What Hat to Wear While Sailing ?

[Free2bme]

I hate hats with a floppy brim, or a brim that flips up in a light breeze. I hate wearing hats, period. But after my first battle with skin cancer, I now wear hats.

I love this hat:

Men's Field Hat - Wide Brim Hats, Outdoor Hats - Sunday Afternoons

4" brim that does not flop or flip up (unless I'm in 15 kt. wind) and spf 50.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Target9000

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As a side note, the Tilley I got was treated with the insect repellent. I was skeptical of its effectiveness but one day we sailed through a cloud of gnats and they swarmed us. My arms, legs, and entire finance were attacked, but I swear, there was a 18" bubble of space around my head they avoided.
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if you own a boat your entire finance is often attacked...

I've tried all manner of wide brimmed hat but the brim always and eventually flops and the hat becomes useless.

Been looking for a good lawrence of Arabia hat but for now the ball cap is the cap of choice. I will tuck a cloth under it for ear and neck protection at times but predominantly spf 50 takes care of that.

The main requirement for hats and sunglasses is cheap. Everything goes overrboard eventually.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Woops Tommy Bahama is correct and whatever my Tommy Bahama looks just like it with the mesh head piece and a stiff brim, great and very cool hat to wear, not cool looking but cool to wear LOL sorry I have to play the old card !! on this one LOL

Hey, I'm old too. You have to say things slowly and enunciate each word clearly so I understand.

Now I need to find somewhere that sells Tony Barmah hats with a mashed headpiece and a stiff broom from New Zealand.

[roverhi]

I like the good old Viet Nam Boonie style hat. Have a couple in Navy and Tan. The brim protects my ears, neck and nose but is not so large that it obstructs vision of sails or stuff overhead, or gets knocked around by rigging, etc. The chin strap keeps it in place under almost all conditions. For the fashion conscious, they come in a multitude of colors and patterns, if you are into camo, and they are cheap enough that I always have a spare laying around.

Baseball caps don't do a thing for yor neck and ears. Worse, you can't see the sails without getting a cramp in your neck. Hate that you don't see things that are overhead. Don't know how times I've banged my head on something that the brim hid. Tried the ball caps with the neck flaps but found them to be super hot to wear with no airflow over the neck.

Larger full brim hats like the Tilley, etc also suffer from the too large bill/brim syndrome. The get knocked around by rigging, hide things overhead, and hang up on the collar of foul wx jackets. They also really like to go flying with those big wings when the wind blows and we hope it always does. Even a chin strap won't keep them on when you turn and face downwind.

[Astrid]

Been looking for a good lawrence of Arabia hat

Something like this:

Onlinemilitaria.com - What Price Glory - British Officer Khaki Drill Service Dress Cap

[bobconnie]

Miss Astrid, you would look fine in that hat !!

[Mark424]

Originally Posted by mrohr

! vote for the legionaire style with mesh sides ,mine has adjustable elastic so you can snug it down whem wind pipes up, and of course a runnaway strap .Look for a rear flap that tucks up inside so hat looks like a normal baseball cap so as to avoid looking like you just stepped off a camel when you go ashore.

Do have a name/brand/link? Most of the legionnaire style hats just have a flap and no way to snug it down when it starts to blow.