Cooling Clothes for Summer Under $50 at Amazon

The first time I wore cooling clothing on my travels was a revelation. I picked up a lightweight pair of breathable mesh sneakers and spent a full summer touring Southern Europe, where the temperatures can be brutal and practically no one uses air conditioning. That’s when I realized that cooling clothes would become my new secret weapon for surviving the tropics, concrete jungles, sunny beaches, and beyond.

In my search for the greatest top-rated clothing made with actual cooling technology that will keep you comfy from head to toe, I found some seriously good deals at Amazon, starting at just $11. Trust me, you’re going to want to pack them all. 

Tend to get a little hot under the collar? A cooling neck gaiter might be your ideal version of the summer scarf. Hitting the golf course? A sweat-wicking polo could help take your focus off the blazing sun and perfect your swing instead. Cooling bucket hats and a popular Columbia dress with UPF built in are some of Amazon’s other genius finds — there are even wearable pouches for keeping your phone from overheating!

So prepare yourself for the chillest summer of travel yet. Here are the 15 best items of cooling clothes this travel writer has discovered — all under $50 and ready to save you from the summer sun no matter where in the world you’re headed. 

Mission Cooling Neck Gaiter

One lightweight piece of fabric is about to transform the way you travel this summer. Just soak the Mission Cooling Neck Gaiter in water, pull it over your head, and within a minute it’ll cool up to 30 degrees below your body temperature for about two hours before needing a re-soak. Your neck is a pulse point, and keeping it cool has a ripple effect on your entire body. This No. 1 best-selling neck gaiter even has UPF 50 built in. “It’s a lifesaver when I’m outside in this delightful 102-degree Fahrenheit heat (thanks, Texas)!” wrote a shopper.

To buy: amazon.com, $15

Konhill Casual Walking Shoes

Remember those breathable mesh shoes I wore all over Europe? These Amazon fan favorites are almost a dead ringer for them, except these are even better; they’re slip-ons. Wearing shoes like this is almost like wearing a pair of the most breathable socks you’ve ever come across, but with thick, bouncy souls attached and cushioned insoles. And these Konhill walking shoes are so flexible, you could easily stash them in your tote bag. “I was looking for a walking shoe that would be easy slip on [and] off for airport security and could hold up while doing some city walking,” wrote a happy customer. “ These shoes are so comfortable and support my feet so well that I want to buy a dozen more.”

To buy: amazon.com, $39

Columbia Women’s Freezer III Dress

This isn’t your average little black dress. In fact, this Columbia LBD’s name gives away its secrets. Made with the brand’s advanced cooling technology, the Freezer Dress is the perfect one-and-done outfit that’s designed to help you chill through even the stickiest tropical getaways. Its signature fabric wicks sweat away from your body while UPF 30 blocks UVA and UVB rays. 

One fellow Travel + Leisure writer swears by it so much, she said this genius dress has completely changed the way she travels — and even went as far as to say is she “could only wear one look for the rest of my life, it would definitely be this travel-friendly dress I get compliments on wherever I go.” But take it from Amazon shoppers too; one shopper called it “an essential for travel” and said it “washes in the sink and line dries overnight, no ironing, doesn’t wrinkle, and in black, looks perfect for any occasion.”

To buy: amazon.com, $40 (originally $55)

Chartou Women’s Loose Cotton Linen Palazzo Pants

These breezy cotton linen pants will keep you calm, cool, and collected on your next trip thanks to their lightweight, loose construction and breathable material — we can practically hear the beach calling your name. And travelers are taking note of these cooling pants, too. One happy customer who called them “perfect” said they’re “extremely comfortable” and “will definitely keep me cool in the summer” while another five-star reviewer who packed the pants for a 10-day trip to Europe said they, “loved them so much that I wore them every day and just laundered them halfway through and never used the other pants I brought.”

To buy: amazon.com, $26 (originally $33)

Phoozy Apollo II Series Thermal Phone Case

Okay, so technically it’s not clothing, but if you’ve ever fallen asleep on the beach and accidentally overheated your phone, then a cooling phone case needs to be on your packing list. The Phoozy Apollo II Series case you may have seen on Shark Tank uses NASA spacesuit technology to absorb an out-of-this-world 95 percent of the sun’s rays without blocking Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals. The water-resistant case is also a brilliant boating companion: If your phone accidentally falls overboard, the case floats! “The perfect iPhone pouch for cyclists,” one reviewer called it. “I was skeptical at first because it seemed a little more padded and soft than necessary, but then I went for a ride… it’s perfect.”

To buy: amazon.com, $35

BuiltCool Adult Cooling Baseball Hat

For a sporty look, this baseball cap by BuiltCool will be your constant companion at pickleball matches, outdoor concerts, farmers’ markets —  really, wherever the day takes you. The material not only wicks sweat, but if you wet it and snap it, it also becomes a cooling cap. It’s one size fits all with a Velcro adjuster in the back. One traveler who bought it for their trip to Walt Disney World wrote, “Every day down there was in the mid-90s and excessive humidity. I wore it every single day and all I ever had to do was pop in a restroom or find a water fountain, soak it, and put it on my head.” They even went as far as to say, “This hat saved my life, and it kept me much much cooler.”

To buy: amazon.com, $18

Baleaf Quick Dry Hiking Pants

Get as active as you want to be this summer — Baleaf Quick Dry Hiking Pants are breathable and sweat-resistant, and because they’re so lightweight and comfortable, you can trek for hours in the jungle and still play it unbelievably cool. The Amazon No. 1 best-sellers also have UPF 50 built in, so the sun won’t have access to you. And just like any great cargo pants, they’re packed with pockets. One reviewer wrote, “Wore these hiking in 90-degree Fahrenheit weather in Mississippi and they worked great. They kept the bugs out and were still cool enough to not regret wearing them in the heat.”

To buy: amazon.com, $36 (originally $53)

Aeuui Racerback Tank Top

This racerback by Aeuui, the number one best-selling activewear tank top at Amazon, will keep you cool no matter what climate you’re in or sport you’re partaking in thanks to lightweight, moisture-wicking fabric that absorbs sweat and a strategically placed mesh panel between the shoulder blades. This top comes in more than 20 solid and marbled colors. “Great top for working out or playing tennis,” wrote one of almost 11,000 shoppers who gave the tank five stars. They continued to say it’s “flattering, breathable, and true to size.”

To buy: amazon.com, $17 with on-site coupon (originally $30)

Hanes Women’s Wireless Bra With Cooling, Seamless Smooth Comfort 

Almost 20,000 Amazon shoppers have been playing it so cool in this moisture-wicking bra that they gave it a perfect rating. Thanks to its “Cool Comfort fabric,” a breathable, moisture-wicking material, this bra will erase boob sweat from your life and your vacation photos. It’s seamless enough for thin T-shirts and has four-way stretch and no tag, so you might even forget to take it off after a long day. “For a curvy girl, the fit was perfect and supportive, straps did not dig into shoulders, no bunching or rolling up, everything stayed in place,” one five-star reviewer wrote. “I wore it while sleeping and on the plane (long flight wanted to be comfortable) and was completely comfortable.”

To buy: amazon.com, $13 (originally $16)

Hanes Women’s Cool Dri Long Sleeve Moisture Wicking Tee

Practically the perfect top for boat days, outdoor workouts, and walking tours this summer, this silky polyester tee has Cool Dri technology and a UPF 40+ UV protection rating that ensures you’ll stay comfy even if you’re directly in the sun. It’s also quick drying — always a bonus if you’re out and about on a hot day. One shopper raved about the value of this top, saying it’s, “very comfy” and “I love to garden; these tops keep me cool and the pests away. Also super cute under a blazer or jacket.” And at just $11, it’s a no-brainer.

To buy: amazon.com, $11 (originally $18)

Mission Cooling Bucket Hat, UPF 50

Keep a cool head with this Amazon bucket hat by Mission that has more than 16,000 perfect reviews. This isn’t your average topper; it actually has UPF 50 built into the material — that means it deflects 98 percent of the sun’s rays. And feel free to wear this hat while boating or kayaking, or at the pool because it’s water activated: as soon as it gets wet, the fabric cools, lowering your core body temperature. Just how good is this hat? One reviewer who’s a mailman in Arizona “stands in direct sunlight 4 hours a day 5 days a week” and relies on this hat to keep them cool. They said, “I have a very small cooler filled with ice water that I plunge my neck towel and this hat into about every hour once the temperature is above 90 degrees in the shade, which is 105+ degrees Fahrenheit in the sun… I need this hat.”

To buy: amazon.com, $20

Cossniss Dry Fit Golf Polo Shirt

Men can find some pretty great cooling clothing at Amazon, too. Hit the green looking like solid gold and feeling as cool as a cucumber in this lightweight, sweat-wicking polo shirt that’s designed to keep you comfortable for hours in the blazing sun. The Cossniss Dry Fit Golf polo shirt is also super soft, stretchy, and doesn’t even have a tag, so there’s nothing to distract you from scoring a hole in one. One shopper raved about just how effective this shirt is, saying “The temperature was around 100 degrees Fahrenheit with 60 percent humidity.. “The shirt did the job to keep me cool and no sweat stains.” 

To buy: amazon.com, $17

Hey Dude Wally Slip-Ons

If you want to stay cool right down to your toes, look no further than the ever-popular Wally slip-ons by Hey Dude, which happen to be Amazon’s No. 1 best selling loafers and practically a phenomenon. More than 75,000 five-star reviewers do not lie: the Wally shoes are so lightweight, “It’s like you’re not even wearing shoes,” one fan wrote. Thanks to a breathable cotton upper, “they stay dry all day,” notes another. The Wallys come in plenty of color options, and although they rank high in the men’s department, they’re actually a unisex pair.

To buy: amazon.com, $36 (originally $60)

Dickies Short Sleeve Performance Cooling Tee

Do you dare wear a black T-shirt to an all-day park outing? When it’s a Performance Cooling Tee by Dickies, yes you do — no sweat at all. This miraculous cotton blend top is actually a smart tee. Dickies calls the technology Temp-iQ, which means it responds to your skin’s temperature by cooling off, wicking sweat, and providing UV protection. It comes in other colors too.  “This thing is a winner for hot weather,” one fan wrote. “Air moves through it as if it were mesh.”

To buy: amazon.com, $32

Coofandy Men’s Linen Loose Pant 

You can’t talk cooling clothing without making mention of the ultimate cooling fabric: linen. This lightweight pair is an Amazon number one best-seller for a few very good reasons. First and foremost, linen is exceedingly breathable. Secondly, these linen pants by Coofandy have an elastic waist with drawstring, so you can adjust the fit and be just as comfortable doing your morning meditation as you can taking a long walk around town. “I wore these during a May backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” wrote one of more than 7,000 five-star fans. “I love the sun protection, and they didn’t ride down with the backpack on like other pants I’ve tried. Also very lightweight and quick drying.” So bring on the summer heat — you’ll be prepared.

To buy: amazon.com, $33 (originally $40)

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.