Best hat for sun protection while walking? -- Not too off-topic

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Patrick Moore

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Dec 8, 2020, 4:05:15 PM12/8/20
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We've discussed hiking or walking shoes, walking as supplementary exercise to cycling, and now --- hats. BTW, more walking, with attention to posture and longer stride, seems to have helped the minor back injury a great deal -- which obviously makes riding more comfortable -- so thanks for that.

Even in December the afternoon sun is very strong here at 5K+ feet, and my old straw cowboy hat, almost perfect when new, has stretched to the point where it comes down over my ears.

I want something with a wide brim, as light and ventilated as possible, and with a more structured look, not a crush hat.

I see all sorts of highly praised ones online; this and this and this, for example:




I've not bought a new hat, except for cycling caps, since about 1997, so I know next to nothing about them. 

I don't mind paying $100 for something that is really better than what you get for under $40, but the difference will have to be real.

I hate baseball caps.

Comments and suggestions?

Thanks.

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Patrick Moore
Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

aeroperf

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Dec 8, 2020, 6:29:41 PM12/8/20
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This one works for me.

rlti...@gmail.com

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Dec 8, 2020, 7:04:01 PM12/8/20
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Mine may be considered crush hats but they work for me. I do have a Filson waxed cotton brim hat but it’s too stiff for me so I rarely use it. I have also used Tilley hats quite a bit and do like them a lot but there are other cheaper hats that work as well for half the money.

I love OR hats. The XL sizes fit my gargantuan melon and they are typically 50 SPF. This one I like:


Railriders also sell a great sun hat. Theirs comes with a neck shade stowed in the underside of the brim that you can deploy when needed. I think the brim is a bit wider on this one too and they are on sale. This Company has other SPF clothes that are decent

San Diego, CA

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On Dec 8, 2020, at 1:05 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:


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ascpgh

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Dec 9, 2020, 9:13:35 AM12/9/20
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I got an Ex Officio wide brim sun hat to keep me from scalding during a July event on a golf course a few years ago. 

The problem is that if it's good enough, folks will have had them for years of continuous use and their recommendation is met with "no longer available" when searched unless from one of those $100 chapeaux vendors. I suggest monitoring Sierra Trading Post's website.

Andy Cheatham
Pittsburgh



On Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 4:05:15 PM UTC-5 Patrick Moore wrote:

greenteadrinkers

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Dec 9, 2020, 9:56:02 AM12/9/20
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Ex Officio and Outdoor Research make great sun-protective clothing, I've used Ex Officio for extended trips throughout India, holds up well and keeps the sun off. Kava also offers sun hat solutions, a bit goofy but solid.

Scott

lconley

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Dec 9, 2020, 10:04:39 AM12/9/20
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My go-to is a Tilley. They make hats large enough and even too big. Started using Tilley after a recommendation from a sailing instructor. Washable. Downside is too many model choices. 
Back up is an REI - again too many model choices.

Laing

On Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 4:05:15 PM UTC-5 Patrick Moore wrote:

Patrick Moore

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Dec 9, 2020, 1:03:47 PM12/9/20
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Thanks much, all. I've looked at each suggestion, and will go back -- it has been a long time! -- to Ex Officio and Outdoor Research.

After reviewing the particular suggestions, I think I'll look for a cowboy-type of hat; after all, this is the southwest, and there seem to be quite a few made from mesh of one sort or another.

image.png

Not really like this one, though ...

greenteadrinkers

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Dec 9, 2020, 1:13:21 PM12/9/20
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Right, looking at the links you started out with, this seems a fairly close match: 


Can't say I have any experience with that hat, but, I've never had an issue with any OR products.

$36 fairly inexpensive.

Nick Payne

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Dec 9, 2020, 2:58:32 PM12/9/20
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I went to a few camping shops last week looking for just such a hat, but couldn't find anything that particularly suited. On the way home I walked past a pharmacy that had a collection of hats on display outside (it's summer here in the southern hemisphere), and I bought one of them - $A24, which is about $US18. A local brand named Kooringal, though, so probably not much use to you.

Nick

Patrick Moore

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Dec 9, 2020, 7:52:01 PM12/9/20
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That looks spot on; thanks.

Nick, I think online sellers may carry Kooringal in the US, or shippable to the US, but it looks as if there are many alternatives stateside.

(As teenager we affected African bush hats like this one. We'd pry out the little vent screens and use them as filters for our pot pipes, which we made them the local bamboo, to keep from sucking debris up the stem. We often did poor jobs of cleaning the stuff, which was sold with a branch of the plant wadded up and dried in a big ball wrapped in newspaper, with stems, seeds, and everything, so you'd have to clean out the junk to get the 25 or 30% that was smokable. I have no particular nostalgia for the pot -- nor any guilt nor righteous indignation at the stuff either; but I do have it for the hats and pipes and Bata Safari Boots.)

image.png

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rlti...@gmail.com

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Dec 9, 2020, 8:03:48 PM12/9/20
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OR sells something similar to that and I picked one up. No weed screen to pilfer though. I figured the shorter brim would be better for on bike use. For me sun protection is more important than a helmet although I could likely put a helmet on over the hat.


Robert Tilley
San Diego, CA

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On Dec 9, 2020, at 4:51 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:


That looks spot on; thanks.

Nick, I think online sellers may carry Kooringal in the US, or shippable to the US, but it looks as if there are many alternatives stateside.

(As teenager we affected African bush hats like this one. We'd pry out the little vent screens and use them as filters for our pot pipes, which we made them the local bamboo, to keep from sucking debris up the stem. We often did poor jobs of cleaning the stuff, which was sold with a branch of the plant wadded up and dried in a big ball wrapped in newspaper, with stems, seeds, and everything, so you'd have to clean out the junk to get the 25 or 30% that was smokable. I have no particular nostalgia for the pot -- nor any guilt nor righteous indignation at the stuff either; but I do have it for the hats and pipes and Bata Safari Boots.)

<image.png>

Berkeleyan

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Dec 9, 2020, 9:36:58 PM12/9/20
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For me, it's a Tillley. I have two, one in a greenish tint, the other Johnny Cash black. The green goes camping, backpacking, and bicycle touring, the black is for Zoom calls and walking to restaurants before covid times. They are superb in all aspects of construction, give very good shade, are reasonably rain-resistant, have a secret pocket for C-notes, and best of all, come in real hat sizes. I have a size 8 head, this is important.

- Andrew, Berkeley


Patrick Moore

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Dec 9, 2020, 9:55:30 PM12/9/20
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But tell me, why is it worth 3X the price of this one? https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/papyrus-brim-sun-hat-243408?cat=124,24,6,402

As I said at the beginning, I'll happily pay $100 for a hat if I get value for the $$, but I need to be convinced that a $90 or $100 hat is worth 2 or 3 times the price of the $36 the OR hat. 

What do the more expensive ones offer that the cheaper ones don't?

As Lord Peter Wimsey so sagely and sententiously observed so long ago, "It is not the brand that guarantees the quality, but the quality that guarantees the brand."

Patrick '7 3/4"' Moore

On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 7:37 PM Berkeleyan <asht...@gmail.com> wrote:
For me, it's a Tillley. I have two, one in a greenish tint, the other Johnny Cash black. The green goes camping, backpacking, and bicycle touring, the black is for Zoom calls and walking to restaurants before covid times. They are superb in all aspects of construction, give very good shade, are reasonably rain-resistant, have a secret pocket for C-notes, and best of all, come in real hat sizes. I have a size 8 head, this is important.

- Andrew, Berkeley


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rlti...@gmail.com

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Dec 10, 2020, 12:14:01 AM12/10/20
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The Tilley hats I have had wear well but don’t last me any longer than cheaper hats. They do, or at least used to, come with a cheap replacement price if you wear yours out. I never took advantage of that.

The Tilley hats were really well made though. Canadian sewn which is always good and they use quality materials. The Filson hat I own is also well made and has some leather bits on it. It is made in the USA which adds to the cost. Not a bad price for Filson though. This is the one I have.


The OR hats I’ve owned along with similar hats aren’t as well made and are made out of lesser materials. They are likely made overseas where labor is cheaper as well. They do last me a long time though. I have one I should get rid of since it is stained really badly but it is functionally fine.

Robert Tilley
San Diego, CA

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Jay Lonner

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Dec 10, 2020, 12:50:46 AM12/10/20
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I’ve had both Filson and Tilley. I strongly prefer the Tilley. The Filson is a PNW classic made of a waxed canvas material, great in the rain but not very breathable, which is an obvious drawback for a sun hat. There are many Tilley varieties, including vented models, although the one I have is made of cotton duck. I find it more much comfortable than the Filson, and it also has a clever strap system that will really keep it clamped to your head in windy conditions. It also floats. (Since I’m a boater and scuba diver, these qualities matter to me.) I’ve worn the Tilley in tropical and subtropical locales throughout the Caribbean and Pacific, and since I really try to avoid sunscreen due its detrimental effects on corals it is a must-have item when I travel  to these areas. Get the Tilley!

Jay Lonner
Bellingham, WA

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On Dec 9, 2020, at 9:14 PM, rlti...@gmail.com wrote:

The Tilley hats I have had wear well but don’t last me any longer than cheaper hats. They do, or at least used to, come with a cheap replacement price if you wear yours out. I never took advantage of that.

MikeS

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Dec 10, 2020, 9:41:57 AM12/10/20
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I’ve got a Tilley R7 straw hat, size XL, that I’m not wearing.  I tried to flog it on the Boblist a couple months ago but didn’t get any takers.  I just offered it to Patrick, but alas he’s looking for something more structured.  So here I am hijacking his thread to see if anyone else may be interested.

It’s pretty big.  It fits my 7 5/8 melon with room to spare.  It is a bit more floppy/casual than the photos in the links suggest.  It’s a sharp hat, just not my style.  I wore it once or twice this spring after purchasing it, but haven’t found myself grabbing it since.

I’d like to move it along to clear a spot on the hat rack and free up some budget for Christmas presents, so how does $50 plus postage sound?

Please contact me at beewak at gmail dot com

I’ve included a couple of links and a Tilley size chart below for reference.


https://www.amazon.com/Tilley-R7-Raffia-Town/dp/B01M7MWKON


Cheers-

Mike in Somerville, MA

Garth

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Dec 10, 2020, 6:48:04 PM12/10/20
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Patrick, forget the Papyrus, the brim is weak and floppy, like all their hats, wind or no wind. I tried that hat, own a few others, and returned many. OR is always about saving weight, saving it for what ? How can you save something that is at best, relative ? Oh but I digress.

I suspect the Tilley or Filson will hold their shape better, me having no first hand experience with them.

Craig Montgomery

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Dec 12, 2020, 1:16:31 AM12/12/20
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Have been bike touring and hiking with this guy for 2 decades. Good ventilation, not too big a brim (for bike touring), and side buttons so you can pretend you're an Aussie.  


Craig in Tucson
Here demonstrated by my buddy Michael while on a gold prospecting expedition.
Michael Amidst Ocotillo.jpg

Patrick Moore

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Dec 12, 2020, 10:54:36 AM12/12/20
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Thanks, Craig. If that works in lowland AZ it will work for upland NMN. But think I'll look for a wider brim and mesh construction; this hat will be exclusively for walking, not cycling. Perhaps I'll buy one like this and a mesh cowboy hat and be really overwhelmed with options.

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Glen

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Dec 12, 2020, 12:59:59 PM12/12/20
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Patrick, go to your local farm supply shop and check out their selection of straw sun hats. 

North of you we have IMF (Intermountain Farmers) whose straw hats are very popular in the fly fishing community. My mailman rocks his every day the sun is out.

Pro tip from the guy who sold me my Panama hat years ago. Fold up a paper towel and place it in the headband over your eyes to absorb sweat and keep the the hat from getting destroyed by sweat.

Jim M.

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Dec 12, 2020, 10:32:06 PM12/12/20
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On Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 6:55:30 PM UTC-8 Patrick Moore wrote:
I wear a 7 7/8 hat, and although OR XL "fits", it's a pretty snug fit. I really like my Tilley Airflo. It comes in my size and fits perfectly. The air flow is quite impressive. Here in Walnut Creek, we have plenty of 90+ summer days, and the Tilley works great in a hot dry climate. The fit is so good and the air flow is so efficient, that I'm not forced to use the chin strap until gusts get more than 25mph or so. The OR will blow off at much lower wind speeds. I was skeptical and avoided the Tilley price for a long time, but I'm sold now. As a plus, it floats, and it rolls up small with no harm if you need to stuff it into a pack.

big head jim
walnut creek, ca

Philip Williamson

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Dec 14, 2020, 11:42:20 PM12/14/20
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I support the Tilley hat recommendation. 

I fell in love with an orange and green one in REI a couple years ago, and popped a picture up on Instagram - "Talk me out of this $80 hat." One of our crew here replied, "Get a Tilley instead." I said, "It IS a Tilley." He said, "Oh. Get the hat." He was right; I haven't regretted it. It turned me into a hat person! I wear it for yard work, I wear it to walk downtown, and I put it in my bike basket to wear when I stop on a ride to loaf around. 

Another one of our crew loaned me his black Tilley at the Riv Jamboree and packed up before I could get it back to him. He told me "keep it," and I did, happily. It fits a little better than the one I bought at REI, and the brim is a little stiffer, which helps when riding. Having two is great, but so far I haven't lost one, unlike cycling caps which literally disappear on the first wearing. 

The hats coming in real hat sizes is amazing. I have a big head, and the perfect fit is comfortable and secure. I always put the strap behind my head instead of under my chin, and the hat has never blown off. 

Philip 
Santa Rosa, CA 




jack loudon

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Dec 15, 2020, 1:53:34 AM12/15/20
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One thing about Tilley hats that may not have been mentioned is that most are washable, and I like a hat that can withstand repeated washings.   My Airflow (now 6 years old) gets sweat stained and generally nasty, but a quick wash in the sink and it looks and smells like new - and keeps its shape.  I just wring it out and put it back on my head.  It's also all synthetic materials so the size has remained constant, where some of my cotton hats have shrunk.  I loved my 'Ultimate' brand boating hat, but had to soak it and stretch it over a head-sized bucket and it still shrunk back.  Filson doesn't seem to make any truly well-ventilated hats and their waxed cotton can't be thoroughly cleaned; mine got pretty ripe after a year or two.  There are probably a lot of good hats out there, but I'd buy another Tilley if mine got lost.

Jack  "bald and with pallid cancer-prone Irish skin, so hats are my friend"





On Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 6:55:30 PM UTC-8 Patrick Moore wrote:

Marty Gierke, Stewartstown PA

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Dec 15, 2020, 8:10:47 AM12/15/20
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I have a Tilley, but much prefer my OR Seattle Sombrero - lightweight, GoreTex and wide brim that can be Aussiefied on one side or both as needed. Great in the rain and snow, which is a good thing given the forecast for Thursday here in PA. 


The XL fits me better than any hat I've ever owned. I have a black one, but am tempted to get one in a lighter color for summer. 

Marty
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