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querying the hive mind
Summer hat recommendation?
I want to gift my father a hat for his trip around Asia this summer. It'll be very very hot, humid, and sunny. What's a good, stylish hat?
He tends to wear a particular baseball team's sport caps exclusively. I wanted to get him something, perhaps lighter or more breathable? More fashionable? He'll be traveling around Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, etc. Mostly just doing sightseeing, probably not intense hiking but definitely out in the sun for a good portion of the day.
posted by inevitability on May 07, 2024 at 5:29 PM
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Tilley is the traditional old man touring hat.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:44 PM
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Oh I would also appreciate any specific recs too. I have also heard of Tilley but I'm stumped, like would I go for a bucket hat or a wanderer hat?? Thanks!
posted by inevitability at 6:05 PM
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Depending on how much you want to spend, you might like a linen bucket hat or baseball cap--maximum breathability.
posted by praemunire at 6:10 PM
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I'd say a good 80% of the older guys I see in sun hats are wearing one of the Tilley models with mesh ventilation. They mostly vary in how wide the brim is, plus some are made from different materials. They show a lot of them on women models, but these are totally unisex in their styling.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:11 PM
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Do you know his hat size? The right hat size makes the difference between something worn occasionally for fashion vs actually used for function. If he has a particularly large or small head he may normally wear baseball caps because the strap makes them much more adjustable than most designs. I believe most or all of the Tilley hats have a drawcord that helps with fit as well.
If it's in your budget and you know his hat size this Scala hat via REI is super classy and would transition easily from a hike to a nice dinner.
posted by Mizu at 6:35 PM
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Maybe get a Tilley style hat that's been treated with permethrin to help keep the insects away. I used one when I visited Japan a couple of years back and it helped somewhat.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 7:03 PM
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There may be cultural reasons to avoid some colors
https://www.vagabondjourney.com/why-you-cant-wear-a-green-hat-in-china/
posted by yohko at 7:07 PM
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What about an umbrella with UV protection for even better ventilation and always available rain protection?
posted by UrbietOrbi at 8:25 PM
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Stores like REI and Llbean have suitable hats from manufacturers like Oregon Research.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:48 AM
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I'm an old man who's a satisfied owner of a Tilley bucket hat purchased from REI. There. Sorted. Oh it's also sized for my big fat head.
posted by whuppy at 4:56 AM
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For certain values of "stylish", I've been wearing one of these Barmah Canvas Cooler hats for . . . over a decade? Like I'm pretty sure the one I have now is around 10 years old, and I had one for a few years before that that got destroyed in extenuating circumstances. So they're pretty darn durable, I do lots of work outside in all sorts of weather from April thru September (midwestern US).
It's a sort of "Australian drover" cowboy hat with mesh sides for cooling and a treated canvas brim & top. The mesh makes it cool, the treated canvas helps with rain, the wide brim means the back of my neck doesn't get sunburned, and as long as you're not too particular about keeping it pristine you can literally crumple it up and stuff it in a backpack or large pocket if you don't need or want to wear it at any given moment.
posted by soundguy99 at 6:42 AM
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A lot of golf baseball style hats (I have a Nike one) fit the bill. Nylon with mesh. I also dip it in water which keeps it cool for a little while longer.
Mission also makes hats for the heat. Oh, a lot of fishing hats will work. They tend to have a longer bill than a standard baseball hat.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 7:52 AM
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Don't know about "stylish", but I recommend something "stowable", as in you can fold it and stuff it into a pocket when you don't need to wear it. And strangely, one of the neatest stowable bucket hats I found was on Temu and currently sells for $3.32 (subject to change). (if you are worried about security, go through a Privacy.com virtual card or Paypal.com) The whole hat folds into a "puck" that can be hooked onto a lot of things. And yes, I bought one in dark blue.
posted by kschang at 9:48 AM
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I like Wallaroo packable hats.
posted by notjustthefish at 10:40 AM
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To look good, the hat needs to fit his head, his face, his complexion, and his use case. Buying a hat without trying it on is a bigger crap-shoot than online shoe shopping. I highly recommend finding a haberdasher in your area, and expecting to spend $60-120.
A good traveling hat should be full brim (2 inch, 5cm plus) and fit well. A number of companies make "packable" straw hats that can be squished and bounce back. These are stylish and great for a trip. Several Australian brands are quite nice: Walleroo, Melbourne Hat Company, and Riverz (they make a synthetic straw hat that is water resistant) made the summer hats in my closet.
posted by Headfullofair at 3:58 PM
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