep out of eyes. Rinse with water to remove.
  • Stop use and ask a doctor if a rash or irritation develops and lasts.
  • Keep out of reach of children. If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

Initial Impressions:

Upon receiving the product, I immediately had to try it out. The texture of the lotion is thicker and heavier than the sunscreens that I am accustomed to and the All Terrain WinterSport Sunscreen has a slight grainy texture, almost like an exfoliating cream or mask. The product has a very nice smell, with a hint of lavender and a hint of citrus, similar to products used on me at day spas while obtaining facial treatments. In fact, I think it is the nicest smelling sunscreen I have ever tried.

Summary:

The consistency of the product seems a little heavy, but I will test the product to see if it absorbs into the skin, and leaves a non-greasy feeling. I love the smell so far and look forward to testing the product to see if it protects the skin from sunburn and helps to prevent chafed, chapped and cracked skin from wind and cold weather exposure.

This concludes my initial report on the All Terrain WinterSport Sun Protectant/Sunscreen. I would like to thank All Terrain and Backpackgeartest.org for allowing me the opportunity to test this Sunscreen.

Please follow up for the results of my field tests in two months.

Field Conditions:

I have used this product almost every day since I received it in early January of 2010. I probably did not use it for 10-14 days total. In addition to using it as my daily sunscreen, I have also used it for winter outdoor activities, which include approximately 12 days of winter hiking, 1 day of cross country skiing, 1 day of snow shoeing, all in states of New York and Connecticut, 6 days of snowboarding in Taos, New Mexico. I also tested the sunscreen in warm weather on 5-day scuba diving trip to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 3-day hiking trip to the White Mountains, in New Hampshire.

The day hikes in the winter generally ranged from 3 miles (5 km) to 10 miles (16 km), depending on the weather conditions which ranged from clear to overcast for most days, to light snow. There was at least one day that had strong wind conditions with gusts up to 20 mph (32 km/hour). Temperatures ranged from 2 F (-17 C) to 45 F (7 C) without the wind chill factor and elevation gains were never more than 1200 ft (366 m) for my hiking, snow shoeing and cross country skiing activities.

While I was in Taos, New Mexico we got hit with a storm at the end of January that lasted for five days. The temperature ranged from 12 F (-14 C) to 26F (-3 C) and it was generally overcast for most of the day with continuous light to moderate snowfall and winds became strong with an average of 6 mph (10 km/hour) to gusts at times of up to 20 mph (32 km/hour). At times, the wind was blowing so hard that I was being pelted in the face with ice. The elevation at the base of the mountain is approximately 9,200 ft (2800 m) with the summit reaching more than 11,000 ft (3350 m).

In contrast, the weather in St. Croix was warm and balmy with temperatures ranging from 75 F (24 C) - 85 F (30 C) and humidity of 80%. The days were mostly sunny with the exception of one day which was overcast with light rain. I generally applied the sunscreen in the morning and then once again after my boat dives in the morning just before heading out for another afternoon or evening dive.

The conditions for the 3 day hiking trip to New Hampshire were varied with a general average of 75 F (24 C), at the lower elevations under 2,000 ft (610 m). One day, I hiked up the tallest peak in the Northeast, Mt. Washington which stands at 6,255 ft (1907 m). Mt. Washington is known for the varied weather, and although it was 75 F (24 C) at the bottom of the mountain, I encountered snow along my ascent, and at the summit, the wind speeds were 40 mph (64 km/hr) with gusts of up to 50 mph (81 km/hr) and a temperature of 42 F (5.5 C).

Observations:

In my initial observations of the lotion, I stated that the consistency of the product seems a little heavy, and the texture felt a little grainy. I believe that I may have received one tube that was not properly mixed. The lotion after extended use, no longer had the grainy feel. I also received a second bottle of lotion and the second bottle did not have the grainy consistency which I noted in my initial observation. The sunscreen, which seemed heavier than other sunscreens that I have used on a daily basis, seemed to absorb better in colder conditions than warm. When the weather was cold, the lotion seemed to absorb nicely and did not leave a greasy feeling on my skin. In fact, I was actually pleasantly surprised that my skin felt moisturized and soft even after exposure to harsh weather conditions, sometimes for hours at a time. I noticed that when I tip the bottle at an angle perpendicular to the floor prior to application, at times the lotion just pours out.

For all of my outdoor activities, I followed the instructions and applied the lotion liberally 20-30 minutes before going outdoors and applied it again if I felt it was necessary, usually one more time if I was out for more than four hours and was exposed to harsh sun or wintery conditions. The labeling states that the product retains SPF after 40 minutes of activity. However, for me, it was impractical to stop my activity to reapply lotion every 40 minutes. I have an olive skin tone and I am not prone to sunburn unless I have prolonged exposure with no protection.

While I was snowboarding in Taos, I reapplied the lotion during my lunch break, as I could feel the harshness of the weather on my skin, and was afraid that I would be exposed to both windburn, and sunburn. I am pleased to say that the product did a great job protecting me from sunburn, windburn, chafed, and chapped skin.

I also tested the product in warm weather while scuba diving in Caribbean with extended sun exposure. I applied the sunscreen in the morning before hitting the water and reapplied it at lunch about 4 hours later after my two morning dives, just before hitting the water again for my afternoon dive. While I did get a little burned on my shoulders, I did not get burned on my face and neck, where I applied the sunscreen. On my 3-day hiking trip to the White Mountains, I also applied the lotion to my face once in the morning and did not have the opportunity to reapply. Again, my shoulders were slightly red, but my face and neck were adequately protected, even with strong gusts of wind, prolonged exposure to the sun, and even from the glare of snow, all in one day hike.

I noticed, or my hiking buddy noticed, that when I apply the lotion in warm weather conditions, it initially absorbs, but as I start to sweat, the sunscreen starts to surface as a white film. He told me on several occasions that I looked as if I was wearing a facial mask. This only seemed to occur while I started sweating, and did not seem to happen while I wore it to my air conditioned office, or out in cold weather conditions. Another minor dislike was the design of the tube. When I held the tube perpendicular to the floor and shook it, the contents would often splatter on the floor. Ideally, for me, the contents should remain inside until the tube is squeezed.

Summary:

The All Terrain WinterSport Sun Protectant/Sunscreen performed well at keeping my skin protected throughout the winter and even did well in hot tropical weather. It was also sufficient as a daily sunscreen which I have used for almost five months now. I never got burned on the areas where I applied the lotion and felt that it provided the protection I needed from both the sun and wind. The consistency product was a little heavier going on than I would like, but it absorbed well, left my skin feeling soft, without feeling greasy, and I love smell of the lotion. My only complaint is that it left a white residue on the warmer days when I began to sweat. The following are my likes and dislikes of the product:

Likes:

    1. The protection from sun and wind which it provided for all my outdoor activities
    2. The smell
    3. Absorption properties and the way it made my skin feel after, especially during cold weather activities

Dislikes

    1. The lotion could be a little lighter
    2. The white film it leaves on my face when applying it in warmer weather.
    3. The container of the sunscreen could have a smaller hole, so the contents remain inside until the tube is squeezed
    .

This concludes my test of the All Terrain WinterSport Skin Protectant/Sunscreen. I would like to thank All Terrain Company and Backpackgeartest.org for allowing me to test this product.



Read more reviews of All Terrain gear
Read more gear reviews by Kristine Mar

Reviews > Health & Safety > Sunscreens and Skin Protection > All Terrain Winter Sport Sunscreen > Test Report by Kristine Mar



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