Lightweight polyester or nylon LS shirts?

I am looking for a mens, long-sleeved, dress shirt in 100% nylon or polyester or a blend of the two. All of the shirts I have found so far are 35+% cotton - they look nice but they are not what I need. And, all of the "outdoor" nylon shirts such as those by ExOfficio are too thick/heavy, feature laden (mesh panels, zipper security pockets, bellows pockets, et al) and expensive ($65-$90).

What I am looking for is a simple, light-fabric, long-sleeved, long tailed, pocketed polyester or nylon dress-style shirt to wear as an alternative to sun screen and to help keep the breeze and bugs off my tender tummy. I like one pocket for my glasses but two would be even better. Can anybody help me by listing a source? Thanks.

Check out Duluth Trading Company. They have some very nice synthetic (nylon or poly, I am not sure) LS shirts with two flapped pockets and a small Napoleon pocket in a variety of colors, including some that are fairly bright. They also have short sleeve models as well. I have several and they are very versatile. I wear them for field work or hiking, but they will also do for an office casual environment.

You can get a sunburn through a lightweight dress shirt.

I have found some of what you are looking for at thrift stores. Maybe look at Men's Warehouse or something similar?

When I was 16, my dad sent me off to Philmont with a wool sweater and one of his thin dress shirts. I don't think it was cotton. Amazing how well this combo works.

One other thing I thought of. If it has a low cotton amount, and it is really thin, the cotton will dry fairly quickly.

I went this route because I hate to wear sunscreen and bug spray. I settled on the Mountain Hardware Canyon long-sleeve shirt, which claims UPF 30 sun protection. It's pretty comfortable, too.

as finallyME said, you can find a lot of good stuff in thrift stores. cheap and often new, too.

I would not worry about 35% cotton. My favoirte material is 60/40 nylon or rayon /cotton. The little bit if cotton adds breathability and I do not find it increases the dry time too much. I honestly do not like to hike in 100% nylon shirts - they just do not breath. The color of the shirt also adds sun protection - darker colors more protection. So if it is thin, go for darker colors.

Thanks for the suggestion. I have never tried 60/40 synthetic/cotton for shirts. I have an old (circa 1970) Sierra Designs mountaineering parka that is made of 60/40; the cotton is supposed to swell up when wet and close up the holes between the threads. This is claimed to make the garment more water resistant. I also have an old (circa 1958) 2-person REI (Co-op in those days) tent made of similar fabric. It was, still is in fact, single-walled, weighs about 5 lb with poles and cost about $25. Both of them served me well for a long time.
I'll try the 35% cotton shirt; I use the shirt mainly for sun protection and not warmth. And, there are a lot of part-cotton shirts available in thrift shops.

OR, thanks for the info. I looked and found a single pocket nylon shirt that looks promising and light weight. I have ordered one and will let you know how it works. Wandering Daisy suggested that I don't really need a 100% synthetic shirt and, in fact, I never wear one around here in the summer. So, I think I'll give one of the 60/40 shirts a try. It should be OK for my adventures in Arizona and in the summertime Sierra. I'll be sure to let you know.

FinallyME, I have gotten a tan through a shirt but never sunburn.
I have checked a lot of the local thrift shops and could only find shirts with 35% to 40% cotton. A lot of them would have been otherwise excellent though. Both you and Wandering Daisy have said that shirts with a small amount of cotton should dry fairly quickly so I am going to try out one of the 60/40 synthetic/cotton blends. I can get them for about $1 each at the local thrift shop. I don't use the LS shirt for warmth anyway, it is mostly a replacement for sun screen. I have had 11 basal cell carcinomas carved out of my hide so far this life and don't want any more.

This is an interesting concept I've never heard before. I've seen the spf mentioned on a shirt, but as Pika mentioned, I've never been sunburned through a shirt before. As far as colors, darker colors will absorb more radiative energy from the sun. That means you will get hotter. For that reason, if I was looking for a sun protection shirt, I would get a lighter color. It is interesting that it sounds like you would go the opposite route.

Pika, I've had great results with 40% cotton shirts, anything with less cotton can get a little hot depending on the weave. Like Tilley shirts which are 70/30. I'm looking around for something in polyester that breathes well but has some decent pockets. The fabric is called "coolmax" but any company name will do if it breathes and wicks well. Problem is that these types of shirts often are not pocketed up well like hiking shirts.

I wear these to work as well as hiking. Was wandering around Bass Pro Shop and looking for exactly this type of shirt for hiking/backpacking which offered sun protection, was lightweight enough to be comfortable and offered a cool-down effect when the pack was off. Was hoping to find one that could also be used on the golf course.

These fit the bill. I absolutely love them. Look for a sale and you can get them less than $40 too

Don't neglect adding a little style.

http://www.shakatime.com/hawaiian_shirt_store/product/PC-345-R.html
65% Polyester - 35% Cotton Blend

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-shirts/42507.aspx

*Textured fabric with subtle cooling crinkles floats over skin, circulating air
*Polyester/nylon fabric is featherlight, dries quick
*Moisture Control System finish wicks sweat, keeps you dry and looking good
*F.O.M. underarm gussets for unrestricted reach
*UPF 50+ protection from the sun's burning rays
*Button-secured chest pocket with hidden pencil pocket inside
*68% polyester/32% nylon

I know you said you were looking for a dress shirt but you might want to look into getting a LS rash guard. I use these for kayaking and have started wearing them anytime I am out in the sun. They wick away moisture and are extremely comfortable. I get the white ones as they reflect heat off of me.

There are many long-sleeved polyester fishing shirts, and they often have a decent UPF factor because they're designed for standing out in the sun. I purchased mine at Dick's Sporting Goods. The one made by Columbia seemed the most comfortable, but I have the Field & Stream brand. Mine doesn't wick sweat away well enough in humid forested areas.