The 6 Finest Solar Hats of 2024

Finest Solar Hat for Technical Use

Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey

SPECIFICATIONS

One of many top-performing solar hats throughout the board, particularly for technical use, is the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey. This hat supplies nice safety from the solar whereas remaining light-weight, snug, breathable, and tremendous packable. We liked having this mannequin with us on all our backpacking journeys. Its down-sloping brim is substantial, and the lengthy neck cape protects you from the extraordinary alpine solar, even when it’s a little dorky. It is also much less prone to intervene with a backpack, which makes it a really snug alternative. The brim folds in half and stuffs in your pack on the times you do not want it. It has many stunning options, together with a sunglass keeper and anti-glare materials below the brim for touring on reflective surfaces like water or snow.

The one draw back to this high performer is that you could have to sacrifice your ego to rock this hat. The Extremely Journey will not be probably the most trendy, and we thought the Filson Summer time Packer regarded higher. However this mannequin has all the things else you are searching for to cease the “Loss of life Star” from frying your neck and face. This hat covers you, from washing your automotive or gardening to sweltering desert hikes or summer time kayak floats down your native creek.

Learn extra: Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey evaluation

Finest All-Round Solar Hat

Filson Summer time Packer

SPECIFICATIONS

The Filson Summer time Packer protected our pores and skin, stole our hearts, and earned its place within the highlight. With clear traces and a basic fedora type, this is without doubt one of the most tasty hats we examined. However it performs so significantly better than a easy style accent. The Summer time Packer is sturdy, breathable, and holds up extraordinarily properly to being folded and crushed inside a pack. The design of this hat additionally makes it extra appropriate with a backpack than the opposite full-brim hats we examined, so it is an possibility for backpacking journeys with a big pack. This is without doubt one of the most snug fashions we examined. We may fortunately go all day with out taking it off.

No hat is ideal. The Summer time Packer‘s most important downsides are that it isn’t adjustable (although it is available in 5 sizes), and it isn’t as protecting as another hats in our evaluation, particularly the cape-style hats. As a result of these limitations, it is not the best choice for extra demanding outside pursuits, the place you will spend lengthy days in excessive circumstances. That is why the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey stays our favourite hat for technical use. However the Filson Summer time Packer is your finest wager should you’re searching for a sturdy, snug solar hat that may take you from the path to the bar patio.

Learn extra: Filson Summer time Packer evaluation

Finest Solar Hat For Children

Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat

SPECIFICATIONS

The Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat earned our Editor’s Alternative Award for Finest Children Solar Hat. This hat protected our children’ faces and necks from the solar on sunny days spent exterior. This hat incorporates a 2.75-inch brim within the entrance and sides and a 5.5-inch neck cape. It is extraordinarily breathable, very snug, and sturdy sufficient to resist the damage and tear that solely a child can put a hat via. Have you ever seen a hat used as a shovel to construct a sand fortress? It additionally is available in many colours and prints, so everybody will discover a coloration that works for them.

The Children’ Play Hat is near excellent, but it surely’s not fairly. It has a really inflexible brim, which is nice for defense. Nevertheless, that rigidness within the brim carries inside to the place the hat meets the top. That is much less snug than some hats with a softer brim. Additionally, this does not have a liner, which might have made it much more snug than it already is. Total, this can be a nice hat and a favourite amongst all our testers, each children and adults. In the event you want a hat particularly for infants, the Patagonia Child Block the Solar hat is an honest possibility.

Learn extra: Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat evaluation

Finest Bang for Your Buck

Outside Analysis Solar Runner Cap

SPECIFICATIONS

The Outside Analysis Solar Runner Cap is a flexible, protecting mannequin with an reasonably priced price ticket. The Solar Runner is 2 hats for the value of 1, which makes it a fantastic worth. This hat features a detachable “neck cape” — not probably the most trendy, however tremendous nice if you want additional safety from intense photo voltaic rays, like in the course of the desert with nary a shade tree in sight. Take away the neck cape for a extra hip look with higher air circulation if you want much less safety. We love this hat and its vast choice of colours.

Though the neck cape is tremendous protecting, it might restrict air circulation round your neck and really feel a bit clammy on sizzling days. In the event you’re operating, the air circulates higher — maybe that is why Outside Analysis known as it the Solar Runner moderately than Solar Hiker. An alternative choice price testing with full back-of-the-neck protection is the Sunday Afternoons Journey Hat.

Learn extra: Outside Analysis Solar Runner Cap evaluation

Finest Straw Hat For Type and Solar

Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat

SPECIFICATIONS

Whereas a lot of the hats in our evaluation have a tendency towards dorkiness, the Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat is trendy and laid-back. This hat is a cross between a basic straw hat and a extra Western-style cowboy hat. This is without doubt one of the few hats on this evaluation that regarded adequate to put on round city. Put on this hat with a pleasant plaid shirt and denims to informal outside occasions. However type is not the one place the place this hat shines. It is also probably the most snug and breathable hats we examined. It does not pack down notably small, however it might deal with being crushed into your favourite baggage or backpack. After it has been crushed, this hat regains its form shortly, with out a lot as a crease.

Whereas the Islander is a superb all-around solar hat, it isn’t the perfect technical performer. This is not a lightweight hat, both. At 6.2 ounces, this is without doubt one of the heavier hats we reviewed. Nevertheless, we discovered this hat to be extraordinarily snug, even at this heavier weight. We did not discover the load when sporting this hat all day, however the gram counters might wish to take into account a unique hat to convey on their subsequent ultralight journey. This is a wonderful alternative for these searching for a handsome, snug, all-around nice hat.

Learn extra: Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat evaluation

Finest Straw Hat For The Seaside

Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard

SPECIFICATIONS

For folk who need nice worth for a classy straw hat on the seaside, Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard Hat is a incredible funds purchase. We love this hat’s huge 4.25-inch brim and the numerous trendy prints accessible on the underside of the brim. We purchased two of those in several colours as a result of one trendy print wasn’t sufficient. It has a basic straw hat type with just a few fashionable upgrades. Contained in the hat, there is a snug sweatband lining. It additionally has a delicate neck cinch twine to maintain it from blowing away when the wind picks up. This is without doubt one of the lightest straw hats we examined, making it extraordinarily snug as properly. It is easy to put on this hat all day and excellent for the seaside or different locations it is advisable to convey your individual shade.

As with most straw hats, the Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard Hat will not maintain as much as being stuffed in a duffle bag or suitcase. Even a slight bend within the brim will break the woven straws used on this hat. However once more, that is the case with most straw hats. It is also price noting that some mild will get via in between the woven straw on high of your head, however it’s extra tightly woven than another straw hats we examined. In the event you’re searching for probably the most safety on the highest of your head, try a unique hat. However for an reasonably priced and trendy straw hat for informal summer time days, this hat is difficult to beat.

Learn extra: Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard Hat evaluation

Finest On a regular basis Ladies’s Solar Hat

FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim

SPECIFICATIONS

The FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim was probably the most trendy hat we examined that also supplies respectable safety from the solar. Let’s face it: most solar hats aren’t very trendy, however this hat seems good and retains the solar off your face. You possibly can put on this to the seaside, farmer’s market, or out to patio brunch. Once you want higher visibility, you’ll be able to roll the brim up and again down for higher solar protection. This is without doubt one of the most sturdy straw hats we examined. We discovered it troublesome to crease or crinkle the brim, although you’ll be able to’t crush this hat like you’ll be able to with a non-straw hat. The straw can also be woven unfastened sufficient to permit good breathability, which many extra fashion-oriented hats lack. This was additionally one of many extra sturdy hats we examined, and positively, probably the most trendy hat that is additionally snug sufficient to put on all day within the solar.

It’s price noting, nevertheless, that the Journey Foldable Brim Solar Hat is without doubt one of the heaviest hats we examined for this evaluation. We nonetheless discovered it very snug, however the weight does make it much less snug than some hats. There are additionally extra trendy hats on the market, however this hat balances type, consolation, solar safety, and breathability the perfect. Girls much less involved with type and extra excited about technical efficiency may just like the Outside Analysis Oasis Solar Sombrero.

Learn extra: FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim evaluation

Examine Merchandise

Examine choose as much as 5 merchandise to check

	Rating	Product	Value
	83	Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey Finest Solar Hat for Technical Use	$50
	83	Filson Summer time Packer Finest All-Round Solar Hat	$85
	79	Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat Finest Solar Hat For Children	$36
	79	Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat Finest Straw Hat For Type and Solar	$54
	78	Outside Analysis Solar Runner Cap Finest Bang for Your Buck	$40
	77	Sunday Afternoons Journey Hat	$42
	75		$99
	74	Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard Finest Straw Hat For The Seaside	$30
	74	The North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer	$45
	74	Patagonia Child Block the Solar	$39
	73	Sunday Afternoons Guardian	$34
	72	REI Co-op Sahara Path Hat	$50
	70	Outside Analysis Sombriolet	$45
	69	Quiksilver Pierside Straw	$22
	69	Outside Analysis Oasis Solar Sombrero – Ladies’s	$45
	67		$40
	64	FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim	$37
	64	Outside Analysis Solar Bucket	$40
	61	Columbia Bora Bora Booney II	$30
	60	Lanzom Huge Brim Straw Panama Roll Up	$30

How We Take a look at Solar Hats

To evaluation solar hats, we examined what’s at the moment accessible in the marketplace. We initially chosen over 50 hats earlier than refining the group all the way down to the highest 20. We purchased the hats after which examined them, with particular care to guage the efficiency traits that our expertise advised us had been crucial. We took them throughout the new and uncovered Kaibab Plateau, via excessive desert and burn areas with no safety from timber, and thru the Grand Canyon, with loads of UV rays to keep away from. We crushed them inside our packs to check how properly they resumed form. And we wore them on windy days to check the effectiveness of their brims in such circumstances. The result’s a complete evaluation that ought to serve you properly in trying to find a fantastic solar hat.

Every hat is examined towards the next 5 efficiency metrics:

• Safety (30% of total rating weighting)

• Breathability (15% weighting)

• Sturdiness (15% weighting)

To see extra on our testing course of, try our full How We Take a look at article.

Why Belief GearLab

This evaluation is dropped at you by GearLab Evaluation Editors Sam Schild, Jessica Haist, and Joanna Trieger. Initially from the Midwest, Sam moved to Colorado in 2012 after a 7,000-mile bike tour throughout america. A really energetic backpacker, Sam has thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Path, Continental Divide Path, Grand Enchantment Path, and the Colorado Path twice. When he isn’t backpacking, Sam may be discovered path operating, mountaineering, tenting, and peak bagging on the Colorado Entrance Vary. With all these miles below the solar, Sam spends numerous time contemplating methods to guard his face, neck, and ears.

Jessica got here to the US from Toronto and now resides in Mammoth Lakes, CA, the place she avidly engages in a number of sunny outside pursuits, together with climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, and snowboarding. She lately earned a Grasp’s Diploma in Journey Training from Prescott School in Arizona and has labored everywhere in the US as an outside educator and information. Solar safety is crucial within the varieties of actions Jessica and her college students have interaction in.

Evaluation and Take a look at Outcomes

The best-scoring hats all ranked extremely within the Safety and Consolation classes, crucial metrics in our assessments. In the remainder of our evaluation, we’ll define the totally different check metrics we used and allow you to know which fashions stood out in every. We’ll additionally focus on what to search for when contemplating the worth of your buy. Understand that, in response to the American Most cancers Society, the perfect solar safety is to remain out of the solar, particularly throughout probably the most intense solar hours (10am to 2pm). For the instances when you must be exterior, nevertheless, the best solar hat can provide substantial safety.

What is the Finest Worth?

Solar hats are usually a reasonably reasonably priced piece of drugs, but they carry out the priceless job of saving your pores and skin from solar injury. A lot of the fashions on this evaluation fall into an analogous value vary, with the notable exceptions of the Filson Summer time Packer and the Tilley LTM6 Airflo, which retail for considerably extra. Though we liked each of those hats, we additionally extremely advocate a number of choices which might be lower than half the value of these two fashions. Standing out for excellent worth are the North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer, Outside Analysis Solar Runner, Sunday Afternoons Islander, FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim, and Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard for his or her wonderful efficiency at a extra reasonably priced value. The opposite factor to remember when contemplating the value is versatility. If you need to use a hat for numerous actions, as is the case with the Filson Summer time Packer, it might have a higher worth in the long term.

Safety

We selected safety as crucial score as a result of that is normally the explanation you purchase a solar hat within the first place. We historically consider solar hats as having vast, full brims however had been shocked that the simplest sorts additionally embody additional neck protection.

High scorers have sufficient safety to maintain you totally coated all through the day whereas nonetheless sustaining your sense of dignity. The best rivals had capes that go down the again of them to cowl your neck. The OR Solar Runner Cap is the proper instance of this. It has a cape that cinches up within the entrance to cowl the back and front of your neck from the solar.

The Sunday Afternoons Journey Hat is the basic path hat with a colossal visor and an extended neck cape that makes you seem like you have simply walked out of the Sahara. Throughout our assessments, we found the paradox that the extra protecting a hat is, usually the much less trendy will probably be. We expect the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey has the optimum degree of solar safety, however you’ll be able to nonetheless sport it with out feeling too ridiculous.

We additionally recognize the 5.5-inch neck cape on the Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat, which helps maintain the again of your kid’s neck from getting burned whereas taking part in exterior. Once more, it isn’t probably the most trendy, however we’re okay with that.

The total-brim hats in our evaluation are all much less protecting as a result of they do not have capes that cowl your neck. Since many of us desire the appear and feel of a full-brim hat, nevertheless, it is price contemplating which of those is probably the most protecting. We discovered that it is dependent upon the actions you will be pursuing. The Outside Analysis Sombriolet, Quiksilver Pierside Straw, and Sunday Afternoons Guardian have a few of the widest brims we examined, and for water sports activities or common actions like gardening, this can maintain you most protected. Nevertheless, vast brims can intervene with a loaded backpack. The near-constant jostling pushes wide-brim hats misplaced and is majorly annoying for the wearer.

We advocate a hat with a narrower brim for backpackers, just like the Filson Summer time Packer or The North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer. These hats intervene much less with a loaded pack, so there’s much less probability that they will annoy you on the path. This implies you are extra prone to really put on them whereas trekking, which is at all times probably the most protecting possibility.

Whereas nearly all rivals have 50+ UPF rankings, contenders just like the Columbia Bora Bora Booney II have mesh within the crown space that would permit some daylight via. Fashions which have a great way to safe them to your head, which suggests they will keep on within the wind, are additionally important for defense. We just like the Sunday Afternoons Journey Hat’s snug webbing cinch round our head, and it additionally comes with a chin strap.

The entire fashions we examined have a chin cinch twine to connect the hat to your head, except for the Lanzom Huge Brim Straw Panama Roll Up. The Outside Analysis and North Face fashions have detachable chin straps, so you’ll be able to decrease the dork issue when the chin strap is not wanted. Brims that can keep in place when it is windy are additionally essential.

Two Alternate options: Hooded Solar Shirts or a Buff With a Cap
We’re keen on two standard alternate options for solar safety when backpacking or mountaineering:
1) Use a hooded solar shirt and a baseball-style cap (photograph under left). You get full neck safety and a few additional heat. The draw back is poor air flow across the neck, and the solar can nonetheless hit your face at sure angles (as proven within the photograph).

2) Take a BUFF and tuck it below a cap (photograph under proper). This permits for fairly good air flow and is principally the funds DIY model of the OR Solar Runner. The draw back is there may be much less safety for the neck, particularly in case your shirt doesn’t have a collar.

It is debatable if both of those choices is healthier or worse wanting than a standard solar hat, however they might fit your wants higher.

Consolation

Consolation is important in a solar safety hat. In case your hat is not snug, it is much less doubtless that you’ll seize it whereas going out the door. An excellent snug hat, in distinction, you may wish to put on even when it is not sunny out.

Essentially the most snug hats are normally very delicate internally and are very light-weight. Our favourite fashions, the Filson Summer time Packer and the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey had been high performers on this class. The fashionable Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat and Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard had been additionally high performers within the consolation metric, although these hats aren’t notably light-weight.

We discover that full-brimmed rivals may be extra uncomfortable, just like the Outside Analysis Ladies’s Oasis Solar Sombrero as a result of the stiffer brims are inclined to dig into our foreheads.

The Sombriolet was probably the most snug of the big, full-brimmed hats, but it surely tends to run a bit of small as properly. This brings up an essential level: sizing is crucial. We sized up on the REI Co-op Sahara Path Hat.

The lighter weight materials the hat is manufactured from, the extra snug and wearable it’s. The Outside Analysis Helios, the Extremely Journey, and the Outside Analysis Solar Bucket had been the lightest within the evaluation and in addition a few of the most snug. The latter two fashions even have nice wicking supplies to maintain our heads cool and dry, which provides to their consolation.

One different issue we take into accounts is visibility. It’s nice to be totally shielded from the solar, however if you cannot see the place you are going, it defeats the aim. Relying on what exercise you are doing, you are going to wish to have the right visibility. The Extremely Journey has a fantastic mix of excellent protection and visibility. Its massive entrance brim shades your face, however the tapered sides and neck cape assist you to go searching extra. We discovered the big full brims, particularly the floppier ones, have the least visibility, and we might not advocate these for something technical that you could be want to go searching lots, resembling ridge scrambling.

The OR Solar Runner supplies a few of the finest solar safety with its built-in detachable solar cape, however the wrap-around materials can doubtlessly restrict your visual view.

Although this hat is not performance-oriented, we favored that the Furtalk Journey Foldable Brim means that you can fold the brim up within the entrance for these instances if you want higher visibility.

Breathability

Breathability is vital when choosing a hat to guard you from the solar’s rays. On sizzling days when the solar is thrashing down in your head, you need a hat that not solely protects you however that permits the pent-up warmth to flee.

Two of probably the most breathable hats we examined had been the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey Hat and the North Face Horizon Breeze Brimmer. Its cloth breathes exceptionally properly and has massive mesh sections operating alongside its sides. The Billabong Traditional Printed Straw Lifeguard, Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat, and Sunday Afternoons Guardian are all manufactured from straw, which may be very breathable.

Some hats, just like the Tilley LTM6 Airflo, have massive mesh panels that permit air to maneuver via and funky via circulation. Some hats have supplies with breathable/wicking supplies however no vents, just like the Outside Analysis Helios and the Oasis Solar Sombrero.

The perfect fashions have ample air flow and are made with breathable materials in order that your head stays cool on sizzling days. These rivals are the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey, Sunday Afternoons Journey Hat, and the Outside Analysis Sombriolet. The Sunday Afternoons Islander is manufactured from pure straw that is tremendous breathable, and it has venting eyelets on the crown for added breathability. Filson Summer time Packer did not carry out fairly in addition to these most breathable fashions, but it surely was shut due to its breathable cotton materials and eyelet vents.

We had been a bit dissatisfied with the Outside Analysis Solar Runner Cap on this class as a result of the neck cape tends to lure heat air when the entrance chin strap is finished up, inflicting our necks to get sizzling. We additionally seen that the cape partially covers the mesh air flow. The Ladies’s Oasis Solar Sombrero, the ladies’s model of the Sombriolet, had disappointingly no vents, whereas the Sombriolet has 4.

Sturdiness

A high-quality, sturdy hat can doubtlessly final you a lifetime and preserve your wholesome pores and skin. Essentially the most sturdy hats are well-made with sturdy supplies and a crushable brim. The perfect ones may be crushed for days with out the brim being affected and may be tossed round carelessly with out fear.

The worst hats cannot even be crushed and crumble on the seams over a short while. We examined the sturdiness of every hat by crushing it in a small ziplock bag for half-hour and seeing how they fared. The Tilley LTM6 Airflo bounced again instantly and confirmed no indicators of being crushed.

We had been pleasantly shocked by the Sunday Afternoons Extremely Journey‘s foldable brim, which is far more sturdy and packable than the common Journey Hat. The Journey Hat can solely be packed flat, and when the brim is folded, it completely creases.

The Filson Summer time Packer carried out very well right here as a result of it packs down small, and any creases attributable to packing shake out after a put on or two. The Solar Runner and Helios are additionally very sturdy, packable hats that we will stuff in our packs and take anyplace. The Conner Airflow instantly acquired bent off form after the ziplock bag check. We weren’t in a position to bend its brim wire again right into a form that regarded remotely appropriate. The Quiksilver Pierside Straw hat did not even make it to the ziplock bag check; the straw started to crumble whereas packed in a duffle bag on our method to Moab for some testing.

We additionally regarded out for hats that present stains. The cream-colored Journey Hat positively confirmed filth shortly, however we like its intelligent webbing band over the brow that disguises sweat stains. We additionally seen OR Solar Runner’s white coloration collected filth shortly. However that filth washed out simply as shortly. Hat colours are tough. You need them to cover stains however don’t desire them to be too darkish and appeal to extra solar and warmth.

Type

Type could make or break your dignity, and it’s usually what your alternative of a hat will finally come all the way down to. Essentially the most trendy hats have smooth, basic seems, whereas the least trendy have enormous brims or odd-shaped capes.

Often, the extra protecting a hat is, the much less trendy it’s, so you’ll have to determine for your self how a lot safety to sacrifice so that you just look good. Ensure that the hat is trendy sufficient that you’ll put on it, although. Even when it is what you are searching for in safety, if it is too dorky for you ever to put on, then do not buy it. All of the hats with capes — the Extremely Journey, the Solar Runner, and the Journey — inevitably misplaced type factors. Be mindful, although, that the Solar Runner’s cape is detachable for these instances when it is advisable to conceal your post-hike matted hair on the brewery patio.

The Filson Summer time Packer, FURTALK Journey Foldable Brim, and Lanzom Huge Brim Straw Panama Roll Up are all very trendy. Once we requested family and friends which hat they’d wish to put on, a lot of them invariably picked one in all these hats first.

The Tilley LTM6 is good should you’re into Indiana Jones or need a classic-looking mannequin. In the event you purchase a Tilley, you additionally be a part of an unique secret membership and inevitably begin receiving the “Tilley Nod” from different Tilley house owners.

The Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat is one other one of many best-looking hats we examined. We expect this hat is nice for sporting round city on a summer time day, on the seaside, and even to informal outside events.

Despite the fact that it isn’t probably the most trendy, we liked that the Sunday Afternoons Children’ Play Hat is available in 30 distinctive colours and patterns. There’s certain to be a winner for each child with this a lot selection.

Conclusion

Ensure that the hat you select is snug so that you’re going to be comfortable rocking it on the path. For optimum solar safety, select hats with the biggest brims and longest capes. In case you are carrying a big again be certain the brim is compatable with the body of the pack. Essentially the most snug ones have delicate, light-weight supplies that maintain you cool and are simple to put on. We hope this helps you slender down your high selections to seek out your excellent solar safety hat.