Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Outdoor Research Nimbus Sombrero > Kathleen Waters > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: OUTDOOR RESEARCH NIMBUS SOMBRERO ™ 
September 23, 2006

Contents:
Tester Biographical Information
Product Information
Field Conditions/Completed Tests Results
Summary

Tester Biographical Information    <back to top>

Name: Kathleen Waters
Age: 55
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Weight: 124.5 lb (56 kg)
Email address: kathy at bysky dot com or TheMiddleSister at usaring dot com
City, State, Country: White Lake, MI USA

Backpacking Background: My husband and I started hiking in 1998 after an eye-opening climb up Hahn's Peak in Colorado.

Hooked, we return to Colorado often. We've hiked/snowshoed glaciers, rain forests, mountains and deserts in exotic locations, including Iceland, Costa Rica, Slovenia and Death Valley.

At home in Michigan, we plan for 2-3 hikes of 6-8 mi (10-13 km) weekly and one weekend hike monthly. Weekday hikes take place in Pontiac Lake Recreation Area, a mixture of heavily-wooded moderate hills and flat terrain. Weekend hike locations vary.

My hiking style is comfortable, aiming for lightweight. Current pack averages 25 lb (11 kg) including food and water.

Product Information and Picture (from website)    <back to top>
http://www.outdoorresearch.com

Manufacturer: Outdoor Research Year of Manufacturer: 2006 Model: Nimbus Sombrero ™ Weight: 3.4 oz for Large (96 g) Sizes: S, M, L, XL Color: Marine, Alpenglow, Lichen, Java MSRP: $38.00 USD Warranty: "Infinite Guarantee: Outdoor Research products are guaranteed forever."

Product Information (from tester)

Size: Medium
Weight: 3.25 oz (92 g)
Color: Lichen

For a more detailed description of the Outdoor Research Nimbus Sombrero ™, please see my Initial Report.

Field Conditions/Completed Tests Results    <back to top>

During this portion of my field testing of the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™, some of my hiking took place in the familiar terrain of Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. Elevation range was very limited from 177 ft to 800 ft (54 m to 244 m) and temperatures over this torrid summer varying from 80 F to 101 F (27 C to 38 C). A weeklong trip to Cañon City, Colorado also tested the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ in high desert conditions. While most of my hiking was in sunshine, I did encounter two misty showers, one steady rain and one 10 minute torrential downpour.

During the test period, I wore the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ on almost a daily basis. At home here in Michigan, I wore the hat on daily walks with the dog, working outdoors and on training hikes in Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. In Colorado, I wore the Sombrero ™ on hikes around our 35 acre property, hikes in Red Canyon Park and in the Cooper Mountain BLM areas.

The Sombrero ™ stood the test of protection from the elements no matter what the elements were. If it was hot and sunny in Colorado, my face and back of my neck were fully protected from sunburn and my eyes were adequately shaded. If it was raining in Michigan, my glasses remained spot free and my ears stayed dry. The wide brim of the Sombrero ™ kept the rain from dripping down the neck of my shirt or jacket, too.

The Sombrero ™ also did a great job of keeping bugs out of my hair which is especially a problem in the woods of Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. Combined with a light mist of bug spray, I was able to hike pest-free in places and at times, I normally wasn't able to without the Sombrero ™ .

In Canon City, wind can be a hiking hazard and I have already lost a baseball cap type of hat on one previous trip. With the Sombrero ™ I hike confidently because the chin strap keeps the hat in place in even strong wind gusts. I have on occasion removed the chin strap and also tucked it up into the Sombrero ™ just for testing purposes and both alternatives work conveniently. However, I routinely wear the chin strap for the protection that it affords and since there is no irritation from the strap, I am not sacrificing comfort for utility.

In this summer's unusually torrid temperatures, due to the close fit of the hat, I found that my head would get a bit warm while wearing the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™. I never got "drippy" thanks to the mesh interior of the hat and the Cool-max headband but I was warm. My companions on these days fared even worse with their baseball style caps though.

So far, the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ shows absolutely no sign of wear - no loose threads, no tears, no stains.

Summary    <back to top>

Pros:


The OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ is comfortable, unobtrusive, versatile and stylish.
The wide brim of the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ more than adequately shades my eyes from the sun, protects the back of my neck and keeps the rain out of my hair, eyes and ears.
Backed by a lifetime warranty, the OR Nimbus Sombrero wears like iron and doesn't show any signs of almost daily wear in four months.

Cons:


I've racked my brains trying to come up with a negative (any negative!) for the OR Nimbus Sombrero and I can't. The best that I could do would be to mention my initial brim/pack issue (see my field report), but that was easily resolved and isn't a negative any more.

I love this hat! The OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ has been my faith companion for four months now. I wear it walking the dog, doing yard chores and most importantly, hiking and backpacking in both Michigan and Colorado. I wear the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ both in sunshine and in inclement weather. I've found that I can count on the Sombrero ™ to keep the sun out of my eyes and the rain out of my eyes and ears. Since I have glasses and hearing aids to contend with, this protection is absolutely critical for me and the OR Nimbus Sombrero ™ has yet to let me down. It is by far the best hat that I've ever worn and should I ever need a replacement due to losing it (since the lifetime warranty is very generous), I will definitely be purchasing another Nimbus Sombrero ™ from Outdoor Research.

Thank you to BGT and Outdoor Research for allowing me to test the Nimbus Sombrero ™.

Kathleen Waters

Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Outdoor Research Nimbus Sombrero > Kathleen Waters > Long Term Report