Our 8 Favorite Summer Hats

Our 8 Favorite Summer Hats

A hat is a great and even necessary asset during the warmer months of the year. It can provide a shield from the sun at the beach, cover for a thinning hairline, and even a way to pull back and manage your ever-growing quarantine hairdo. When I started to grow out my own hair a few months ago, I realized that I was going to need a sleek baseball hat for runs on hot days, as well as for when I don’t have the moral strength to shower, comb, and rest my hair neatly atop my head. Maybe you’re nodding along as you read this, locks of hair falling from your head and past the bridge of your nose, thinking, “If I just had a hat, I could actually read the words in this article without fussing.”

If that sounds like you, or if you know someone who could use a hat, send them a link to this article in an email. “Thinking of you,” you’ll write. Inside, there will be a number of great hat recommendations from the caring folks at Wirecutter who have spent lots of time with lots of great hats that can protect your face from the sun or your curls.

For runs outside and Zoom calls inside

Lululemon Days Shade Ball Cap ($38 at the time of publication)

My hair grows strong and wiry without the proper maintenance, and its existence is a growing concern—no pun intended—as I try to remain groomed for video calls with my co-workers. To remedy this, I’ve taken to wearing the extremely lightweight Lululemon Days Shade Ball Cap, which I often forget is on top of my head. It comes in a few different colors—mine is olive green—and it works overtime when I need to take it out for a run, too. The Days Shade Ball Cap was designed specifically for the sweaty runners among us, with an interior sweatband that wicks away moisture, water-repellent materials, and fabric that uses X-Static technology made with 99.9% silver to protect against smelly odors and inhibit bacteria growth on the hat’s surface. Even after going on multiple 3-mile runs around the park across from my apartment, I’ve found the hat really doesn’t smell.

—Justin Krajeski, former staff writer

A unique, entirely hand-woven straw hat

Olé Puerto Rico F1-Borsalino Style (starting at $80 at the time of publication)

For sunny days, a straw hat is your best friend. You’ll get the most mileage out of the floppy, hand-woven kind. They’re lightweight, they breathe well, they create a large swath of shade, and they can be reshaped easily. I got mine from Olé Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico years ago, after reading about it in The New York Times’s “36 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico” (buying a hat at Olé was literally the first thing on the writer’s to-do list), and since then I’ve ordered several as gifts for friends and family. From the Fedora to the Borsalino-style long brim (pictured above), each straw hat at Olé is handmade, so whatever you receive in the mail will likely have variations to make it unique. (To place an order you’ll have to call Olé during business hours.) Although you’ll spend around $80, that’s significantly less than what I’ve seen for a legit Panama straw hat anywhere else.

—Sasha VanHoven, former audience development manager for content strategy

The ultimate baseball hat for parents

Carhartt Women’s Odessa Cap ($17 at the time of publication)

For working in the yard, going for a bike ride with the kids, or taking a trip to the hardware store, my go-to hat is this Carhartt Odessa Cap. It’s the kind of hat that still looks great (maybe even better?) when it gets sweaty—Carhartt is practically synonymous with the image of rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. To me, it’s the “ultimate dad hat.” It’s available as an “ultimate mom hat,” as well.

—Gustave Gerhardt, lead engineer

A tourist-approved safari hat

Dorfman Pacific Men’s One-Piece Canvas Faux Leather-Trim Safari Hat (starting at $35 at the time of publication)

I bought the Dorfman Pacific Men’s Safari Hat to keep the sun off my head and neck while touring theme parks. The good news is that it’s protected me not only at amusement parks but also outdoors and in cities. It’s certainly better coverage than the baseball cap I used to take on trips with me—no offense to the other summer hats on this list—and it packs fine in my suitcase or bag.

—Joel Santo Domingo, senior staff writer

An affordable straw hat for yard work or leisure time

Billabong Tides Print Straw Lifeguard Hat ($30 at the time of publication)

Upon recommendation from a friend in Miami Beach, I recently replaced the baseball cap I use for sunny days working in the yard or going to the beach with a straw hat from Billabong. It’s made a big difference in keeping me cooler for longer and preventing burns on the sides and back of my neck. No one should spend long periods outside in the relentless Florida summer sun with only a hat for protection, but playing with my daughter, doing some weeding, or going for a walk are a lot more tolerable with this wide-brimmed straw hat. It does a decent job of picking up sweat, and the adjustable drawcord keeps it from falling or blowing off. And the printed fabric designs on the underside of the brim lend it a bit of beach styling so it looks less “yeehaw” and more “what’s up?”

—Erik Erickson, senior engineering manager, data platforms

The bucket hat that’s the exception

Arc’teryx Sinsola Hat ($55 at the time of publication)

I’m not usually a fan of how bucket hats look, but my aversion to getting sunburned and my need to have full coverage over my face and neck takes precedence over any style-related concerns I have. When I tried on the Arc’teryx Sinsola Hat, I instantly loved the way it fit over my head, and how pliable and subtly stretchy it was while still managing to hold its shape and never look wrinkled or frumpy. I initially bought it for a long hiking trip when I was going to be walking for over a week, and it held up great—I was never too sweaty with it on, and it was really easy to pack away. But even long after that trip, I find I reach for it often here in sunny Los Angeles, for anything from a short neighborhood walk to a long day outside.

—Daniela Gorny, associate managing editor

A breathable, packable hat for hiking

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat (about $40 at the time of publication)
Columbia Bora Bora II Booney (about $23 at the time of publication)

The Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat is our favorite sun hat for hikers because it provides breathability, venting, and packability, yet it’s comfortable enough that you won’t mind wearing it. The clamshell brim on the Ultra Adventure stops just before the ear, balancing coverage with visibility and making it easy to see where you’re going. When the breeze picks up, you won’t lose it, thanks to adjustable sizing and a good chin strap. Designed with holes to hold sunglasses plus reflective tape for low-light situations, it also packs down easily for travel and retains its shape afterward.

If you want something that’s a little bit more breathable, I also loved the Columbia Bora Bora II Booney. It has the most generous mesh venting of anything we tested, which kept me much cooler than other hats.

—Liz Thomas, Wirecutter contributor

For babies (because they need hats, too)

i Play by Green Sprouts Brim Sun Protection Hat (starting at $12 at the time of publication)
i Play by Green Sprouts Flap Sun Protection Hat (starting at $7 at the time of publication)

The i Play by Green Sprouts kids sun hats come in two styles: one with a full brim and another with a protective flap covering the ears and back of the neck. I’ve used both for more than three years on two kids, and I prefer the flap kind when they are younger and in the stroller more often (although when they’re older, both work equally well). The woven polyester hats block UV rays, they’re easy to maintain, and they air-dry quickly. Both styles have two long ties for securing the hat under the chin and a drawstring at the crown. They’re lightweight and inexpensive, and they come in a wide variety of colors and sizes.

—Erica Ogg, senior editor

Mentioned above

• After research and 200 hours of field-testing, we’re convinced the Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat is the best sun hat for most people.The Best Sun Hat for Hikers
• Time at the beach, lake, or pool is more fun for everyone with kids outfitted in comfortable, protective rash guards, swimsuits, sun hats, and more.Our Favorite Rash Guards, Swimsuits, Sun Hats, and Other Beachwear for Kids

Further reading

• How to Dress Your Bed for Summer

  by Jackie Reeve

  These bedding items will help keep you cool on summer nights, but they’ll also liven up your bed with color and prints.

• Want a Better Backyard? Here Are 25 Wirecutter-Approved Ideas

  by Christina Williams

  Here are 25 useful things that will improve your backyard.

• Gear to Make Your Spring or Summer Staycation a Real Vacation

  by Christine Cyr Clisset

  A staycation can feel draining if it’s too similar to your daily grind. The items here will help you relax and have fun while vacationing at home.

• The 21 Shorts Wirecutter Staffers Will Be Wearing All Summer

  by Justin Krajeski and Zoe Vanderweide

  Whether we’re lounging at home or biking around town, these shorts are all we’ll be wearing this summer.