Product Description:

A classic bomber cap design that's lined with 100-weight fleece and protected from the elements by a Gore-Tex waterproof/breathable shell. Earflaps can be worn down for maximum warmth, or up over the ears when milder conditions are present. The Rando Cap sports a foam-stiffened bill with a moldable wire edge that allows the wearer to customize the bill's shape and style. An external drawcord adjustment insures that the cap stays secure, even when assaulted by high winds.

Test Unit Description:

The Outdoor Research Rando Cap received for testing is a modern take on a classic, bomber style design. Its shell is composed of 75D Gore-Tex fabric, with fully taped seams to complete the cap's waterproof seal. The cap has a foam-stiffened bill with a moldable wire edge, allowing for the user to shape it as desired. The bill's underside is lined with what Outdoor Research describes as a "dark fabric" that's supposed to reduce glare. At the center of the cap, above the bill, is the outline of Outdoor Research's "OR" logo, stenciled to the Gore-Tex material in a reflective paint. The inside of the cap is lined with 100-weight fleece. The cap has earflaps that are also fleece lined - in mild conditions, these flaps can be positioned up over the ears by wrapping them around the top of the head and securing them together with a hook and loop closure. When added warmth is needed, the flaps can be brought down, over the ears, and secured under the chin using the same hook and loop system. Centered along the rear of the cap is a drawcord that can be pulled to tighten the cap around the head - the cord can be adjusted with one hand, and there's a cord-lock present to hold the setting. There's also a centrally positioned elastic band that's sewn into the cap's rear, bottom edge. The OR Rando Cap received for testing is black with gray trim, gray fleece lining, and a silver-colored reflective "OR" logo. The bottom side of the cap's brim is also gray.

Fit/Initial Impressions:

When I first held put the OR Rando Cap on, it was *tight*. It was so tight, in fact, that I thought about exchanging it for a larger size. I soon realized that the feeling of tightness wasn't so much due to the size of the hat as much as the awkward feeling of having my ears pressed down against the sides of my head (I initially wore the hat in "earflaps down" mode). The hat also sat firmly on my head with the earflaps up (Figure-1), but the fit was not uncomfortable. In fact, the hat easily stretched to accommodate my index finger placed in between my forehead and the brow of the hat.

The drawcord at the rear of the cap can be pulled so that the hat fits even tighter around my head, however the cap seemed to fit quite securely with the cord loosened as much as possible - the bill's wire edge extends up onto either side of my head about an inch and a half (38 mm) up from where the bill meets my forehead, allowing the hat to gain a "firm grip" on my head.

With the earflaps positioned down, the cap continues to fit snugly around my head and, with my ears pressed against the sides of my head, creates a fit that "feels" tight, as indicated above. The same hook and loop system that held the earflaps out of the way along the top of the cap secures the earflaps around the chin. The positioning of the hook and loop system on the earflaps is set based on being secured at the top of the head. When the earflaps are down and secured around my chin, only about half of the hook and loop closure connects, with an excess tab of material hanging free (see Figure-2).

When worn with a neck gaiter, the extra bulk that the gaiter creates around my neck allows me to mate the two sides of the hook and loop closure fully, as shown in Figure-3. In temperatures below 35 F (2 C), I've found some sort of additional protection around the neck to be necessary due to the Rando Cap riding high on the skull. As shown in Figure-5, the cap rests a full inch (25 mm) above the base of my hairline, leaving the neck entirely exposed - brrrrrrrr. In most cases, it seems that I will be wearing something around my neck whenever temperatures call for the earflaps to be positioned down, so I'm glad that the hook and loop closure fits "best" when there's added bulk under my chin.

When the earflaps are in the down position, the drawcord of the cap's adjustment system falls into a position over the tips of the ears - tightening the drawcord when the earflaps are in this position brings a noticeable pressure over the ears. I really don't see the need to use the drawcord system for further adjustment when the earflaps are down, as the cap is securely held under the chin by the strap. Of course, further testing will be needed to see if this statement holds true or not.

The foam-stiffened bill of the Rando Cap contains a moldable wire inside it, allowing the wearer to shape the bill as desired (see Figure-4). Outside of being able to say, "I look like a bigger geek that you do," I'm not sure what this feature is good for - I'll certainly be on the lookout for practical application during my testing.

When worn down, the earflaps do not fit tight up against the sides of my face and instead leave a small channel through which my ears are exposed (best displayed in Figure-4). I have had a chance to spend a few hours outdoors with the Rando Cap on in temperatures down to 10 F (-12 C), with wind chills making temperatures feel below 0 F (

The 100-weight fleece lining is - so far - soft, comfortable, and warm. I've taken the Rando Cap for a stroll in warmer temperatures of around 40 F (4 C) and, with the earflaps up, found that the top of my head was quite comfortable. As winds picked up and the wind blew air saturated with snowmelt at me (98% humidity and no fog/drizzle - yikes!), I felt cold enough to where I felt it necessary to put the earflaps back down. I didn't feel overheated in the least.