Outdoor ResearchSunbriolet Sun Hat

There are special features with this hat that I have never found before. I have a big, fat head that takes a 7 3/4" hat. Most department stores and big box stores carry extra large hats, but all of them top out at 7 5/8". Trying to wear one of those sitting on top of my head makes me look like more of a dork than I already do. Baseball type caps with the adjustable snaps in back fit fine, but do not provide sufficient sun protection.The Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Hat comes in varying sizes. In my case the XL fits heads from 7 3/4" to 8". It does not slop around on my head even though it can fit a head up to 8". On the back of the hat just above the brim there is an adjusting piece. You simply draw it tight enough to fit the 7 3/4" and it locks in place. It never changes the size unless you redo it. It is the first hat I have owned that has that feature.Another benefit and perhaps the most important is that is extremely comfortable. The venting in the crown allows cooling and it is lightweight. The brim provides superb sun protection for the neck and face, and the hat material itself carries a 50+ UPF rating. With the beginning of a bald spot on the back of my head, being in bright sunlight can cause severe burns to my poor noggin, and rubbing sunscreen in my hair doesn't feel too cool.We spent a week at DisneyWorld, Orlando, FL, and by wearing this every day I had absolutely no problems with burning or having an overheated head. It worked just like Disney...MAGIC!!Arriving home, the hat had gotten a bit dirty from handling. I threw it in the washer with a load of clothes and it came out looking like new. All that was needed was to place it on a stand to make sure the hat maintained its shape.To top it all off, the hat carries an Infinite Guarantee. It is guaranteed forever.

My work has me in the great outdoors on a daily basis. Now, I love the great outdoors (wouldn't have the job, otherwise), but, am of Bavarian German descent. Three things that Bavarian Germans are exceptionally good at:1. Brewing beer2. Making sausages3. Acquiring sunburnsThrough whatever twist of genetics, all of me tans darkly after my first day out in the summer, granting me some protection from sunburn for the rest of the year... except the part of my hair. Yes, the part of my hair will get a sunburn at every reasonable opportunity. For those who have never experienced this before, having a sunburned part makes things like showering, washing, or even brushing hair a pretty delicate affair. I can't think of many people that would want to get sunscreen in their hair, either.After searching through a plethora of women's sun hats (the vast majority of them clearly geared toward fashion, and not practical for outdoor work/recreation), I landed on this Sombriolet.I've had it for two months now, through some of the hottest, stickiest, most unpleasant summer weather the Midwest has to offer, and I'm very happy with my choice. My Sombriolet arrived in a flat, stiff shipping envelope. The brim was kept nice and safe, and the collapsible crown was none the worse for wear. Putting it on, I found the crown a little tight around my head, but quickly found the adjuster strap, and voila - perfect fit!The sweatband fabric inside the hat is very soft and comfortable. It also seems to wick moisture extremely well. I've spent many hours wearing the Sombriolet in uncomfortably warm, very humid conditions, and have never noticed a buildup of sweat underneath it. I was also pleasantly surprised, upon receiving the hat, to see just how many vents there were, along with their placement. They look fairly subtle, but are quite effective - again, no uncomfortable sweat buildup even in conditions that outdoor coworkers have also described as, "Oppressively humid."The brim sticks out further in the back than the front - something I did not notice until I received my hat - to shield the wearer's neck from the sun. When it's windy, a gust only makes the side of the brim bearing the brunt of the breeze tilt up very slightly - make sure you use that cinch piece on the chin cord if it's windy, or your hat might not tilt so much as go sailing away with all the gusto of a Styx song! My one and only complaint about the brim so far is that the front sticks out just far enough that it presents a little extra challenge when I'm birdwatching. To be fair, though, individual fit varies, and shortening the brim even a little would sacrifice sun protection.The hat is lightweight, comfortable, and I often forget I'm wearing it, even with the cinch piece drawn up to keep the wind from blowing it away! The hat is also rather attractive, which I consider a bonus tacked on to its comfort and utility.I did briefly have to stop wearing my Sombriolet in windy conditions. Through a freak accident, I lost the cinch piece for the chin cord (it was 'eaten' by the throttle lever on a boat). I called Outdoor Research, and told them what had happened. The woman I spoke with on the phone was very friendly and helpful, and, just a few days later, I received a small package in the mail with two new cinch pieces, and a couple of (actually pretty neat) Outdoor Research decals.

Let's begin by stating that I'm almost bald and have a big head; so my need for a hat is just that, a need! That said, I have typically a hard time finding hats that fit me well, that vent enough not to have a puddle of sweat on my head and that stay in place with the wind.Now, the hat. Well, this hat fit me really well, it's light and although the brim is generous, it stays on during stiff breezes. I just mentioned the brim, yes, it is generous on all sides, it covers the back of my neck, my ears and shoulders and my face at all light incidence angles. I find it very comfortable, I wore it on vacation at the beach, I wear it to mow and trim and so on. I have not had to use the chinstrap that comes with it to hold it in place.Regarding the ventilation, it has a few openings on the front and back that allow for air to move around. On a 95F day with 85% rh it does get hot and sweaty but is quite bearable.I do recommend this hat as a summer hat, I will order a second one as a backup.I almost forgot, it travels very nicely in a suitcase, regains it's shape instantaneously.One more plus, water, as in rain, beads up and rolls off its surface, it does not get the fabric wet.

I like almost everything about this hat: looks, color, light weight, wide brim, materials, workmanship, price. But the XL is a little snug around the band, too snug for me. Plenty of room above the band, and I require a lot, but the band won't expand to what I need. I wear a 7 and 3/4 in most hats, and XL hats are sometimes not big enough. Gotta return it, sadly.

This is a great hat. Size L is a snug fit on my 58 head at limits of drawcord. If your rucsac is festooned with radios having long aerials, then there can be some conflicts with the brim, but that's not specifically an issue with this hat. I love it and wouldn't wear anything else on a blazing hot sunny day.

Hat looks good but it was for a 15 day trek and the hat arrived late unfortunately

Passt, wackelt und hat Luft

That is the second Or hat I bought, just love it!

Great hat! My husband has very fair skin and burns easily. This hat has a great fit, wide brim, lightweight, and is about as stylish as one can hope for when wearing this type of hat. Does the job.