Hi folks,

Does anyone know if any of big box stores (Walmart, Meijers, Target etc.) sell decent sun hats that don't weigh too much.

Went to the local Sporting Goods shops and all the had where straw hats.

Cheers,

Stephen

I like my Columbia Omni-shade. They're a pretty well-distributed brand so you should be able to find it in the big boxes - if not WMart look for a Dick's or Bass Pro.

Cheers Will,

I will have a look in Walmart tomorrow, I don't know there is a Dicks or Bass pro locally but I can always call in to the Columbia outlet shop on my way to the airport on Thursday.

Thanks,

Stephen

My favorite sun hat is the Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat. Yes, it's dorky, but it keeps the sun off, is well ventilated, and has a drape in the back so there's no brim sticking out to get into fights with my pack!

Also, I can pull my rain jacket hood over the hat; it squashes the brim in a bit at the sides but the hat brim gives me as good a cover as an umbrella over my glasses. The brim holds up to rain just fine. It's also a great base for a mosquito headnet!

You'll probably have to order it from REI or somewhere, so you may not get it in time for your trip. Consider it for future use, though. I use mine not only on the trail but at home for gardening!

Have a great time on on your trip!

Edited by hikinggranny on 06/19/2012 23:30:02 MDT.

+1 to Mary's Sunday Afternoon hats. Best I have found. I have noticed that our local costco had what looked like knock-offs of the Sunday Afternoon hats. Didn't look at them carefully but at first glance they seemed ok.

--mark

Hi Mary and Mark,

I will definitley check out that hat, I should be able to get in the Boulder branch of Rei on thursday evening and try it out.

I have these visions of the type of that French foriegn legion solders wear :-)

I am really looking forward to trip :-)

I've got a Outdoor Research Sun Runner cap, which is maybe kind of luxury item, but I've taken to wear it cap-only, sometimes with my bandanna.

I'd think the big box stores would all have similar runner's caps. Lightweight baseball caps.

Other than that, when there isn't too much wind, a cheap straw hat rocks.

The Kmart in my area has lightweight wide brimmed nylon sun hats in the hunting/fishing department.

I am in the same boat having tried out many hats. You can get good sun protection or good ventilation but not both. I have the Sundya Afternoon Adventure hat and wish it had much more ventilation as it creates a hot pocket of hair on the top of my head but for sun it is really good. I have tried the East Asian style cone hats and they do a similar thing.

I know I have seen the boonie style hats n all the big box stores you have mentioned at one time or another. Just check out their website or call if you don't want to drive and be disappointed.

Edited by bpeugh on 06/20/2012 08:09:59 MDT.

> I have these visions of the type of that French foriegn legion solders wear :-)

I have tried those hats as well... their veil blocks the wind t0o much. the nice thing about the sunday afternoon style is that the is far enough away from from your neck to let the wind cool your neck off. The side panels are coolmax mesh... but Brett is right... there isn't ventilation at the very top of the hat... but they do better at keeping be shaded and my head cool than any other hat I have tried

--Mark

Is there any difference between the sunday afternoon sport and adventure hat besides the decorative strip on the front of the adventure hat? I'm interested in it. I currently use the OR Sun Runner cap, but I find the bill a little short and find the covering covers my vision a bit when used.

Edited by catalyst81 on 06/20/2012 09:51:21 MDT.

The Sport has a 5" neck drape, while the Adventure has a 7.5" neck drape. The neck drape on the Sport has the option to tuck into the hat crown, while the Adventure has a spot of velcro on the back of the neck drape to fix it to the back of the hat. The brim on the Adventure stops near the ears and turns into the neck drape, while the brim on the Sport tapers by the ears back to the hat and the neck drape is not an extension of the brim. It appears the Adventure sticks out more by the ears.

Found this in the back of the truck when I got home from the GGG. Soaked it in bleach and am using it. Nice hat

That's my Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat! Except that mine is gray-green and not lost! I hope you get lots of useful wear out of it!

Kind of off topic, but to prolong the life of a hat (like my Sunday Afternoons Adventure hat, great hat), Oxyclean really gets those sweat stains out.

Steve

Glad you like the hat I picked up on my way out Marc.

Another big vote for the Sunday Afternoons Adventure. I got my first one in 2003 and later tested a revised version which I replaced a year ago with the same thing.

http://tinyurl.com/44xqoa7

I must defintley get myself one of those hats :-)

My boonie hat aka The Dorky sun hat from the military surplus store.

Nylon/cotton blend that repels rain, snow, sun and gives me that coveted dirtbagger look... :)


$10 or so. Durable and it works.

Been using one form or another for 10+ years.

> Another big vote for the Sunday Afternoons Adventure. I got my first one in 2003

Funny... that's when I got my sunday afternoon adventure hat as well. It was claimed by ny wife a year or two later, and I purchased the sport version which has been on every trip where the temp was expected to be above freezing, It's still in very good condition, and I expect many more years of service from it. Just wish I didn't look like such a dork in it.

Alas, I know it's not the hat... it's me. My wife good nice in hers, especially after she decorated it, and my daughter is cute as a button in her brightly color kids sunday afternoon hat.

--mark