Outdoor Research Sahara Cap, Field Report

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name: Carol Crooker

Age: 45

Gender: Female

Height: 5’ 10” (178 cm)

Weight: 160 lbs (73 kg)

Hat size: 7 ¼, 22 ¾” (57.8 cm) circumference

Email: cmcrooker AT att DOT net

City, State: Phoenix, Arizona

Date: June 15, 2004

Backpacking background: For the past 7 years, I've backpacked about 30 days each year. Most of my trips were three to six days long, and were in Arizona, the High Sierras, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Utah, Pennsylvania and New York. My three-season base pack weight varies from 12 lbs (5 kg) to 8 lbs (4 kg). I use a tarp for shelter in all four seasons.

PRODUCT SYNOPSIS

The Outdoor Research Sahara Cap is a ball cap style hat designed for sun protection. It features mesh side panels for ventilation and a snap on skirt to protect the ears and neck from the sun. See my Initial Report for a more complete description of the Cap.

Manufacturer: Outdoor Research

URL: www.outdoorresearch.com

Year of manufacture: 2004

MSRP: $37 USD

Manufacturer’s listed weight: none listed

Weight as delivered: 2.7 oz (77 g)

Cap only: 1.2 oz (34 g)

Skirt only: 1.5 oz (43 g)

OBSERVATIONS, SUMMARY

The Cap and skirt worked well together to provide extensive coverage from the sun for my face and neck while still allowing me to see. The Cap was cooler than a cotton ball cap so I enjoyed wearing it around the house, and on walks and day hikes even when I didn’t need it to keep the sun out of my eyes. The skirt was noisy and made it hard to hear conversations while hiking so I only wore it when I really needed the sun protection. Cloth tape covering the fabric at the back of the Cap came unsewn and will need to be repaired to keep it from coming completely off.

What I like so far:

- Cool.

- Floats.

- Stays on my head in wind.

- Great sun coverage.

What I don’t like so far:

- The skirt is noisy.

- It is hard to put the Cap back on my head with the skirt attached.

- Quality problem with cloth tape coming unsewn.

OBSERVATIONS

At home

I’ve worn the Sahara Cap around the house quite a bit. I noticed that it is cooler on my head than the cotton ball cap I had been wearing.

I washed the Cap twice in a washing machine. It cleans up nicely and dries quickly.

The seam tape covering the back of the Cap has come unsewn. The length of open seam increased during washing, so I plan to hand stitch it closed.

I have a size large Cap and, with my size 7 ¼ (22 ¾” (57.8 cm) circumference) head, it is almost too large. When it is windy and I tighten the adjustable Velcro strap in the back, I almost run out of Velcro.

Walks and day hikes

I’ve been wearing the Cap on my morning walks and weekly day hikes to keep the sun out of my eyes and shade my face. I’ve become quite fond of the Cap mostly because it is so well ventilated and cool.

I prefer not to wear the skirt if I can avoid it. It is noisy which makes it hard to hear anyone I’m conversing with while hiking.

I don’t pull the skirt down to expose the Cap vents because it feels too tight on my head. However, when there is even the slightest breeze, the skirt lifts and I get nice cooling airflow even without the vents exposed. In fact, the skirt could be a bit longer in the back because it blows up enough in a stiff breeze to expose my neck above the collar of my shirt.

I found the Cap hard to put back on my head with the skirt attached. The skirt would flip over in front of the Cap, or it would be hard to reach under the skirt (no comments please!) to adjust the Cap on the back of my head.

I retied the ends of the skirt keeper cord to the cape upon the Cap’s arrival and they have remained tied since except after washing the skirt.

Grand Canyon backpacking trip

I took a three-day backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon in early June. I walked down into the Canyon on the Grandview Trail, then along the Tonto Trail and back out to the South Rim along the South Kaibab Trail.

Elevation at the South Rim trailheads was about 7,400’ (2250 m), and along the Tonto about 4,000’ (1200 m). I started hiking as early as 4 a.m. to avoid the really hot weather. Still, most of my hiking was in temperatures near 100 F (38 C). The highest temperature I walked in was 107 F (42 C).

I wore a bandana to cover any bit of my neck that might be exposed when the skirt blew up. When hiking in a stiff breeze, the Cap stayed on my head. The keeper straps of the skirt were somewhat reassuring except that they occasionally blew up over my chin. If the Cap had lifted during those moments, I’d have lost the Cap and skirt to the Canyon.

The brim did not deform in windy conditions. The Cap brim’s vertical lines of sewing helped to make the brim stiff enough to hold its shape.

I continued to have a difficult time putting the Cap back on with the skirt attached. I did get smoother with the maneuver as I “practiced.”

Although I did not like the noisiness of the skirt, it provided fantastic coverage of my face and neck (with bandana). After hours of sun exposure during the trip, I came back with no sunburn whatsoever. My face normally gets a little pink in some spots when I wear a fully brimmed hat with a bandana as a skirt.

After a very dry backpacking trip, I stopped at a swimming hole on the way back from the Canyon. I swam wearing the Sahara Cap. I jumped into the water with it on and when I submerged, it came off. I was happy to see that it floated. I put it back on wet, and it was dry by the time I left the swim hole.

TEST PLAN