Reviews You Can Rely On

How We Tested Sun Hats

Friday March 8, 2024
sun hat - testing the or sun runner in the grand canyon.
Testing the OR Sun Runner in the Grand Canyon.
Credit: Sam Schild

Where We Tested


We tested these hats on an extended backpacking trips across northern Arizona, in the Grand Canyon, and in Califonia and Colorado. Throughout these areas, we tested the hats in five categories: Protection, Comfort, Breathability, Durability, and Style.

sun hat - rei co-op bucket hat down on the floor of the grand canyon.
REI Co-op Bucket hat down on the floor of the Grand Canyon.
Credit: Sam Schild

Testing Metrics



Protection


We tested protection the hard way: by risking our skin to determine which competitors were the most protective. We measured each hat's brim size in inches and factored in the slope of the brim. We went out on gusty days to purposely test how these hats would stay on our heads, or if the brims would blow up, exposing our faces.

sun hat - the or sombriolet's wide brim provides excellent coverage with...
The OR Sombriolet's wide brim provides excellent coverage with midday sun.
Credit: Sam Schild

We noted whether each hat could be worn with a backpack to determine if it would stay on your head during a tour or a trek.

sun hat - the alchemi labs desert hat plays nicely with backpacks, even before...
The Alchemi Labs Desert Hat plays nicely with backpacks, even before we ate the seven days of food we had when we started.
Credit: Sam Schild

Comfort


When testing for comfort, we noted any points of discomfort or annoyance that we experienced as we wore the hats around town and in the backcountry. We wore the hats all day and assessed how they felt after wearing them for hours at a time. We also noted the number of sizes that each hat comes in and whether they're adjustable to help you determine how easy it will be to get a perfect fit.

sun hat - the sunday afternoons ultra adventure hat was one of the most...
The Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat was one of the most comfortable we tested, thanks in part to its excellent breathability during high-output activities.
Credit: Sam Schild

Breathability


We tested for breathability each time we wore the hats by constantly noticing how well the hats breathed. We also noted whether the hats incorporated ventilation, like eyelet vents or mesh paneling.

sun hat - we put our lineup of hats to the ultimate test -- a weeklong...
We put our lineup of hats to the ultimate test -- a weeklong backpacking trip in the southwest US desert, including the Grand Canyon.
Credit: Sam Schild

Durability


We tested durability by crushing these hats into our backpacks as we headed out on adventures. Durability was also tested by submerging the hats in water and noting if this damaged them at all. In addition, we subjected each hat to a 30-minute crush test, where we jammed each hat into a small Ziploc bag for 30 minutes, then noted how each hat looked and whether crushing damaged the brims.

sun hat - each hat was crammed in a bag for 30 minutes and evaluated on how...
Each hat was crammed in a bag for 30 minutes and evaluated on how they fared.
Credit: Sam Schild

Style


We tested style by asking as many people as we could find which hats they thought looked the best. We took note of how each hat looked with it on and asked ourselves, "would you wear this to a bar?" We also noted how many colors each hat comes in.

sun hat - we wear the most stylish hats around town to see how we feel they...
We wear the most stylish hats around town to see how we feel they fit in.
Credit: Sam Schild