If you're going to be spending long hours in the outdoors, in the sun, then a good camping hat is essential. Even if you have plenty of hair to cover up with, sun exposure to your face, for example, or the tops of your ears can do quite a bit of damage over a long enough period of time. For that reason, camping hats are a great idea. Camping hats can also do a lot more than just protect you from the sun, however. Many are ventilated very well, to keep you cool too, and some are even waterproof, so that you are covered from both rain and sun.
Camping Hats
Features to be on the lookout for when looking at camping hats.- Material - As with most camping gear, material is a big consideration when looking at new pieces of gear. When it comes to camping hats there is no shortage of choices, but nylon, which feels great against the skin, is lightweight and dries quickly, is an excellent choice.
- Strap - The standard style of camping hat, with the wide brim all the way around the outside, can be one big wind catching device when the weather starts getting ugly. For that reason, it really pays to have a chin strap, ideally the adjustable kind that can be cinched up.
- Ventilation - Another important feature for a camping hat to have is some ventilation. When you're working hard hiking along a trail, you are bound to sweat, and ventilation will do a lot to help alleviate a lot of sweat building up underneath your camping hat.
Best Camping Hats
There are many camping hats out there to choose from, but these are a few of the very best.- Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero - The Seattle Sombrero is something a little different from your average camping hat. It's actually made of Gore-Tex, which makes it waterproof. Gore-Tex probably is not the material that you want to be wearing in the sun, but if you like the camping hat aesthetic and want something to keep your head dry, this is an ideal choice.
- Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat - The Airflo is more your standard camping hat. It's nylon, so it will dry quickly, and offers plenty of ventilation around the top of the hat so that you don't end up sweating too much. It has a UPF 50+ rating for the sun, and has a few nice extras, like a bit of foam built in so that it will float if it goes overboard.
- ExOfficio Bugsaway Adventure Hat - Another standard camping hat, but with a twist, which is a insect repellent coating which will repel mosquitoes and other annoying bugs away from the hat, and thus away from your head. Beyond that, the hat is nylon, so it will dry well, and has a UPF 30+ rating, for the sun.
