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Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Ibex Scull Cap > Robert Patterson > Initial ReportIbex Scull Cap - Initial Report:
Product description: The hat is made of a very nice light blue Climawool Lite® with a smooth outer and a slightly brushed inner. From the outside the hat looks like any other softshell fabric, but on the inside the slightly brushed fabric (very similar to Schoeller Dryskin's brushed inner), is in fact a thin layer of Merino wool, woven into the shell. The headband is lined with a thin, but tightly woven layer of Merino (non-itch) wool for warmth on the inside and Climawool Lite on the outside, and it can be worn either down or rolled up for ventilation. Constructed out of a single headband with four, roughly triangular sections of fabric forming the top of the hat, all of the seams in the hat are sewn flat, and the workmanship is excellent. The hat also has an embroidered Ibex logo over the forehead. As the hat is designed to stretch a bit, it may be worthwhile to order the medium unless ones head is in excess of 65 cm (25.6 in) in diameter, as the size Large headband measures 58 cm (22.8 in) in diameter; the hat covers ones ears when worn normally. The hat also bears hang tags detailing the advantages of Climawool Lite. My take on the hat: Just from looking at the hat, I'm very impressed with it. It is solidly constructed, very well designed, and is almost exactly what I was expecting after viewing the Ibex website. When I was looking at the picture of the hat on the Ibex website, I was unsure if the hat would cover my ears, but as it turns out the hat easily covers my ears and fits similar to a beanie. It's worth noting that in the absence any headwear sizing information I ordered the size Large hat, anticipating that it would fit over my 65 cm (25.6 in) head, and while this is indeed the case, the hat is a little too loose at the hem and for me, there is much too much volume in the hat. So my recommendation is to stick with the Medium size hat, unless your head is truly monstrous. The hat seems warm, but not excessively so, just the thing for cool weather endurance sports, where snow and water repellency are key, along with breathability. I also find really like the headband which I can roll up or down and is nicely lined for warmth. I have not found the hat to be itchy or scratchy at all, and really like the softness of the wool used. Things I like:
Things I dislike:
Test Strategy: This summer, I'm working at a summer camp as tripping staff and plan to replace my old wool beanie with the Ibex Scull Cap. The hat will also see use as a liner for climbing and biking helmets, and the hat will accompany me on all of my adventures throughout the test period. Conditions will range from -10 C to 35 C (14-95 F), from hot and dry to muggy, to torrential downpours and as well as snow and high winds, although most likely, the weather will be excellent. I plan to use the hat for hiking, under a climbing or bike helmet, jogging, canoeing and whitewater paddling, as well as around town. The hat should see frequent and near daily use throughout the test period, probably totaling around 40-50 days of use.
Backpacking Background: I'm an avid backpacker, and have hiked through most of Canada. Because of a number of factors I tend to use heavy to mid-weight gear but am looking at moving towards lightweight backpacking. Thus far, I've always used tents, and heavyweight backpacks. I also am an avid white-water paddler, long distance canoeist, and in the winter ski downhill, cross-country (skate and classic), climb (rock and ice), and with luck this winter I'll learn to snowshoe. Read more reviews of Ibex gear Read more gear reviews by Robert Patterson Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Ibex Scull Cap > Robert Patterson > Initial Report | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||