A good hat.....

[KiwiJohn]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Tincatinker]

Tilley. Just stay away from elephants otherwise you’ll have to wait three days to get your hat back

 

[tjz]

Tilley. LTM6 Airflo. Best hat ever.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tilley. LTM6 Airflo. Best hat ever.

Ditto.

 

[dougfitz]

I have several Tilley hats (T5, LTM5, TTW2 & TH5) as well as hats from other makers. For recent caminos, I have chosen the classic T5. It is a good all rounder with a medium brim that still fits under the hood of my rain jacket when needed, gives adequate sun protection of my face, ears and neck when the sun is at its height, and copes pretty well with sweat. It can be washed, although after more than a decade, it started to break up about a year ago in the wash, and is now a patchwork of strapping tape and other repairs. If you do buy one, you will need to register it with the company, otherwise they will not honour their much heralded replacement guarantee. I found this out to my disgust last year when I contacted the company about that.

 

[C clearly]

Outdoor Research (OR) has a nice selection of hats - generally lighter weight than the Tilleys. I recently got this one to replace one I lost in Cifuentes. I have decided that I don't mind being identified from a distance by my hat!

 

[dgyylw]

Outdoor Research (OR) has a nice selection of hats - generally lighter weight than the Tilleys. I recently got this one to replace one I lost in Cifuentes. I have decided that I don't mind being identified from a distance by my hat!

Agreed C clearly, great hat, lighter than a Tilley, no sweat stains, great in washer and dryer. Sun bucket is my choice.

 

[OZAJ]

I wear a Basque boina. In days gone by so did most men in Northern Spain, but not so much any more. Just as here in Oz in days gone by most men wore fedoras or similar, but not so much any more.

 

[Anhalter]

Taste being a personal thing i am no big fan of the optics of the tilley hats. I did like my Stetson quite some, the model is this: https://stetson.com/products/grand-canyon-mesh-safari-hat-walnut
The desicion is yours.

 

[CarolamS]

Tilley. LTM6 Airflo. Best hat ever.

Yep me too Maybe I should put my name in mine!

 

[Damico Walking]

I have a Sundays hat. You can find them at REI, sporting goods stores, or of course on Amazon. I love my hat. Wide brim protecting ears, wicking, ventilated and hand washable. They have a few different styles and colors. But like socks they are somewhat a personal preference.

Edit: I double checked, I have a Sundaysafternoon Charter style hat. Much like a Tilly but about half the price. https://sundayafternoons.com/

 

[JabbaPapa]

I like the Stetson cotton hiking hats -- they're quite similar to Tilley hats of course, so it's just personal preference ...

 

[Bradypus]

I still have the sugegasa that I wore walking the Shikoku temple circuit and the Kumano Kodo. Lightweight, well-ventilated, water-resistant, excellent eye shading. The downsides are that it is an awkward thing to wear in strong winds and will bump against any rucksack that sits high on your back!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@Bradypus, this hat is a great item with two uses; provides shade from the sun, and as an umbrella in the rain..

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

I have always used an old Army Fatigue wide brimmed hat from the Surplus Store. No brand names, just gets the job done.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I have always used an old Army Fatigue wide brimmed hat from the Surplus Store. No brand names, just gets the job done.

Ones I've used I would consider as second best after a Tilly or a Stetson, but they are definitely good enough, and I've been happy with them both times.

 

[Jo Jo]

This is what we use. The "reverse clam shell" folding really works great to store in the back pocket of a pack when not in use. The wide brim does the job with sun. The neck cape avoids burns there. And the material is very light so it does not make your head hot.

Ultra Adventure Hat

Hear that? It's the call of the wild'¬don't forget your Ultra Adventure Hat! The Ultra is updated with a slimmer silhouette and fun technical details like our Clamshell Brimž and Sunglass Lockž, but still retains the sun protection, ventilation, and moisture management of our iconic Adventure...

sundayafternoons.com

 

[t2andreo]

While the Tilley line of hats are indeed outstanding, I have always worried about others coveting my hat - should I invest in a Tilley. My preference is to use very soft, foldable, stowable, and dunkable bucket hats with mesh. I have one from Outdoors Research (OR), another from North Face, and a third from Carhartt. They all have a neck cord that can be cinched against wind and rain - also convenient for hangin from my rucksack.

While walking, they fit under my poncho hood, keep sun off my neck and can be easily soaked, wrung out and placed back on my head to use as "Camino air conditioning." Plus, the hats I use weigh much less than a Tilley.

But, in the end, Tilley's ARE excellent hats. The decision to go with a Tilley, vs something less expensive and perhaps just as utilitarian is an individual choice.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[motero99]

On my first Camino, the Frances, I wore a baseball hat and a cotton brimmed hat. BB hat was for the morning and the wide brimmed for late morning and afternoon when the sun beat down. Those worked fine. On my recently completed Portugues, I took a BB hat and a waterproof REI hat. The BB hat was too hot in the sun (I should have brought one with a mesh back) and the waterproof one worked great in the rain but in the sun was too hot to wear. Well before Porto, I just switched to no hat unless it was raining. The moral is waterproofing is not worth it in the heat and ventilation should be considered.

 

[antepacem]

Tilley. LTM6 Airflo. Best hat ever.

Agreed! I love it (pictured in my avatar here)! My trusty hat.

 

[DBC]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

Wide brimmed Tilley or a wide brimmed army boonie hat.
What time of year are you walking, and which route? You will be used to the sun moving around to your north, but Camino is northern hemisphere so sun moves around to your south. Eg. Portuguese (walking south to north) in spring or autumn will have the sun behind you for a lot of the day so back of the neck gets hit.
Francis route tends to hit your left side more as you walk east to west.

 

[JimH67]

I guess I did not purchase the correct Tilley, but I never did like mine. I bought a SunDay hat that I love....vented, great wicking, the brim is not too wide plus it has slots in the outer head band that will firmly hold your sunglasses. I lost my first one, but I replaced it with the exact same model.

It is called the Sunday Afternoons Charter Escape Hat (wow...what a mouth full!!)

I also purchased mine at REI.

 

[DBC]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

PS. The folding hat in Jo Jo’s post is a good option for complete cover. It has a folding brim and was my “standby” hat in my rucksack.
My primary choice was a wide brimmed army boonie with a craghopper over shirt that has a double collar (when turned up it covers the whole neck). The boonie hat has travelled the world with me.

 

[Blister Bill]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

Mate, pop into Kathmandu and grab one of the caps with removal neck covering I think it's called a legionnaires cap. Folds in half, washable etc.have used on all my Caminos and as someone who burns easily highly recommended. Buen camino

 

[Shads]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

 

[Shads]

A Tilly hat

 

[Gumbolover]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

Check out solumbra website ...

 

[David Tallan]

While the Tilley line of hats are indeed outstanding, I have always worried about others coveting my hat - should I invest in a Tilley.

If I recall correctly, they do come with insurance against theft, if you register them (per dougfitz's post). I think that means they can be replaced at much lower cost.

The hat I wear is a Tilley, as pictured on my avatar and stamp.

I'm not sure if the quality remains the same after the founder sold the company. Others who have purchased more recently can say.

 

[Ihor]

Sorry, I'm not a fan of Tilley hats. Since my 20's, always wore a 'proper' fedora. I bought my current one the last time I was in Leon at the hat shop. It's 100% wool, waterproof and crushable (made in Italy). When new it was a dark olive green but now it's weatherbeaten to a light greenish brown. You'll have to install a cord on it to keep it on your head across the beautiful Meseta!

 

[Lydia Le]

I still have the sugegasa that I wore walking the Shikoku temple circuit and the Kumano Kodo. Lightweight, well-ventilated, water-resistant, excellent eye shading. The downsides are that it is an awkward thing to wear in strong winds and will bump against any rucksack that sits high on your back!

View attachment 153229

A good basket for fruits too.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

A good basket for fruits too.

Three uses.

 

[CWBuff]

@Bradypus, this hat is a great item with two uses; provides shade from the sun, and as an umbrella in the rain..

not to mention a WOK possibility

 

[CWBuff]

Mine, it turns out (never really paid any attention to the label) is Dorfman Pacific. Perhaps it is not as breathable as other mentioned, but I love the brim wide enough to hid my face and that its water proof
"Carried" me on many local hikes, to Machu Picchu, Frances & Finisterre and hopefully next year through Mont Blanc.
I probably will have to re-block it after that - does begin to show its age and crown is a bit "peaked" (no pun intended)

 

[Tim-F]

I recommend Outdoor Research Helios Sunhat. Cheaper than a Tilley, so less painful if you lose it. Washable and folds up well.

I added a loop of cord to the rear of the brim, so I could easily clip the hat to a karabiner on the front of my rucksack.

 

[backpack45]

I have a Sundays hat. You can find them at REI, sporting goods stores, or of course on Amazon. I love my hat. Wide brim protecting ears, wicking, ventilated and hand washable. They have a few different styles and colors. But like socks they are somewhat a personal preference.

I like the Sunday Afternoons hats, too. I wear the Adventurers model. They can also be ordered from their factory in Oregon. I see they are offering 15% off now (at least on my computer).r

 

[Jagdev D.]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

@KiwiJohn ,
I lost my Tilleys … Canadian made hat in Segovia after my Camino walk from SJPP to Santiago, in June 2022.
I have to buy another one after returning home.
Bummer..
not sure if they are the best, but they are pretty good.
Over $100 Can. but worth it.

Good luck !
Buen Camino .

 

[David Tallan]

If I recall correctly, they do come with insurance against theft, if you register them (per dougfitz's post). I think that means they can be replaced at much lower cost.

Okay. I went and looked it up. It seems that the insurance against theft or loss is now limited to 2 years. But if you lose your Tilley hat for whatever reason within two years, you can get another (same style and size, etc.) for half price.

 

[MesaWalker]

I own a terrific Tilley hat. I didn't take it on my first Camino, and I won't take it on my second this fall.

Tilley hats are the greatest, but they're heavy and I don't need the greatest hat in the world on the Camino. When we walked the CF in 2021, I left my hat three different places, and through an incredible number of "the camino will provide" miracles, it found its way back to me each time. I am going to take an old, cheap ($10?) wide-brimmed hat, at least 10 years old, that came from Wal-Mart via my now 96-year-old father, which has seen so much sunlight on summer hikes in the US Southwest that the top of the hat is about 10 shades lighter than the underside. Assuming I don't lose it along the way, I will leave it in Madrid when I fly home with my thanks for many years of underpriced service.

My theory is it needs to fit, needs to be well-ventilated (we're going to be walking in significant heat), and provide good shade. That's it. If it's raining, I'll rely on my rain jacket hood.

I'm happy to spend on great gear for the Camino, but a hat isn't one of those categories.

 

[Stumbledore]

I own a terrific Tilley hat. I didn't take it on my first Camino, and I won't take it on my second this fall.

Tilley hats are the greatest, but they're heavy and I don't need the greatest hat in the world on the Camino. When we walked the CF in 2021, I left my hat three different places, and through an incredible number of "the camino will provide" miracles, it found its way back to me each time. I am going to take an old, cheap ($10?) wide-brimmed hat, at least 10 years old, that came from Wal-Mart via my now 96-year-old father, which has seen so much sunlight on summer hikes in the US Southwest that the top of the hat is about 10 shades lighter than the underside. Assuming I don't lose it along the way, I will leave it in Madrid when I fly home with my thanks for many years of underpriced service.

My theory is it needs to fit, needs to be well-ventilated (we're going to be walking in significant heat), and provide good shade. That's it. If it's raining, I'll rely on my rain jacket hood.

I'm happy to spend on great gear for the Camino, but a hat isn't one of those categories.

 

[C clearly]

I don't need the greatest hat in the world on the Camino.

I must remember this - it will be useful on other threads! We can get too caught up in finding the best, when sometimes "good enough" is appropriate.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I must remember this - it will be useful on other threads! We can get too caught up in finding the best, when sometimes "good enough" is appropriate.

So true. My Camino backpack is mostly packed with "good enough" which has always served me well. That said, I always leave my blue jeans at home.

 

[KiwiJohn]

In the end, I decided on the Sunday Afternoon adventure hat. I'm sure that I will be well served.
Thank you, everyone, for all your sage advice.
Much appreciated!

 

[Threshold]

This is what we use. The "reverse clam shell" folding really works great to store in the back pocket of a pack when not in use. The wide brim does the job with sun. The neck cape avoids burns there. And the material is very light so it does not make your head hot.

Ultra Adventure Hat

Hear that? It's the call of the wild'¬don't forget your Ultra Adventure Hat! The Ultra is updated with a slimmer silhouette and fun technical details like our Clamshell Brimž and Sunglass Lockž, but still retains the sun protection, ventilation, and moisture management of our iconic Adventure...

sundayafternoons.com

View attachment 153247

We use the Sunday Afternoon, too.
You can instantly flatten it down to almost nothing and stow it anywhere in your pack till next time you need it. I only use it for Sun. Otherwise I use ball cap. The back apron protects your neck, yet blows up with the breeze for cooling.
At REI.

 

[DwainS]

I have several Tilley hats (T5, LTM5, TTW2 & TH5) as well as hats from other makers. For recent caminos, I have chosen the classic T5. It is a good all rounder with a medium brim that still fits under the hood of my rain jacket when needed, gives adequate sun protection of my face, ears and neck when the sun is at its height, and copes pretty well with sweat. It can be washed, although after more than a decade, it started to break up about a year ago in the wash, and is now a patchwork of strapping tape and other repairs. If you do buy one, you will need to register it with the company, otherwise they will not honour their much heralded replacement guarantee. I found this out to my disgust last year when I contacted the company about that.

Yes, liked the way it fit under the hood of my rain jacket. When I walked this past may-june I forgot my baseball cap that I was going to use under my rain jacket hood and was happy to see my T5 fit under the hood quite nicely.

 

[sur la route]

I am looking to purchase a good hiking hat that ticks all the boxes, such as sun protection, sweat wicking etc.
Any recommendations?
Thank you in advance.

I like this one

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat ​

I have a large head and this one came in extra large and has a wide brim in front and a flap in back so it doesn't rub against your pack. I think it costs around $45 and it folds down well so you can tuck it away when you don't need it.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I love my Tilley Airflow (we both have Tilleys but different models. I intend to take good care of it (them) as we have heard that the new ones are not quite the same after a change of ownership and no longer made in Canada. Does anyone know if this is correct? Going back to @Tincatinker's post - we will keep away from elephants.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I love my Tilley Airflow (we both have Tilleys but different models. I intend to take good care of it (them) as we have heard that the new ones are not quite the same after a change of ownership and no longer made in Canada. Does anyone know if this is correct? Going back to @Tincatinker's post - we will keep away from elephants.

I purchased my Tilley hat in August 2021. I just checked and inside on a lovely fabric sewed in tag it says "Designed in Toronto, Canada". In tiny letters on a tiny different tag it says "made in China".

 

[Bothydave]

I have several Tilley hats (T5, LTM5, TTW2 & TH5) as well as hats from other makers. For recent caminos, I have chosen the classic T5. It is a good all rounder with a medium brim that still fits under the hood of my rain jacket when needed, gives adequate sun protection of my face, ears and neck when the sun is at its height, and copes pretty well with sweat. It can be washed, although after more than a decade, it started to break up about a year ago in the wash, and is now a patchwork of strapping tape and other repairs. If you do buy one, you will need to register it with the company, otherwise they will not honour their much heralded replacement guarantee. I found this out to my disgust last year when I contacted the company about that.

Sounds a bit like my Tilly that has been in the Himalya, Scotland and on Camino. Hail, rain and shine it is a stalwart if a tad misshapen now.