Cold weather hats with brims that keep your ears warm

[Patrick Moore]

Curious what others wear on their heads to keep scalp and hears comforable when the temps drop below freezing. Watch caps/tuques/knit caps are warm, but I prefer something with a short brim to block sun and wind.

I’ve got a several-model-years-old Pear Izumi stretch synthetic cap that is good to just below 40*F at our relatively high winter morning humidity levels but when temps approach freezing I need more ear protection.

I also have an old Large Walz wool caps with ear flaps that is big enough to cover an Outdoor Research synthetic skull cap, and that works well down to the low 20s (when it approaches 20*F I wear a ND State Trooper’s hat from Fargo), but I’d like to get another winter cycling hat that has a brim and keeps my ears warm down to the upper teens, whether with or without the skull cap.

I don’t like hoods.

Note: I do not wear a helmet.

Does anyone have a suggestion? URL?

Aside: to vent: riding south this afternoon I came across a rather fat young man riding north on a small ICE motorcycle, tho’ he wasn’t going more than 25 mph. I felt the urge to do something but the encounter was too short for a plan. I daresay that any plan would have been fruitless or counter-productive anyway. Stupid city council who a few months ago legalized all kind of electric-assist 2-wheelers on our car-separated bike paths. I’m curious what others might do in this kind of situation: yell? Throw yourself athwart his path? Take an iPhoto and call the cops? Sign gravely and go on your way? Make fun of him on a bicycle discussion list?

He wasn’t as fat as this, but he was short and on a small ICE motorbike with longish dark hair and beard.

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Patrick Moore

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

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[rlti...@gmail.com]

Rapha used to sell a “deep winter” cap or something like that. It was similarly shaped to a cycling cap but insulated and with ear flaps. Kept my head cold when I visited NYC in February one year. Temps were in the single digits with heavy winds.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 25, 2025, at 5:47 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



Curious what others wear on their heads to keep scalp and hears comforable when the temps drop below freezing. Watch caps/tuques/knit caps are warm, but I prefer something with a short brim to block sun and wind.

I’ve got a several-model-years-old Pear Izumi stretch synthetic cap that is good to just below 40*F at our relatively high winter morning humidity levels but when temps approach freezing I need more ear protection.

I also have an old Large Walz wool caps with ear flaps that is big enough to cover an Outdoor Research synthetic skull cap, and that works well down to the low 20s (when it approaches 20*F I wear a ND State Trooper’s hat from Fargo), but I’d like to get another winter cycling hat that has a brim and keeps my ears warm down to the upper teens, whether with or without the skull cap.

I don’t like hoods.

Note: I do not wear a helmet.

Does anyone have a suggestion? URL?

Aside: to vent: riding south this afternoon I came across a rather fat young man riding north on a small ICE motorcycle, tho’ he wasn’t going more than 25 mph. I felt the urge to do something but the encounter was too short for a plan. I daresay that any plan would have been fruitless or counter-productive anyway. Stupid city council who a few months ago legalized all kind of electric-assist 2-wheelers on our car-separated bike paths. I’m curious what others might do in this kind of situation: yell? Throw yourself athwart his path? Take an iPhoto and call the cops? Sign gravely and go on your way? Make fun of him on a bicycle discussion list?

He wasn’t as fat as this, but he was short and on a small ICE motorbike with longish dark hair and beard.

<image.png>

--

Patrick Moore

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

But wouldst gabble like a thing most brutish,

I endowed thy purposes with words that made them known.

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[Michael Connors]

Blue Lug offers hats that meet your description, but may not be warm enough on a moving bike at that temperature.

https://bluelug.com/blog/global/winter-duckbill-hats/

[Steven Sweedler]

Patrick, try a balaclava under your hat. Minus33 makes the one I am using  these days, adds a lot of warmth with little bulk. 

Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

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[Garth]

I too prefer the layering approach for headwear also. Be it a balaclava over a favorite cycling cap or just a winter cap over it. Cycling caps are hard enough to find ones that fit right, trying to find just the right amount of insulation and wind blocking is a never ending goose chase. By balaclava I'm refering to the ones that encirle your face profile, not the kind meant to cover your face and make you look like you're on a tactical mission. I think the term has largely been butchered to include what I always knew as a simple "face mask", something that covered your head and face except around the eyes and possibly a mouth opening. I always knew a balaclava to be head covering with an entirely open (oval) face. 

This one, the Serious Wind Pro X-treme is a balaclava that has a lower face panel that can be pulled down. I've hed this for quite a few years an it appears a popular model. The fleece is genuine Polartec Wind Pro, which is tighter knit fleece(no barriers or laminates) that is more effective at resisting wind. Might be too warm for you, I can't say. They do have lighter weight varieties though of varying types. 

https://www.seirus.com/collections/balaclavas-head-47-face/products/wind-pro-x-treme-hood

https://www.seirus.com/collections/balaclavas-head-47-face

[Russell Duncan]

Several years ago I got this Russian Ushanka hat from the makers of Triton bicycles at the NAHBS show in Connecticut. It’s wicked warm and it may even cushion a little in the event of a fall, and you may even get noticed. I’d say, the Ushanka coupled with a Sereius neoprene half mask and ski goggles would be just right. 

Russell Duncan

Western Massachusetts 

On Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 3:24:26 AM UTC-5 Steven Sweedler wrote:

[Richard Rose]

These are fantastic. Several weights, MUSA & on sale. Great guy. I have four of his hats.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 26, 2025, at 7:12 AM, Russell Duncan <rus...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/12ff1e19-a3ae-4698-9529-1f938a982940n%40googlegroups.com.

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[velomann]

Randi Jo Fabrications Wool Flip-up caps are my personal favorite. I wear them for cold weather cycling and cross country skiing. Oregon-made.

https://randijofab.com/collections/caps/products/copy-of-wool-flip-up-caps

I also have a couple Sheila Moon caps with ear flaps that work great. I mourn the death of that SF company - they made good stuff.

Mike M

[J G]

Swrve has always had a great selection of winter caps:

https://swrve.us/collections/winter-caps

Not sure how many they have left that fit big heads as I always had to pick my spots.  Check the fit notes, but for small to medium sizes, they have some really nice caps still.

For the coldest days, I do tend to wear an extra layer as well with a wool beanie or wool cycling cap liner that I got from the original Ibex brand a decade plus ago.

-Justus

Mpls, MN

[matt miller]

I’ve always liked a Stormy Kromer, but you may not like the style.

Matt in STL 

[lucky...@gmail.com]

I don’t have any in fleece but I am a big fan of hats from Lugs Not Drugs, made by Zephyr Line (@zephylineworkshop) 

And he currently has upcycled fleece hats. 

I actually had a custom made by Zephyr just by messaging directly so you can probably get whatever you want made including ear flaps. 

On Jan 26, 2025, at 08:34, J G <cjus...@gmail.com> wrote:

Swrve has always had a great selection of winter caps:

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[Eric Marth]

I second Mike's recommendation of the Randi Jo wool flip up caps. The merino ear cover can tuck into the hat when you don't need to cover your ears. They also make a version in waxed canvas with the same merino cover. I really appreciate that the RJF designs often use neutral colors, nice solids, no labels, no logos, no bright colors. Made in Oregon. 

https://randijofab.com/collections/caps/products/copy-of-wool-flip-up-caps

[Eric Marth]

I've also used a Buff brand merino wool neck gaiter up around my ears, they're 100% wool and easy to turn into a balaclava. I start with it around my neck and pull it up around the back of my head to cover my ears, then put my helmet over that. Depending on how cold it is I pull it over my mouth and nose. Easy to adjust while riding

I'll add that my wool buff is older and the newer ones aren't as good. They have a big seam in them and the wool finish isn't as nice. Newer ones are by no means bad, just not as good as they were :0) 

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, all. I scored 2 Rapha winter caps in a “VL” — very large — size at a good price. 

I agree that layering is good and I hope the Raphas, like my Walz but not my Pearl Izumi, will be large enough to cover my Outdoor Research winter skull caps. I do have a Buff and a much better Varusteleka neck gaiter as well as a wool balaclava that they should indeed accommodate.

The Randi Jo caps look very nice, but the price for the Raphas was too good to pass up.

35 years ago I had a Chinese-made but still very, very nice shearling hat with wooly earflaps that folded up and strapped in place until you needed to lower them. I wish I had kept it, but I was young and hot blooded and thought, I’ll never need a hat this warm in Albuquerque winters. The State Trooper hat from Fargo is an inferior replacement, but it works — I sat outside on my back patio on Friday morning at 20*F air temp per the thermometer on my shaded front porch but in the dazzling (even in winter) southerly mile-high sun wearing that hat, the light down jacket, and a heavy LLBean sweatshirt over a cheap t-shirt, and I was comfortable despite small breezes. This morning a dressy navy Varusteleka watch cap kept my ears warm at ~20*F as I walked the dog. But I like my winter cycling caps to have brims.

My “trooper” hat isn’t as elaborate as this one, but it’s close.

[Patrick Moore]

The Snek and Swrv hats also look very good; thanks to those suggesting them and also to every one else — useful information, all of it. In fact, I’d forgotten about my merino balaclava since it had been displaced by the neck gaiters and the OR skull caps.

[Kieran J]

My winter daily is the Ornot Decadent Winter Cap. Not particularly cheap but very cozy and well-made. 

https://www.ornotbike.com/products/decadentwinter-cap

KJ

Victoria, BC

[Jim Kerrigan]

https://randijofab.com/products/copy-of-wool-flip-up-caps

Randi Jo, who makes caps and saddle covers for the RBW catalog, has a great wool cap with ear covering that fits under a helmet. 

[Aaron Morris]

These from blue lug could fir the ~bill~

They've been out for a bit so there's only to 1 color left

[claudia Jacobs]

I don't find I need a brim with my sunglasses, so I have found the buff gator/headband has been perfect for cold weather, and doesn't feel uncomfortably too warm when I start to work up some heat while riding.  They come in different wool weights and there are certainly other manufacturers....

[tio ryan]

I've been very happy with the Red Dot earflap cap I purchased based off the comment from RichS on your previous cap thread. Shipping was fast (and free) and it seems they're 25% off at the moment. The M/L size fits big and I bought that when I had much more hair than I do now. I get compliments on it all the time, maybe I'll buy another. 

-tio 

[Russell Duncan]

Pace brand, cold weather, MUSA, reversible wool bicycle hats. I have one. Not only do I wear it under my cycling helmet, but I use it when beneath a rock climbing helmet and under my construction site PPE helmet. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/375122970776

Russell Duncan

Western Massachusetts 

[Patrick Moore]

At 5K+ feet, I need a brim even with dark sunglasses.

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[Patrick Moore]

An update: I just got and tried on the Rapha caps I bought new for about half price. They are truly wonderful, both in materials and above all in coverage, far, far better than the Pearl Izumi and Walz I already have. I daresay that the Randi Jo and others suggested might be as good, but in the event, I am entirely happy with the Raphas. Four thumbs up!

[James McGregor]

Not a cycling cap, and I know I'm late to the thread, but I *really* like the Airblaster Quick Strike cap I picked up this year.  It's a snowboarding cap.  I loathe tight/non-adjustable knit caps and I gotta have a brim.

[tio ryan]

That Airblaster cap looks great! On-sale right now too 

[Robert Tilley]

I meant to add this one earlier. Also not a bike specific cap but it does have a small brim and covers the ears. The draw string is nice as it goes around your ears so you can limit the amount of air that gets in there. Fjallraven has many hats in this style but this one is light, warm, and water resistant. Not cheap but sales are sometimes found. My wife wanted one like mine but I found them hard to source recently.

https://varuste.net/en/p123521/fj%C3%A4llr%C3%A4ven-singi-x-cap

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

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[Patrick Moore]

Now that is one I’ll have to buy for really low temps. It looks like a much better design for cycling than the “Fargo” state trooper’s hat I have now, with a shorter and rounder brim — easier to see out from under it — and a more flexible but still insulated construction; and a good price. On my list for an multiple-item order.

Regarding air: does anyone else put glasses temples outside the earflaps? I do this to prevent little “air tunnels” that channel freezing air to my ears. The shades stay up fine.

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