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Outdoor Research Sahara Sombrero
Initial Report - April 22, 2004
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Hat size: 7 to 7¼, depending on haircut
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: April 22, 2004
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Outdoor Research
Model: Sahara Sombrero
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.orgear.com
Listed weight: none
Measured weight (size M): 4.2 oz (119 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Glacier (light grey)
Other colors available: Bone, Khaki
MSRP: $33 USD
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- SolarLite Fabric
- WickLine Headband
- Foam-Stiffened Brim
- External Cinch-Strap
- Chin Cord with Cordlock
- Floats
Arrival [return to top]
The sombrero arrived on April 21, 2004, in an undamaged corrugated box approximately 12 x 10 x 5 in (31 x 26 x 13 cm). It was wrapped in a single sheet of brown kraft paper, and included a receipt/packing slip. There were three hangtags attached: one explaining the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of fabrics, one product tag for the Sahara Sombrero, and one printed with the OR Lifetime Guarantee. I noted no flaws in the packaging or the contents.
Description [return to top]
The Sahara Sombrero is the sun hat of the OR Sombrero line-up. It is made of SolarLite, a lightweight Supplex Nylon with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50 (the highest possible). The broad brim – which measures 3½ in (9 cm) in the front and sides, and extends to 4¾ in (12 cm) in the back – is stiffened by a foam insert and is covered on the bottom with a black fabric, to prevent glare in the wearer’s eyes. The WickLine headband, also black, is about an inch (3 cm) wide. The external cinch strap is a black elastic cord that uses a cordlock on the outside of the sombrero, then passes through a grommet into the inside of the headband. Approximately one quarter of the strap – at the front – is a fabric piece instead of the elastic cord, to prevent undue pressure on the forehead. Just under the cordlock for the strap is a black fabric tag with the OR logo embroidered on it. The Chin Cord is a flat nylon cord (black again) about ¼ in (5 mm) wide. Sewn to the headband is a fabric and care tag. The care instructions read:
MACHINE WASH COLD
SEPARATELY
DO NOT BLEACH
DO NOT USE FABRIC
SOFTENER
WARM IRON
TUMBLE DRY WARM
Hmmm… I don’t know if it would have occurred to me to iron such a crushable hat, but I will give the other instructions a go at some point.
First Impressions [return to top]
The sombrero is well made, with straight seams, smooth fabrics, and no loose threads. The medium size is large enough to fit me comfortably well at its loosest adjustment point, with my hair as long as I wear it. When I cut my hair shorter for the warmer months, I will be able to adjust the Cinch Strap a little bit smaller and keep the hat just as comfortable.
I generally prefer broad-brimmed hats when in the field, both for rain and sun protection. Having worn many different boonie hats, including a mesh-sided nylon model, I have found that I like the design but prefer a larger brim than most of them have to help keep the sun from glaring through my glasses and into my eyes.
The OR web site offers a “Sun Hats & Sombreros Comparison Chart”, listing the various fabrics and features of their different models. The Sahara Sombrero is listed in both of the available charts, but with a discrepancy – in the Sombreros Comparison Chart it is listed as having an Internal Cinch-Band, while in the Sun Hats Comparison Chart it is listed (correctly) as having an External Cinch-Strap. Outside of this discrepancy, and the lack of weight information for the sombrero, I found the web site informative and easy to navigate. The product received was just what I expected from reading the web site.
Field Information [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly. Almost all of these outings include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected to be from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 95 to 100 ºF (35 to 38 ºC). Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 2,000’ (610 m).
I intend to test the sombrero on upcoming Boy Scout troop or leader training camping outings – we try to camp monthly – and possible weekend outings with my girlfriend and her 12- and 14-year-old sons. I wear a hat year-round when outdoors, both for sun and rain protection. I am relatively light sensitive, and can’t stand the light glaring thru my (rather thick) glasses. I have looked for hats that are lightweight and/or well-ventilated and found few to my liking. I also dislike rain on my glasses and, although the Sahara Sombrero is not meant as a rain hat, it should probably serve well enough in that capacity when I do not have a rain hat available, with the large brim also keeping water from dripping down my collar. My weekends, when not working during the day, are spent outdoors as much as possible. The sombrero would be with me nearly every day of the testing period – to include to and from work, camping and hiking, and Boy Scout trips – so it should get quite a durability workout. Besides, it will get Mom off my back about the condition of the hat I’ve been wearing lately.
Things I am/will be looking for:
- Fit. Does it fit me? Is the sizing on the web site accurate? Does it stay on well in windy conditions?
- Fabric. Is the SolarLite durable (I have no prior experience with the fabric)? Does it stretch? Does it fade? Is it windproof? Waterproof? Does it pill, pull, or snag readily?
- Warmth/cooling. How warm can it get out and still keep me cool? Does it breathe well?
- Comfort. Am I constantly aware of the hat, or does it just seem to disappear on my head? Does the WickLine headband effectively keep sweat out of my eyes?
- Washability. Are there special instructions? Are they easy to follow? Does it dry well? Does it hold much dirt in the first place?
- Durability. Do the fittings (cordlocks) continue working well over time?
Things I like [return to top]
- Lightweight.
- Black underside helps prevent glare.
- Crushable/packable.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- Not my first color choice, but no other dislikes at this point.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
I started car/trailer camping with the family when I was about 5. I enlisted in the Army Reserve during my first year of college and spent 17 years fine-tuning my packing methodology - by the time I separated from the service, I was down to what I thought was a respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load. When my son started Cub Scouts, I brought my 60 lb (27 kg) ALICE pack for a weekend. We got to Boy Scouts in the Spring of 2002 and now camp monthly in locations ranging from the Chesapeake Bay area (flat and lightly wooded) to the Pocono Mts (flat spots hard to find and very wooded), in all seasons.
Lightweight (and ultralightweight) web sites, along with a day hike up Pikes Peak in July 2003, have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices. I plan to start doing more hiking/backpacking on our monthly scout trips, taking along as many scouts as are willing, to a) get in shape (yeah, yeah, I know… round IS a shape), and b) determine what I really need to take along. I am relatively confident that I will be able to reduce my 3-season pack to 20 lb (9 kg), before food, fuel and water, by the time this season is over.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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