Sun Hat vs Hoodie & Ball Cap

[Mark Ries]

Wide brimmed Tilly dipped in water every chance I get If I didn’t have access to much water I might rethink.  Responding to David’s post saying not to laugh, sorry. I would have thought they would have added a solar charger

[David Gardner]

@mtmnmark: It is solar charged. The panel is on top, towards the rear. And it’s OK, I expect some chuckles and eye rolls.

[JCH]

Summers in NC Fla are hot…and by hot I mean 95 deg and 95% humidity.  I don’t hike in the summer.  But in the late Fall/Winter/early Spring months I hike a lot and my sun solution is quite simple and well proven.  An Insect Shield CoolNet UV+ buff worn with cap and sunglasses exactly as the picture at the top of that page depicts.  Button up the neck of the shirt and add sun gloves…there is no skin exposed.

FYI, that buff is very light and breathable…you can even feel a breeze through it.

[jscott]

Yep,. the Sunshades drape hat can get the same kind of coverage as the buff above. But the sunshades drape hangs a lot looser off the face and neck.

[Dustin V]

+1 on the OR Sun Runner. I’ve tried a lot of things (bucket hat, Buff, bandana, other caped hats…), but have settled on this one. I don’t like a wide brimmed hat hitting my backpack or blowing off in gusts and strangling me with the chinstrap. I grabbed a sun hoodie last year to try out the concept and it did work okay. The fabric did absorb most of the heat and dispersed my sweat, so it wasn’t roasting, but any breeze was welcome. The loose hood did allow for some ventilation.

Just be aware that the brim on the sun runner is kind of short and the hat has mesh on the sides. Also, the cape has some vents and a little drawstring at the bottom.

[jscott]

ooops, I meant the Sunprecautions drape hat…

[Daniel Oxnard]

I found basically this same hat at a dumpy peddlers mall for about the same cost. Weighs 2.3 oz.

Breezy. and comfortable, and good shading.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/351764022930?chn=ps&var=620691460261&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=620691460261_351764022930&targetid=1068323861710&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9014506&poi=&campaignid=12593971844&mkgroupid=114949575330&rlsatarget=pla-1068323861710&abcId=9300522&merchantid=8346874&gclid=CjwKCAjw-e2EBhAhEiwAJI5jg1uqxuSf5CzB2M8yS0QFVzbomrpD_wSr5sdig0u28Uar9Y9yHPjBkxoCpXwQAvD_BwE

 

[David Sugeno]

I am a hoodie/ball cap guy.  Patagonia Tropic Comfort 2 with an OR Swift cap.  I much prefer this approach over a fully brimmed sun hat, I find it comfortable and versatile with less visual obstruction.  YMMV.

[Flat Hat]

I’ve been using this sun cap from OZ for the last two years.  Bought it used on BPL but is available direct from the manufacturer or on Ebay:

Large (really long and wide) brim and super breathable with netting in the vent slits to keep bugs out.

https://sunprotectionaustralia.com/adapt-a-cap/

[SIMULACRA]

Roger is not cool like Gary Numan :)

Okay…WHO the heck is Gary Numan? and why haven’t I been introduced to his tailor. It’s fantastic urban sheik meets sahara nomad!

I use a sun visor. The OR_Radar. Keeps the sun out of my eyes, the rain off my glasses and the heat escapes freely. If I need to cover myself up more due to sun or snow reflection I use my hooded Arcteryx_Squamish wind jacket. Breathes incredibly well.

[JCH]

Gotta say…that Adapt-a-cap looks really sweet. However $27 + $27 shipping is a total buzz-kill.

[JCH]

@simulacra – Given the spot-on humor I’m pretty sure you are kidding, but just in case you aren’t: Gary Numan.  Hint: the 1979 hit “Cars”.  His recent schtick has not been nearly as popular as he was 40 years ago.

Personally, I would opt for a Fremen Stillsuit

[Joshua B]

+1 on the OR Radar Visor.  Folds up small, breathes as a visor should, and is a versatile piece of all-weather gear in conjunction with a wind jacket and buff/bandana.  As a glasses wearer, I appreciate having a brim over my eyes in any weather.  However, when on my fishing boat on the lake, I wear a wide brim sun hat for maximum protection.  When just sittin’, the sun hat is fine.  When moving, I prefer my visor.  I’m in the Midwest though with frequent canopy coverage on trails and high humidity in the warmer months.  Those of you who only hike in the great wide open, I can understand wanting more hat for the hike.

[David Gardner]

Add this to a ball cap or DIY

[SIMULACRA]

+1 on the Dune Stillsuit! That just brought my childhood back life

I’ll have to admit though, my preferred sun gear isn’t designed for desert regions, just mid/high altitudes of the PNW

[Axel J]

+1 on soaking the hat in water! I’m in SoCal and live in an area that is south facing so the sun can be brutal here too. I have found that most hats are good at protecting the scalp but less so on protecting the face from the rays reflecting back onto the face and neck, especially on or near water so the ball cap is really just protecting the eyes from sun glare. I wear a canvas Tilley and an old Patagonia gaiter style face shield pulled up over my nose to my sun glasses. The Tilley has a couple of rips in the crown now so I’m thinking of replacing it with the Tilley canvas Bucket. They advertise it as their highest UPF rated hat even though buckets can be a bit dorky looking. I find natural fiber hats more comfortable to wear all day than nylon too.

[HkNewman]

JCH said

..sun solution is quite simple and well proven.  An Insect Shield CoolNet UV+ buff worn with cap and sunglasses exactly as the picture at the top of that page depicts

Actually seen some mostly hikers out West who hike like that.  I’ve tried it and quickly overheat though.    Individual metabolism, rates of sweating, etc.. probably factor in on it.

[Paul S]

I use a broad-brimmed hat I got from a company (a great company!) called “Sequel.” No longer in business (I wish they were!).

When we are traveling in snow, with light reflecting upwards, then I add a large bandana that I place under the hat so that it hangs down over both sides of my face to protect against light coming from the side. Also, a small bandana tied around my neck to protect neck (front, and sides) from getting burned/aged.

[jscott]

My understanding is that cotton does a  poor job of keeping out sun rays that can damage skin. It’s not just a matter of not getting burned. I suppose that’s why higher spf fabrics aren’t made from cotton.

[Roger Caffin]

UL cotton – poor SPF.
Heavier calico – it works.

Cheers

[Axel J]

I would think a UL cotton is very thin and flimsy, unsuitable for a good stiff brim. Many baseball caps are also 100% cotton. Maybe a Merino wool brimmed hat might be a better natural fiber choice? Too hot you might think, but polyester can be as well. Regardless of fabric, a good fitted hat for comfort does wonders for me who has an XXL head and the back tab adjusted hats just don’t cut it.

[Paul McLaughlin]

I have a Sunday Afternoons hat, I like the coverage. I also have an OR Echo hoody, and I have tried the ballcap/hoody combination and I find it warmer for sure. And still less coverage than the big brim. My main reason for trying that is windy conditions when it’s tough to keep the big brimmed hat on. If I was going to be in alpine condtions , consistently above timberline, I might go the ballcap/hoody route, expecting breezy conditions that would keep me from overheating. but for typical high Sierra conditions in the summer. I think I’ll stick with the big brim.

For spring ski trips, at 10-12K altitudes, which is the worst UV exposure I’ve dealt with, I wear the hoody under the big brim. I have to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours maximum, starting at 9 am and going to 5 PM, and that gets to be a bit much, so I want all the coverage I can get, and the weather is cooler – though I sometimes still overheat in the hoody. But a little snow in the dome of the hat fixes that nicely. However, for next time I am seriously considering a light colored buff with eyeholes cut in it. All that sunscreen application, not to mention the lip balm every 20 minutes, is a drag. And I’ve never managed to completely avoid sunburn on one of those trips, no matter how diligent I am.

[obx hiker]

tried the OR cape + hat about 20 years ago. Got in the way. Prefer the Tilley airflow but with the tariffs I guess, they sure have gotten pricey. You do have to take care in the wind to strap up but it doesn’t get in the way of the pack and no vision restrictions that I’ve noticed.. I’m seeing quite a few of the wide brim woven soft straw hats on trail these days. The kind with the wide brim that extends down and out like the fishing guides and lifeguards wear. Probably have to be careful it doesn’t interfere with your pack.

About 40 years of ballcaps gets you a meeting with mean ‘ol Mr. Fluorouracil. No fun at all, though afterwards your skin does look and feel about 20 years younger. Good thing you guys are paying attention to the long game. My dermo MD tells me to block up every day.

Good one JCH with the Fremen photo. Immediately thought of Dune. Read that mostly lying in a hammock looking at Jockeys Ridge which added some great visuals. Good memories. Spice worms!

[bjc]

For me the Shelta sun hats have been a game changer, wide brims and the brim is stiff in the front so no dealing with floppy brims. Extremely cool on the head as well.

[Flat Hat]

JCH:  Regarding the $54 to get well designed a cap shipped to you, vs the $100 for a Tilley, $700 sleeping bags/$170 trail shoes (that last 300 miles), DCF tents/packs/ etc all the other UL expensive gear we use, not to mention the food/resupply charges/expense to get to the trail/loss of income/CF bearcan and so on.  $54 for the Adapt -A-Cap was the best $54 I spent on any gear so far.

The material is breathable, it keeps me from getting sunburnt, and there aren’t a bunch of other people wearing it on the trail like Tilley hats for example.

 

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