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Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Outdoor Research Helios Sun Hat > Owner Review by Michael Mosack
OR HELIOS SUN HAT
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TESTER INFORMATION
I've been backpacking for over 30 years, doing solo and group trips, with and without kids. I do day trips, weekenders and week-long or longer trips throughout the year. I backpack in all climates and seasons, from summer desert trips to Spring/Winter camping in Michigan, Canada California and Grand Canyon, Arizona to Afghanistan and rely on my backpacking equipment constantly. I prefer to go lighter whenever possible and am always trying new items. Quality and reliability of items I carry are paramount to me over price and weight
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Outdoor Research INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
I received the sand color version of the OR Helios Sun Hat hereafter referred to as the "hat". My initial impression was that the hat is a quality item with good stitching and sturdy construction. Product description: According to the manufacturer's online videos, the OR Helios Sun Hat is an alpine designed hat, but made in a lightweight version. I've found that the materials are soft to the touch, yet strong to the feel and resistant to stretch. The crown of the hat is a single layer of Ripstop nylon material and all seams are reinforced. Inside the crown of the hat there is a black colored headband, (or as I call it a sweatband) that can be seen in my photograph below. The foam stiffened brim encircles the entire crown of the hat providing 360 degrees of sun protection. The brim is approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide and the manufacturer states that it floats. I will test this feature during the field test. The brim is stiffened, but the hat also can easily be rolled, folded, squished or whatever, to shove it into a pocket when not worn. The hat has a removable chin strap which is a feature I like already as I am one who usually cuts those off. The chin strap is adjustable with a friction slider. The hat also has an external drawcord adjustment also shown in my photograph below. This adjustment allows for a snug fit around my head.
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
The only instructions I located for this hat are the washing instructions found inside the hat's band which state to wash separately in 30 C or (86 F) degree water. There are international type diagrams for washing instructions, but I only know what a couple of them actually mean. One is to not iron and another is to not wash in water over 30 C or (86 F) degrees. I believe one is to drip dry and to not machine or tumble dry and I have no idea what the last one would mean. TRYING IT OUT
I tried the hat on and found that it fit perfectly. The hat is lightweight and seems well made. The adjustable chin strap and external drawcord work as described. I would prefer if the foam stiffened brim was a bit stiffer so that I could mold it to a shape I could control, but this is not something I feel is a deal breaker. I look forward to testing this hat in the months ahead. SUMMARY
I look forward to testing and reporting on this hat. I have already taken it with me to the Sierras and will report on that field use during the field report. I like the lightweight feel of this hat and the adjustments. I can't wait to see how this performs in very hot temperatures in the Afghanistan desert! FIELD LOCATIONS & CONDITIONS>
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I have found so far, that the hat is comfortable to wear and is lightweight. The 360 degree brim definitely blocks the sun during the harshest part of the day and provides relief for my eyes even as the sun gets lower in the sky. The underneath side of the brim is dark grey in color and this reduces reflection. I have found that I don't have to squint nearly as much when wearing this hat. The light sand color of the hat I am testing reflects the sun's heat and helps keep my head cooler as a result. For added cooling, I have dunked my hat in the water and worn it wet, which allows me to stay cooler during the Afghanistan desert summer heat that has reached well over 100 F (38 C) for many weeks at a time. I have yet to actually wash this hat, but I will during the next phase of this test and report my findings. SUMMARY
So I have taken this hat with me on a few trips and have worn it daily for the last couple of months and during this time, I have found that I like the hat. It does not score well in my wife's eyes for style, but I am more a function over fashion guy and she just isn't. It packs well and is very light weight so it is easy to forget that I have it with me. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During this testing phase, I have worn the hat approximately 40 times in Afghanistan. Each time was for a duration of a minimum of 2 hours and usually for at least 4 hours and on 7 occasions, I wore the hat longer than 12 hours continuously. The temperatures ranged from approximately 55 F (13 C) to 105 F (40 C). I did not have any days during this testing period when I could have worn it during rain and all of my experiences during this time were under clear or partly cloudy skies and very low humidity. The elevations were from approximately 1100 feet (335 m) to over 6500 feet (1980 m) above sea level. The terrain here in Afghanistan consists of rocky, sandy or fine powder dusty desert environment which we like to call "moon dust". PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I found that the hat is comfortable when worn. It conveniently covers my face and neck at the same time with its 360 degree brim. The hat is ventilated which keeps me from overheating. I found that its light color, reflects the sun's rays and/or heat much better than when I do not wear the hat and under direct sun. The removable chin strap works well and I have found that I prefer to go without the chin strap. I am not one that likes to let my hat hang from my neck and the adjustable fit of the hat is good enough that I have really not had any issues with the hat being blown off of my head. SUMMARY
I like this hat. Its deceivingly light weight materials gave me the initial impression that the hat might be fragile, but I have found this was just not the case. The hat has taken everything I gave it and still looks and wears like new. My only negative would be that the brim, if stiffer, would allow the hat to retain its shape for molding or forming a "style" and keep the brim from flipping up or down during windier days. I choose to roll my hat for packing to keep the potential for creasing the brim down to a minimum. The hat has found a permanent place with my pack and I plan to continue to wear it often. Read more gear reviews by Michael Mosack Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Outdoor Research Helios Sun Hat > Owner Review by Michael Mosack |