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Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Outdoor Research Prism Cap > Greg Mehojah > Long Term ReportOutdoor Research Prism Cap Long Term Report July 10, 2006
Tester's Biographical Information:
Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking this year to reintroduce myself to the outdoors, and introduce my 10 year old son to backpacking. My trips are typically 1-2 nights with my son and 2 nights when I solo. My first season has taken me through desert terrain and high-altitude meadowlands throughout New Mexico, as well as day hikes of the foothills and ridgeline trails of the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque. I tend to carry most of the gear when I hike with my son, so I am not a lightweight hiker, but plan on moving that direction as my son gets older.
Product Information:
Product Description (from the Manufacturer's website):
The Outdoor Research Prism cap is a standard baseball style hat constructed with Gore-tex fabric, which provides waterproof and breathable protection in backcountry whiteouts. The tricot lining manages moisture when you're making a steep ascent, and offers warmth as you make your turns. A shaped, plastic-stiffened bill deflects winter glare and channels precipitation away from your face, while the tuck-away, tricot-lined earflaps provide warmth when needed. The external hook and loop cinch adjustment keeps the Prism firmly seated in all conditions.
My description of the Outdoor Research Prism Cap can be found in my Initial Report. Field Conditions: I have only been able to wear the OR Prism Cap on one trip during the long term test phase because the weather turned so warm. This was during my trip in early June to Pecos Baldy Lake in the Pecos Wilderness. This is a wilderness area within the Santa Fe National Forest system that ranges in elevation from 8,400 to 12,000 feet (2,560 to 3,658 m), with temperatures of 70-80 F (21.11 to 26.67 C) during the day and near freezing in the evenings. My hiking buddy, who I really like taking trips with, is infamous for forgetting his gear (i.e. tent stakes, poles, sleeping pad, HATS), and this trip was no different. Did I mention that my buddy is bald? Of course, he forgot his cold weather hat for the evenings, and I had brought mine (a fleece balaclava). As all good friends do, I gave him my balaclava to wear at night and I broke out my trusty Prism Cap. I wore the Prism Cap the evening of the first night we arrived at the trailhead where we made a hasty camp. Our camp was near a stream in a small valley that was damp and cold through the night and into the next morning. I wore the Prism Cap to bed that night and when I woke the next morning to break camp and hit the trail. I had tried to wear it during the hike, but the climb from the trailhead is a brutal up, up, up, and it was just too warm of a hat for this use. As the temperature dropped the second evening, I again donned the Prism Cap (while my buddy again donned my Balaclava). The temperature was dropping to below 40 F (4.44 C), but the Prism Cap kept my head nice and toasty, especially thanks to the earflaps. I wore it around the campfire that evening and to bed until I warmed up in my bag. In the next early morning, I brewed a nice cup of coffee and sat on a ridge overlooking the lake while the sun rose. Again, the Prism Cap was a nice warm companion to have along. As the temperature reached the mid 60's F (15.56 C), however, the cap became too warm to wear and I switched over to my wide brimmed hiking hat. Final Thoughts: I really like the Prism Cap. I have found it to be very durable, comfortably warm, and a generally nice looking hat to wear even around town on cool days. The earflaps are the secret weapon of this cap, tucking away nicely and nearly unnoticeably when not in use, and always available when the weather turns cool or cold. I would not suggest, however, wearing the Prism Cap in temperatures above 60 degrees (15.56 C), as I found the hat to be too warm to be comfortable. I would have also preferred the hat to breathe more, allowing the heat from my head to escape, but this is a waterproof cap after all, and there are only so many compromises to be made with the intent of the product and the materials available. I only had the opportunity to wear the cap once during any real precipitation, but the snow was kept at bay by the outer fabric and never appeared to permeate through to my head. My only suggestion for OR is to make the larger sized hat just a bit larger to accommodate bigger head sizes. While I found the hat to be comfortable, were I to allow my hair to grow much thicker, it would probably be a bit too tight. Thank you to both Backpackgeartest.org and Outdoor Research for allowing me to participate in testing the Prism Cap. Read more reviews of Outdoor Research gear Read more gear reviews by Greg Mehojah Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Outdoor Research Prism Cap > Greg Mehojah > Long Term Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
