40+ Best Hiking Hats That Are Functional + Cool

Hats do much more than protect facial skin from sun damage – they make being outside more comfortable. Air temperature is only a few degrees different between sun and shade but the shade can feel up to 20 degrees cooler. 

Many people just wear their favorite baseball or sun hat hiking. However, there are strong benefits to wearing a hat that is specifically designed for activity in the outdoors. 

Modern hiking hats are designed to keep you cool. The synthetic materials are lightweight and wick moisture. Many have an interior sweatband to quickly evaporate perspiration. Some also have mesh sections for air flow.

Hiking hats can protect from the sun while providing warmth or act as a wearable umbrella to keep off the rain.

Benefits Of A Hiking Hat

Compared to a conventional hat, hats designed for hiking have:

• UPF 20-50+ sun protection
• Lightweight material
• Breathable material
• Moisture-wicking interior + exterior
• Ventilation mesh or panels
• Keeps sweat, rain + snow out of your eyes
• Water-resistant or waterproof fabrics keep your head dry

What To Look For In A Hiking Hat

There are a number of factors that you should consider before buying a new hiking hat.

The main focus should be on protection and comfort but there are other important features and components to look for.

A. Protection

The point of a top-quality hiking hat is to provide protection from the sun and weather.

Sun Protection

The first line of protection comes from the materials or fabric used in the hat. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating is a measurement of how much UV radiation can go through the fabric. Sun protection comes from a combination of fabric material, color, weight, and weave.

A fabric rated at UPF 30+ blocks about 96% of UV radiation. For 99% protection, look for UPF 50+.

Color is only one factor for UPF. Fabric type, weave tightness, and broad brims all provide additional protection from the sun. Technical synthetic fabrics are breathable and reflect radiation. 

Rain Protection

Hat coverage protects from the rain as well as the sun. Polyester and nylon are inherently water-resistant. Some hats increase that with a Durable Waterproof Coating (DWR).

There are also hats designed for the rain first, made of a waterproof breathable membrane like Gore-Tex. Rain hats also work for the sun, they will just feel a little warmer than hats designed exclusively for the sun.

Cold Protection

Here in Colorado, almost daily sun means hats are worn year-round. Not knit beanies but hats with brims for some shade for the eyes and face. We have rounded up some caps with warm fleece plus a bill. 

B. Brim Size, Shape + Style

This is pretty straightforward. A bigger, wider brim provides more shade and protection for the body and skin. A broad brim hiking hat is essential when the sun is out in full force in hot climates, at high elevation, or during the summer months.

An all around-brim hat provides 360-degree shade that covers the ears and neck. The wider the brim, the more shade you get. A baseball cap-style hat with a bill in the front protect only the face. 

Keep in mind that larger brims can impede your vision or be uncomfortable if you are carrying a large backpack. More hat also means more weight. There is a time and a place for caps as well as hats.

Legionnaire hats with an attached or removable cape offers the most protection.

C. Sizing + Fit

Like all clothing, a hat that fits is a comfortable hat. The degree of comfort is determined by the sizing, how the hat fits, and the materials used.

One size fits all is most often one size fits many. It is a good idea to measure and know your head size. Most hats provide the measurement instead of a size. Wrap a flexible measuring tape or a string around your head. Be sure to cross the middle of your forehead, across your temples, and around the back of your skull that sticks out the most.

Another option is to look for a hiking hat that is adjustable in size. Many have velcro, a buckle, or toggle to adjust the size and customize the fit. 

Avoid wearing hats that are too small or feel tight on your head. This feeling will only worsen over the course of a long hike.

Also, be sure that the hat isn’t too loose. That will just get irritating. A hat that is too loose will flop around, get in your eyes, and could blow away if it is windy. If you plan on hiking in windy conditions you may want a hiking hat with a chin cord.

D. Hat Materials

Synthetic Fabrics

Most hiking hats are made of synthetic fabrics so they wick moisture, dry quickly, and resist water. The fabric contents vary but they are all polyester or nylon, a version of polyester. Nylon is somewhat softer, stretchier, and stronger than polyester but polyester is more water- and abrasion-resistant. Some hats are all nylon, all polyester, a mix of the two. Some hats add elastane or spandex for stretch.

Many hiking hats add an inner synthetic layer to absorb and wick away sweat so look for that as a feature. Some hats have aquatic adventures in mind and have a foam-reinforced brim that floats in water.

Natural Fabrics

Natural fibers like cotton, hemp, and wool have their benefits but not as hiking hats.

Are straw hats good for hiking?

They can be. Straw hats look great and provide plenty of sun protection. On the other hand, they weigh more than synthetic hats, are less durable, and should never get wet – straw hats absorb water and lose their shape.

Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat made of 100% natural tripilla straw. Like many of the recommended hats it has a UPF 50+ sun rating, 3″ brim, and elasticized inner sweatband. However, it weighs twice as much at 5.2 ounces/147.4 grams.

If the pros outweigh the cons for you, get a straw hiking hat. It’s all about comfort first.

E. Durability

For any hiking gear, hiking footwear, or hiking clothing, durability should be important to you and guide your decisions. Hiking equipment is expensive, so seek value.

A durable hiking hat will provide hours of service. Perhaps years. Why buy, wear, and destroy multiple hats per season if you can find one that will have a longer lifespan?

So, what factors make a hat durable and last longer?

• Durable fabric (Nylon is the strongest)
• Quality thread and stitching
• A tight weave
• Crushable fabric that can maintain hat shape
• Color
  • Light colors get dirty faster (cleaning can age the hat)
  • Dark colors get bleached by the sun (ruins fabric)
• Washable fabric (most baseballs do not wash well)

Inner sweatbands help extend the life of hats because the salt can damage the outer fabric. 

Spot cleaning the inside and outside of the hat will help keep it looking and feeling fresh longer.

F. Breathability + Ventilation

A well ventilated and breathable hat is going to be more comfortable. If you are hiking in fair weather, hot climates, or warmer months of the year it is important to have a hat that breathes and delivers airflow. 

A hot, sweaty hat that doesn’t breathe is not comfortable. Sweating can cause sunblock and insect repellent to get in your eyes which is not pleasant and could be a health hazard.

Synthetic hats are lightweight, dry quickly, and breathe. Mesh panels add air flow and cut weight but keep in mind that mesh provides minimal sun protection.

G. Does Hat Color Matter?

Common knowledge states that light colors are more comfortable in the heat. The reasoning behind that is actually why dark colors provide more sun protection. Dark and bright colors absorb UV rays while lighter shades reflect them.

However, mosquitos and bugs are another consideration. They are attracted to dark and bright colors. Light, subdued shades like white, beige, khaki, light gray, and even pastel yellow are less attractive to those biting bugs. Other than black, these hues are the most common for hiking hats.

So colors does matter but not that much. Where color is essential is under the brim. Dark fabric under the brim reduces glare and makes it easier to see.

H. Style

Looking good and feeling good are important. Not all hiking hats are stylish. At the end of the day, protection is more important than style. If you can have both, perfect.

In this selection best hiking hats, we attempted to zero in on as many hats that we could find that approach a semi-cool rating at a minimum.

When you buy a hiking hat take a good long look in the mirror before you hit the trails. Be honest, and ask yourself, “is this a hat I am okay with wearing over the long term”?

Protection and comfort should definitely be the number one priority. But it is also important to find a hat that you can feel okay with wearing on your hikes. The last thing you want to do is change your mind and waste your money. Or worse, not wearing the hat and suffering health consequences.

Alright, we have covered everything you should look for in a hiking hat. These are the best hiking hats to take out on the trails. Not only does our list of hats offer excellent performance, but they also look like cool hiking hats.

I. Packability

It is uncommon to travel with a hat box these days but maybe it shouldn’t be. Many hats claim to crushable and packable but in my experience that just means the brim is floppy, the fabric gets wrinkled, and durability is compromised. Even for packable hats, I prefer to clip all hats to the outside of my pack rather than stow it away inside. Seem cap-style hats can be folded into the brim and placed at the top of a hip or backpack.

Best Sun Hats For Hiking

All of the hats listed here:

• Provide UPF protection
• Wick away moisture
• Are lightweight
• Dry quickly
• Resist water

These features are not mentioned in the recommendations because every single hat has them. The UPF, weight, and brim length are posted when the information is available. Otherwise marked as n/l for not listed.

In this first section, we are going to take a look at the best hiking hats with the traditional round brim that protects the ears and neck as well the face. These hats work for men and women, but keep reading for some women-specific hats. There are also hiking hats for kids way at the bottom of the page.