Name: Jennifer Joy
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Height: 5'4" (1.63 m)
Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)
Email address: jjoy AT io DOT com
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: April 14, 2004

Backpacking Background

I have been camping and hiking since I was a toddler, traveling with my parents across the Western United States. Much of my recent time in the outdoors has been spent in Texas and in the mountains of New Mexico, with some time spent in New England. I often camp and hike using a sea kayak as my vehicle. I used to be not very weight conscious, but I am actively working to move towards lightweight backpacking and plan to replace much of my gear in an effort to help an extreme tendency for tendonitis. My backpacking trips tend to be over a weekend or day hikes within a multi-day kayaking trip. Multi-week hiking is a long-term goal. I could be considered a beginner backpacker but an experienced camper.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Outdoor Research (OR)
Year of manufacture: 2004
Website: www.orgear.com
Listed weight: Not listed

Weight as tested: 2.4 oz (68 g)
Each component:
Hat: 0.9 oz (26 g)
Skirt: 1.5 oz (42 g)
Style number: 80900
MSRP: $37.00 USD
Warranty: Lifetime for defects in materials or construction

Material: Predominately SolarLite, a 70-denier Supplex nylon

Color: Bone, a light tan with black trim

My hat size: 7 1/4 (head circumference of 22.75 inches / 58 cm)

Hat size received: Large

Notes on fit:

According to the OR fitting chart my head is at the very top end of the medium range or midway in the large sizing. I was glad I received the large as it seems to fit quite well.

Length of skirt: Approximately 12 inches / 30 cm, slightly shorter in the back

Bill length: 2.75 inches / 7 cm

Product Description

The Outdoor Research (OR) Sahara Cap can be most simply described as a ball cap with an attached skirt. In the vendor's terms, the Sahara Cap enhances the Taklamakan Cap by adding a removable skirt. The hat features a close-fitting five-panel design that fits snugly to the head. The two side panels are made of a black mesh. The bill is made of foam so the hat will float, even with the skirt attached. The topside of the bill is covered in the same material as the rest of the hat and the underside of the bill is a black material meant to reduce glare. There are two snaps on the top of the bill that attach the skirt to the hat. Special stitching on the bill is designed to ensure the bill retains its shape after being crushed. Finally, there is a Velcro cinch strap at the back of the hat.

The skirt is removable and has two drawstrings attached to either side which end in a toggle. The drawstrings are attached to the skirt with a simple loop, not a real knot, so it can be removed. However, it doesn't look to be tied on all that well. The skirt has an elastic section in the back which aids in keeping it in place. The skirt can be positioned to cover up the side mesh panels for the ultimate in sun protection or lowered to allow more ventilation through the mesh. The skirt is actually three pieces, and there are three gaps created along each of the rear seams for ventilation.

Both the hat and the skirt are made of a material called SolarLite. SolarLite features an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+. The UPF system was defined by the Department of Textile Technology at the University of New South Wales in Australia. A UPF of 50 means that one would get the equivalent of an hour of bare skin exposure in 50 hours. OR claims that generally a UPF of 10 is sufficient for most people. The material is a tightly woven nylon that is lightweight and quick to dry.

Here is a picture of the hat with and without the skirt.

As delivered:

The hat arrived with three small hangtags. The hangtags describe:

the warranty
the sun protection material and ratings
the technical features and benefits of the hat

All of the information on the hang tags is incorporated into the previous section on Product Description.

The Outdoor Research web site also lists a few more features of the hat not mentioned on the hang tags. Namely that the nylon material provides excellent wind protection and the hat features a headband made of WickLine.

The hat is machine washable in cold water and can be ironed or tumbled dry warm. Fabric softener and bleach are not recommended.

The product was mostly as I expected from my prior research on the website. The skirt is more billowy at the front for me than it looks in the picture.

First use and impressions:

The hat fits snuggly across the temples when the skirt is pulled into place. It's too early to describe it as uncomfortable, but it is a noticeable pressure. I find the hat somewhat awkward to put on with the skirt attached. So far the best method for me is to put on the hat portion and then pull the skirt down. This works great unless the skirt is really twisted around.

My hat also has a manufacturing defect. The back trim that goes along the arch above the rear cinch strap is only sewn on one side for about a 2 inch / 5 cm length. The side facing out reveals the rough and stringy edge of the nylon and the trim piece flaps outward.

So I asked my husband if I looked dorky. He said he reserved judgment. So, that may be a vote of "no confidence". I'm intrigued by the fact that OR offers another sun hat with a skirt (the Atacama Cap) which is supposed to "offer excellent sun protection without the 'dweeb factor'." Perhaps this hat is somewhat dweebish, but I believe it is offset by its functionality and protection. I've worn the hat around the house. I can't bring myself to wear the skirt part out in public, by that I mean the grocery store or some other non-outdoors setting. However, I felt it was right in place on a quick trip in my kayak.

Field Test Plan

Locations for Test:

1. Texas in the spring/summer
Description: Weekend backpacking/hiking in varied terrain near sea level. I estimate 8-10 trips and I plan to have an additional 1 or 2 kayak-based camping trips as well.
Weather: Seasonal variation. From highs in the low 70s F (21 C) at the beginning of the test period to highs at the middle to end of the test period going in to the hot range (95-105 F / 35-41 C). Overall, I expect a lot of hot weather.
Goal: Durability, functionality

Other activities and tests:

2. Kayaking
Description: While sea and lake kayaking I always wear a hat. The bill provides necessary shade and often anti-glare relief.

Weather: Hot. See #1.
Goal: Behavior of the skirt and cap in the wind and wet, anti-glare capability

3. Normal activities around the house: yard work and mowing
Description: I may not live in a desert, but I could still benefit from this hat! And since I'm not in the desert someone has to mow the grass.

Weather: It's still hot.
Goal: How does it hold up to yard dirt, how well does it breathe, long term use

Considerations for Test:

Fit/comfort:

How well does the mesh portion work for cooling?
Does the skirt cover part of the mesh and does that matter?
Does the skirt toggle ever get in the way?
How well does the skirt behave in lots of wind (kayaking is good for testing this)?
How hard is it to get the hat back on when it is windy?
Does the hat stay on well in the wind?
Is the skirt easy to remove and is it a pain to keep track of the skirt once removed?
Is the glare reducing black underbill a nice feature?

Materials:

Is the SolarLite 70-denier supplex nylon durable?

Does it get a funky smell over time and will washing cure it?
Is the inevitable nasty hat band easily cleaned?
Will other dirt and stains come out of the material?
What does repeated washing (per manufacturer's recommendations) do to it over time?
Does it really have excellent "shape retention after repeated crumpling, smashing and packing"?
How quickly does the material dry?
How well does it float?

Summary of initial likes:

Small packing and light weight
Being able to remove the skirt and have just a hat

Summary of concerns:

While manufacturer defects happen, this one seems like it should have not gotten past quality control

A final note:

Thank you to BackpackGearTest and Outdoor Research for the opportunity to test the Sahara Cap.

Read more reviews of Outdoor Research gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Joy

Initial Report

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