MH Power Stretch beanie with a bill

That looks fantastic. I often wear a ballcap under a hood for glare in the sun or to keep my glasses dry. A bill combined with a power stretch beanie would be a great combination.

I have this in my pack for cold rain or snow protection. It's a waterproof PU coated ripstop with a fuzzy inside and a bit of synthetic puffy insulation. It's full weather protection for the head in cold weather, but too hot to wear hiking for very long. I prefer the breathability of Power Stretch beanies for sure

Even Power Stretch beanies can overheat pretty quickly. I just got one of the Patagonia Capilene 4 beanies. This thing provides no weather protection (wind, rain, snow), but on dry cold days (or under a shell hood), I think it will be fantastic. Even when I've got a hoodie, this would be just a little something in place when I flip the hood down. Or extremely breathable warmth, when I'm sweatin'. I think this will go alongside power stretch beanies as every day winter wear. They make a balaclava of the same material, but it appears to have sold out quickly.

"I just got one of the Patagonia Capilene 4 beanies. "

I didn't know they were making Cap4 hats (add to bargain watch list). That should be excellent under a hood and for sleep too. I have a Patagonia beanie that is R.5 material — a fine grid fleece. Super compact and light.

I usually need the ear protection as much as anything and a light layer does it most of the time. I have a headband too, but I'm on the fence for packing both a beanie and the band. Buffs are good, but I need an XL one. My wife loves 'em.

The "Peruvian" style caps in a windproof fleece are my favorite for colder weather. This billed cap is a nice variation. The fabric on the front adds a little protection and the hood doesn't need to be drawn down so tight. I've found that a cap will a bill can "cure" a bad hood too. And I don't mean 'hood :)

I use a peruvian windproof fleece hat. Not because it's perfect (it's close) but because it was on sale.

But it works great! I'd like a bill, the top hat looks fantastic. And the marmot, too.

I have the MH version of this. I love it, but I wonder why HELL there needs to be so much branding – it didn't use to be this way. Add insult to injury, you can't just seam-cut the logo off because it isn't a patch, its embroidered in an extremely difficult way. Damn them.

//RANT

There's so much branding because, at the end of the day, you are talking about the fashion industry. All of these companies are selling a brand image, lifestyle, etc. I mean… look at a Patagonia catalog. You'd swear the only people they sell very expensive clothes to relax on little perches suspended from rock walls instead of the local Starbucks.

Because we buy the stuff. I have old Patagonia that you have to work to find a tiny tag or color-blended logo, like the one above. Contrast that with the First Ascent backpacks. If reviewers hammered this issue, I think it would chill a bit.

I do like the nut logo, especially on a cap :)

"You'd swear the only people they sell very expensive clothes to relax on little perches suspended from rock walls instead of the local Starbucks."

$500 Arcteryx rain shells on the bus, 800FP down on a 65F afternoon. I *do* like my Coach messenger bag, but that was only $20 :)

Those purchases probably keep the prices lower for the rest of us, but they certainly could tone it down.

One plus for the OR Peruvian hat is that you can wear it over a baseball cap.

This allows for a brim and the ability to take it on and off as needed without removing the baseball cap.

Wear it without the baseball cap to sleep in.

Sounds like a Peruvian with a Velcro bill might work :)

That's a neat idea. I wear a regular ball cap to keep precipitation out of my face and layer a beanie over the top of the hat.

>> Those purchases probably keep the prices lower for the rest of us, but they certainly could tone it down.

Actually, probably just the opposite. Positioning outdoor brands as high-end designer labels drives the price up. Makes it more "desireable", more "exclusive". Take a look at where Patagonia's stores are located.

And, of course, part of their brand image is small logos (and spending 1% of what you pay for a $150 fleece to save the whales or something so people feel like they are making a statement and part of a cause with their clothing…

Personally, I wear a HeadSweats race hat when I'm moving. I may incorporate a merino Buff if it gets chilly, but it has to drop below 20° F first.