Posts Tagged hats
28 Winter Beanies From Outdoor Research
I’ve talked before about the staggering number of hats put out by Outdoor Research, so it seems kind of unfair to just review this Town Wall Beanie I’ve been wearing for two winters without talking about the other 27 styles you can pick from instead. So first this one, then a few others for your consideration.
This Town Wall Beanie is very warm, very comfortable, and doesn’t get sweaty. For me those criteria matter far more than the look, so I haven’t been too bothered about the fact that I look like a walking OR billboard with the giant logo integrated into the design. Mine is at least black and white (only green and orange shown on their site now), so it’s a little more subtle.
What makes this hat worth it’s $28 list price is the construction: there are two layers of treated Dri-Release poly/wool, a blend that is very warm but isn’t itchy. In my experiences skiing and hiking in cold conditions, it has performed well in wicking the sweat away. It’s also treated with “FreshGuard” to keep it from getting stinky. You can get yours at Backcountry.com or Altrec.com and both have all three colors.
If you don’t like this style, there are plenty of others to choose from. Follow this link to see the whole OR beanie collection.
Overall these aren’t meant to be outrageous or funny like some of the skiwear marketed to those who need to be the center of attention at all times. They’re serious performance wear that will look good with a variety of outfits. Even when you’re just walking around town and need to keep your ears warm. What’s great about beanies though for travelers is that they pack flat in your suitcase or pack and provide a lot of warmth without a lot of bulk.
The one that’s not flat is the popular one pictured here—the Transcendent Beanie. It’s fun, funky, and as warm as a sleeping bag. It’s got 650 fill down to protect your head in frigid conditions. It’s still easy to pack though: it compresses down and will pop back up like the Aflac duck when you get to your destination. It’s also got stretch stitching, so it’ll adjust to multiple head sizes.
The Transcendent Beanie comes in three colors and retails for $40, but you can find it for a bit less at Moosejaw.com and Zappos.
See other travel hat reviews from past posts.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on February 8th, 2012
Ventilated Sun Hat From Outdoor Research
Outdoor Research just might make more travel hats than anyone else around, with sun hats that can appeal to pretty much everyone. (There’s now a summer version of the double-duty Odd Job hat I reviewed before, which comes with its own beer bottle opener!)
The problem with many sun hats is, if it’s sunny enough to need a wide-brimmed hat, it’s probably hot too. That means your noggin heats up even more if it’s got something trapping the heat rising off your highest point. That’s why some cowboy hats and Panama hats can fry your brain. The obvious solution is to ventilate it. That way the heat doesn’t build up and the breeze can flow through.
Enter the Outdoor Research Acacia Sun Hat. It’s got your usual wide brim, your chin lace (removable) for a windy boat ride or mountaintop trekking, and organic cotton with a bit of spandex to make it a little stretchy. With an SPF factor of 50, you can ride a camel for hours without getting a sunburned scalp or nose.
If a hat’s organic cotton and ventilated, the natural comparison is going to be to the Tilley Air Flow hat we’ve reviewed here before. The differences? This one has a little wider brim and it’s not as soft and floppy. The brim is more rigid and the top is cushioned, which is good, but you probably can’t just jam this into a backpack for a decade straight like Tilley’s pre-shrunk version and expect it to come through okay. (And alas, no secret stash on this one for your cash or a credit card.)
I’ve reviewed quite a few Outdoor Research hats though and since it’s been quite a few years since I had a head of hair like the guys on Entourage, I use them a lot in my travels. This lightweight Acacia travel hat lists for $42 (sometimes about 10 bucks less online), but it’s worth the premium over a superstore cheapie. It will accompany you on journeys to many mountains, deserts, and rivers and keep going strong. With a stiffer brim than some floppier versions (including the Tilley Airflo), it keeps its shape well in a stiff breeze.
Get the OR Acacia hat in this khaki color or plaid from Amazon or Backcountry.com
* Editor’s note 2/10/12 – this appears to be in closeout mode and sold out at some retailers, so buy it now if you like it!
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on August 3rd, 2011
Serious Ski Headwear from Chaos
Enveloping your whole head in warmth is a great idea, but let’s get it out of the way first that I feel like I’m watching a homemade terrorist video when I look at myself in the mirror wearing one of these black face-covering contraptions from Chaos Hats. The fact that the product category sounds like a Turkish pastry (balaclava) doesn’t help.
When it comes to staying warm on the ski slopes though, I tend to go for comfort over looking cool every time. Plus since I don’t exactly have covering to spare atop my head naturally these days, the hat tends to be the most important item of all. I’m happy to report that with both of these Chaos Thermal Regulation products, I had a toasty dome all day.
I’m not sure how cold it was when I was trying out new ski equipment at Solitude in Utah last week, but there were about 10 inches of fresh powder on the ground and it was still coming down now and then throughout the day. First I took a few runs in the Adrenaline Multi-liner, which I’m wearing in this top photo.
It performed great, fitting snugly all around and doing an impressive job of making me forget about the cold and the snow, despite being thin enough to stuff in a jacket pocket. The only drawback was that it didn’t work well with sunglasses: they kept fogging up because of the breath exiting the opening above my nose. Once I switched to goggles though, it was fine. In terms of technical specs, it uses a “Pro-stretch” fabric blend that is highly breathable and does a good job of wicking sweat away if you build up any along the way. 
The Mistral Multi-tasker Pro looks a little meaner and is made from “dri-release wool” instead. It’s a little thicker and would work in colder conditions than I experienced—but can still stuff into a pocket or pack. Still breathable and wicking, it has kind of a mini gas mask protrusion around your mouth instead of being flush against the face. Better for when you’re panting I suppose. It was also immensely comfortable and warm, on the lift and off.
Both of these can be worn with or without a helmet and the neck part can go over or under your jacket. They’re super-stretchy and should fit most any head shape. If you don’t need to be fully covered, Chaos makes a $15 2-layer beanie called the Skully.
The two balaclava styles shown here list for $25-$30, which is quite reasonable, and sometimes you can find them for less online. See the full collection at ChaosHats.com.
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Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on January 27th, 2011
Buy a Chaos Moonshadow Hat, Do Some Good in Peru
The Moonshadow line of hats from Chaos Headwear changes your look—and changes lives.
Most of us first-world consumers don’t think too much about the impact of our purchases when we’re home. Sure, maybe when we’re traveling we might try to stay at locally owned hotels and buy souvenirs direct from the source, but online or in the local gear store? I’m betting a good two-thirds of buyers don’t even look at the “Made in…” part on the tag as they pull their new purchase off the rack.
So I’m always happy to highlight products that are having a direct impact on improving someone’s life outside of the big corporate factory structure. The Moonshadow hats from Chaos are put together by the Head Knitter’s Guild spread across Andean villages in Peru. The work supports families in 35 indigenous villages with year-round employment. This work has taken some from a point of barely keeping the family fed to being able to send all their kids to school, even college.
The story alone is not enough, of course, or otherwise we’d all be whipping out our checkbook for charity donations. When coupled with products actually worth buying, however, it’s a great combination. These hats are much like the ones you can buy in Peru, but without the $1,000 plane ticket to get there. They come in acrylic, merino wool, or Alpaca versions, in a variety of styles and colors.
My wife thought this model pictured was a little too hippy for her tastes, but my daughter dug it and has been wearing it around instead. This is one of the acrylic versions, which looks like a wool hat but doesn’t have the itch. List prices range from $33 to $99 depending on the model and materials. See the whole Moon Shadow collection here.
Unfortunately these Moonshadow hats are almost impossible to find online, so check the dealer locator link at the manufacturer’s site for a store in your area.
While I’m talking about kids though, I’m afraid to even show my daughter the pictures of these other Chaos kids’ hats below. She’ll squeal with delight at the Ugly-Dolls-like designs and then bug the crap out of me until I buy her one. Maybe I’ll surprise her next Christmas…
Related link: Chaos Kids’ Hats from Chaos
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Info on Luxury Travel in Peru
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Kids and Family on January 14th, 2011
Reversible Beanie from Headsweats
I love the name of this company, the same way I love Colombia’s tourism slogan. (“The only risk is wanting to stay.”)
I’m sure if the founders had trotted a few high-priced consultants into a conference room that name would have been flushed within the first five minutes. Too negative. Too graphic. Not glamorous enough.
But your head sweats, doesn’t it? Especially when you’re active, like on a bike or when running. Even when it’s below freezing if you’re working hard enough bouncing off moguls or doing snowboard tricks.
This Alpine Reversible Beanie is just the double-duty ticket when going from workout to cool-down, from casual strolls to huffing up a hill. One side of it is fleece for when you’re wanting something warm over your ears. Then if your head starts getting overheated, you can turn it inside out and put the Coolmax surface next to your head instead.
This beanie is warm and comfortable, but you can cram it into a corner of your suitcase and it still looks fine when you take it out. It’s loose enough that you can wear it for hours without getting marks on your forehead or feeling like your head’s in a vice.
My only beef with it is the big white care tag that’s stitched on in the manufacturing process and is impossible to completely remove without the risk of making the hat fall apart. Since this hat is reversible, that’s a dumb oversight. Couldn’t those dollar-a-day Chinese factory workers at least put on a color-matched tag instead, or sew it on separately?
One other note: if you follow the Amazon link below it says this hat is partly made of ground-up coconut shells, but that’s old info as that fabric is being phased out. The hat is 100% synthetic.
The Headsweats Alpine Reversible Beanie comes in three colors and is under $20 right now at both of the following:
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on December 2nd, 2010
