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Edited by jshann on 02/23/2011 12:13:03 MST.

I wouldn't recommend black (i got gray), and I had to do some modification. I cut out the head strap and mesh from the inside, then sewed in the same webbing chin strap it came with, directly to two points above each ear. Sewed it by hand directly through the fabric and foam. So now it's just the fabric covered foam w/ strap and cord lock.

As for the back of the cone hitting your pack, i never was annoyed, ymmv. The learning curve on this hat is a little larger than an OR sunrunner or tilley, but worth the payoff IMHO...

Pros:
1) tiltability for maximum shade on face/neck (forward, back, side to side)
2) makes for a great sit pad for lunch/stretching/etc (especially if you dont carry other foam or dont want to unpack your bag to get to it)
3) nicely foldable/packable inside pack or strapped outside
4) works as a basket or water head spasher
5) i've used it many times as a pillow supplement and foot pad while sleeping
6) easily accommodates wearing a bandanna, cold weather beanie or buff underneath.

Cons:
1) fairly funky/quirky/fidgety at first.
1) can be squirrely in big gusts.
2) not much ventilation if there's no breeze and you're not moving

(edit for additional pro #6)

Edited by zeros on 02/23/2011 12:58:13 MST.

Ages.......Average Accumulated Exposure*
1-18......22.73 percent
19-40.....46.53 percent
41-59.....73.7 percent
60-78.....100 percent

*Based on a 78 year lifespan. (From the Skin Cancer Foundation)


So, don't blow off sun protection, until you're, maybe 75.

Edited by greg23 on 02/23/2011 10:57:32 MST.

A pith helmet, thats rad!

Thanks Greg. This was a dermatologist telling me this as a med student doing an elective rotation at his office in 1986. We see now that is not true.

"Contrary to popular belief, 80 percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is not acquired before age 18; only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18."

28. Godar DE, Urbach F, Gasparro FP, Van der Leun JC. UV doses of young adults. Photochem Photobiol 2003; 77(4):453-457.

Even at 75, you want to be careful. Skin like mine that has already been damaged by years of exposure to high-altitude sun is going to develop pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions that much faster. Do you really want to spend your retirement years having chunks dug out of your epidermis? I'd rather be backpacking!

Please don't underestimate the strength of that sun at 10,000 feet vs. sea level. At higher altitudes, you need all the protection you can get!

This thread inspired me to buy some new sun gear! I've got a new Adventure Hat and some sun gloves (for the first time) on the way. Can't wait to get hiking!

And Jack you inspired me.
I'm gonna get some sun gloves.
The hands are very susceptible if you use trekking poles.

Instead of gloves, I use the Sun Precautions hand guards. http://www.sunprecautions.com/product/3130K10+XS+WHT

While I bought mine, I'll bet that most folk who are even fair at sewing could make their own using the picture as a model.

My hands don't sweat inside them on hot days, and unlike gloves I don't have to take them off to use my camera.

amazing!

Edited by zeros on 02/23/2011 15:42:22 MST.

BTW, for anyone wanting to make their own sun-protection, I believe that Solumbra et al simply use a very fine weave fabric; there's nothing special "impregnated" into the fabric. Might take a little research, but definitely do-able

I have always hated sun screen when I was younger I could skateboard or surf all day in just shorts with no sunscreen for 12 to 14 hours a day I never would sunburn back then. We even had skin cancer contest with my skateboarding,surfing buddies and relatives to see who would get it first. My sister won the contest.

Now since I have aged I wear a hat by Outdoor Research called the Sun Bucket. It is a killer little hat give all day sun protection and does not have a kooky big wide brim like most sun hats and breathes and folds up in my pocket has detachable chin string. I now wear synthetic hiking pants that do not turn in to shorts. I hate the zipper seam rubbing against my thigh. Mountain Hardware make a thin synthetic long sleeve T shirt for sun protection.Now I don't have to wear the icky gooey sun screen that clogs my pores and makes me sweat.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/sun_bucket.html

I totally understand. I hate sun screen as well. I have olive tone skin due to my ethnic background - I rarely burn but I tan dark. Never thought twice about it till I married a red haired man whose skin basically glows white. And had an alabaster white skinned baby with orange eyebrows/lashes.
My husband had his first skin cancer taken off a couple years ago. To say the least it was on the gross-o-meter on how they took it off.


Now I cover my head with a Buff that is sun rated and so does everyone else in the family, then I wear a visor over it. My husband wears massive hats that have neck covers and covers most of his body with sun rated fabrics. And yeah, I started wearing sun block in winter and at altitude in summer. Hate, hate and hate it. But I know..my genetics will only protect me so much. The baby is fully covered in summer. Last summer I carried an umbrella over him, just like my husband's grandmother did for him.

I always bring sunscreen but use it only on nose as last resort. My main reason is that chemicals can be absorbed into bloodstream from skin, so I want to use as little as possible. I always wear long sleeve, long pants, long-billed sun hat with neck cover (don't bother me!), sunglasses and wear light cotton sun gloves. But I'm usually hiking Sierras where such wear is not uncomfortable at all.

Once you decide you might want to use sun screen, try several brands to find out which are the most tolerable. Neutrogena (70+ SPF) and Banana Boat (100) are a couple I'm familiar with. The Neutrogena goes on dry-feeling, with minimal ick factor; the Banana Boat is a bit thicker, as I recall, harder to spread, but may stay on longer, and is also not greasy feeling.

There is on the drawing boards a sun screen with SPF of 873. Put it on, and massive dark clouds completely blot out the sun, so, needless to say, agricultural interests are fighting its deployment.

For my hands;

I use a pair of Columbia "Utilizer" (used to be called Omni-Shade) sun gloves. They were originally used for fishing. I also use then when I do field photography. I use these when I expect it to be warm or hot. In cooler conditions I use a pair of full-fingered mountain bike gloves with the poles.

Randy

Check out the authoritative guide on sunscreens.

Heads up that Banana Boat 100 is the the EWG's Hall of Shame.

That is really interesting info

I've tried zinc and titanium oxides, but I don't like them because they come off my skin in sweat and get all over my clothes and stuff

The other sunscreens have moderate health concerns or worse, if not because of the active ingredient(s), due to the multitude of other ingredients

There really aren't any very good sunscreens except hat and long sleeves.

The more you cover up, the less goop you have to use.