No hats match all of those filters. Try removing one.
Sun Hats questions
What is the best sun hat?
The one that shades your face, ears and neck and that you'll actually keep on. Look for a brim of three inches or more all the way around, a tight weave, a UPF rating stated by the maker and a chin cord if it's windy. We can't name one winner for everyone, so our best sun hats list ranks the feed on exactly those details and shows the scores.
What does UPF 50 mean on a hat?
UPF, ultraviolet protection factor, measures how much UV gets through a fabric. The Skin Cancer Foundation says a UPF 50 fabric blocks 98 percent of the sun's rays and lets about 1/50th through. We only tag a hat UPF 50 when the store's description states it. No tag means no stated rating, so don't assume one.
What is the best sun hat for hiking?
A light hat with a three-inch brim, vents or mesh in the crown and a chin cord, because trail wind finds every loose hat. Outback and safari shapes do this well. If it will ride in a pack between viewpoints, filter for hats the store calls packable. Skip heavy leather on hot climbs unless the listing says it's vented.
What brim size gives the most shade?
Wider wins. MD Anderson asks for a brim of at least two to three inches all the way around, and the Skin Cancer Foundation says at least three. A four-inch brim shades your shoulders too. A cap's bill only covers the front of your face, so your ears and neck burn first. The brim filter above sorts every hat by inches.
What is the best sun hat for gardening?
A wide brim that stays put while you're bent over a bed. Pick three inches or more, a chin cord so it doesn't drop into the tomatoes, and a material you don't mind getting dirty. Straw breathes; vented canvas washes easier. A floppy brim that hangs in your eyes when you kneel is a trip hazard with a ribbon on it.
Are straw sun hats good for sun protection?
Only when the weave is tight. MD Anderson warns that straw hats often have gaps in the weave, and its test is simple: hold the hat up to a bright light. If you can see light coming through, UV is coming through too. A tightly woven straw with a wide brim does the job. A loose, lacy one is decoration.
What is the best sun hat for fishing?
Wide brim, chin cord, and something that shrugs off spray. Look for a listing that says water resistant, plus vents if you'll be out at noon. Water bounces light back up under the brim, so pair the hat with sunglasses and sunscreen.
What color sun hat is best?
Light colors stay cooler. MD Anderson notes that dark or very bright colors absorb more light and feel hotter, while lighter, shinier colors reflect it. Color matters less than brim width and weave, though, so pick the shade you like once the hat passes the light test.
How do you keep a sun hat from blowing off?
Use a chin cord. The Chin cord filter above shows every hat that has one. Getting the size right helps too: a hat that fits snug at the sweatband stays on in a breeze, and a foam insert can take up a little extra room. On a boat, tip the brim down into the wind.
How do you wash a sun hat?
Follow the maker's care label first. Fabric and mesh hats usually take a gentle hand wash in cool water and air drying on a bowl or balled towel so the crown keeps its shape. Straw shouldn't be soaked: brush it and spot clean with a damp cloth. Leather gets wiped, never washed.
The best sun hat has a brim of at least three inches all the way around, a weave tight enough that you can't see light through it, and a stated UPF rating if you'll be out for hours. The Skin Cancer Foundation says UPF 50 blocks 98 percent of the sun's rays. Add a chin cord for wind, and pick straw or mesh for airflow.
What makes a sun hat actually work?
Three things, in this order: brim, weave, fit. The brim does the shading, so it has to be wide and it has to go all the way around. The Skin Cancer Foundation asks for at least three inches; MD Anderson says two to three at minimum. The weave decides how much UV sneaks through the brim you just paid for. Fit decides whether the hat is on your head or in the lake.
UPF is the bonus round. A stated UPF 50 means the fabric blocks 98 percent of the sun’s rays, per the Skin Cancer Foundation. Plenty of good hats don’t carry a rating, and a tight straw with a wide brim still throws real shade. What you can’t do is assume a rating the store never gave.
Which shape fits your day?
Outback and safari crowns sit high and let air move. Many come with chin cords. Good for trails, boats and long yard days.
Round and telescope crowns with wide, soft brims are the beach and garden classics.
Bucket-style sun hats with deep, sloped brims look casual and soft. Only trust one in a suitcase if the listing calls it packable. See the bucket hats page.
Straw cowboy hats shade well and add a little western. Straw cowboy hats sit right between Cody’s desk and mine.
Straw, mesh, canvas or leather?
Straw breathes best and looks the part, but it hates being crushed and soaked. Vented canvas and polyester mesh pack easier and dry faster. Leather with mesh panels is the tough one: heavier, warmer and good with brush and branches. If you want the widest brims, the wide brim straw hats page has them sorted by inches.
How do you size a sun hat?
Measure your head where the hat will sit and match it to the store’s chart on our size chart. Sun hats in our feed come either in full sizes, often SM to 3X, or as one size. Between sizes, size up and add a foam insert, which American Hat Makers says can take a hat down by up to one size. Want the short list? Our best sun hats ranks the feed on brim, UPF, airflow and sizes in stock.
