 White Rock
Outback
Classic
White Rock's versatile cotton Hydro Cool
hat.
Andrew
Buskov
Initial Report: Dec 2, 2008
Field Report: Feb 2, 2009
Long Term Report: Apr 2, 2009
Tester
Biographical Information |
| | Name: |
Andrew Buskov | | Age: |
33 | | Gender: |
Male | | Height: |
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | | Weight: |
225 lbs (102 kg) |
| Email: |
Rescue(at)Corridor9(dot)net |
| City, State Zip | Madisonville, Kentucky
USA |
|
Backpacking
Background:
I've been hiking since I was around
10 and have hiked in all
kinds of environment and terrain: snow, rain, and steamy heat; desert,
mountains, as
well as grasslands. I prefer hiking in the colder weather and snow, but
will
get out any time of the year. My typical pack weight is roughly 25-30
lbs (11-14 kg) and
usually includes a tent or hammock. I prefer comfort over going ultra
light,
though having lightweight items in my pack sure makes the hike more
enjoyable. Additional information about the author can be
found at http://www.corridor9.net.
Product Information:
| Item: |
Outback Classic
|
| Manufacturer: | White Rock
|
| Website | http://www.whiterockoutdoor.co.uk/
|
| Year of Manufacture: | 2008
|
| MSRP: | N/A |
| Measured Weight: | 4.2 oz (119 g)
| | Size
(Available): | L (S-2X)
|
| Color: |
Khaki
| | Additional
Colors: | Stone, Navy, Grey, Olive, Dark Grey |
Product
Overview: The
White Rock Gear Outback
Classic hat is a wide brimmed summer hat. It arrived to my door with
only an attached hangtag. It looks just like the classic Australian
style hats seen on tv in many hunting shows. Made from 100% cotton,
this hat has a number of features that set it apart. On each side of
the brim
is a snap that allows the user to fasten the brim sides to the top of
the hat. There are also four vent holes on the top of the hat with
metal screens that allow the the head to breathe. Inside the hat is a
pocket that is large enough for a passport, money, or credit cards and
also a long elastic drawcord
with a single clip located in the middle that allows the wearer to
fasten the hat tight to their head.
Some of the
features that this hat incorporates include (from website):- SPF30+/UPF50+
- Hydro
Cool Crystals
- Teflon Coated
- Bug
Off
- Anti-Bacterial Headband
- Passport/Security
Pocket
Initial
Impression:The
White Rock Outback Classic arrived with a single hang tag attached to a
grommet on the backside of the brim. This hangtag gives wearing
instructions that include reactivating the Hydro Cool crystals, as well
as washing instructions. It also has information about the UV
protection of the hat, the Impregnated Bug Off protection, and stain
& water resistance information. The only warranty information
to be
found is "If this hat ever falls to pieces, send it back and we will
replace it". Hopefully, this will not happen during the life of the
test.
Starting from the top of the hat it appears
that all seams
are very well sewn together, all grommets and fasteners are nice and
tight and the drawcord seems to hold well in its stitching. The brim of
the hat is approximately 4 in (10 cm) in width, as is the
height
of the hat. On the inside, there are two stiff seams and what feels
like a piece of plastic embedded in them that keeps the hat body from
collapsing. The only identifying mark on the hat is a small sewn in tag
that bears the manufacturers name. It is quite stylish and doesn't
detract from the hat in any way. Stitched into the pocket on the inside
of the hat is a sizing tag and washing instructions.
 The
drawcord itself is rather long though. I have measured it to be roughly
38 in (97 cm) in length; rather long in my opinion. I haven't figured
out why it is such a long length, but have found it to be a bit
cumbersome at times. I was wearing this hat the other day to the store
and had the drawcord tucked behind my back when driving. At almost
every bump I hit, I could feel the drawcord tugging at my head as it
was pinched between my back and the seat of my vehicle. I'll keep my
eye on this throughout the life of the test.
There
are a few
things that intrigue me about the Outback Classic. One is the Hydro
Cool beads that are embedded into the front of the headband. I've read
that these are supposed to help actively cool the wearer and simply
need to be activated with water for roughly 3 minutes. This seems a
novel idea during the summer, but I'm curious how this is
going
to work out during the winter months while I'm sweating? I'm also
interested in the use of the pocket in the top of the hat. As I don't
have a need to carry a passport or papers, I am curious if this pocket
will work well carrying a heating pack during the winter.
I
have always liked my hats a bit large. I know that my head size is
normally a medium. However, when hiking I prefer my hats a
bit larger as that makes them more comfortable when my head is bounding
along the trail. I usually have to stick a small safety pin in the
headband to snug it up a bit during initial wear. While the Outback
Classic is a tad large, it isn't overly large as to be uncomfortable.
I'm quite glad that I received a size larger than normal.
In
all, I am very pleased with the quality of construction incorporated
into the White Rock Outback Classic. I see myself getting plenty of use
out of it, hopefully both during the summer and winter hiking seasons.
I'd like to thank White Rock and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me
to participate in this test.
Field
Report: Feb 2, 2009
 Field Conditions:
Throughout
this phase of testing, I was able to wear the White Rock Outback
Classic hat on a number of occasions. My primary backpacking trip
occurred in
mid November when I took a 2 day jaunt to the Red River Gorge area of
Kentucky. As part of the Daniel Boone National Forest, this area has
roughly 36 mi (58 km) of trail with an elevation ranging from 700
to 1300 ft (200 to 400 m). Temperatures for this trip ranged from
40 F to 20 F (4 C to -6 C) with precipitation in the form of
freezing rain and snow. Additional testing occurred on various day
trips
to my local park for exercise as well as wearing this hat around town
in rain, snow, and sleet. Naturally these trips around town were
without my wife as she still thinks I look funny in this hat.
Temperatures for day hikes and additional outings ranged from 50 F (10
C) down to 5 F (-5 C).
Performance:While
the White Rock Outback Classic is primarily a summer hat, I have been
fortunate enough to test this during the off season. When I started
this test I had reservations about testing a summer hat of this design.
I was worried I wouldn't be able to test all the features this hat
offered due to the cold weather. However, I have found that this hat
performs rather well in both hot and cold weather. No matter the
conditions I've subjected the Outback Classic to, it has stood up to
the punishment.
 After wearing this around town during the
Initial Report phase, I thought it would be good to get some field use
on this hat. I wore it on occasion during my day hikes to keep the sun
off my face and it performed really well for this task. Even the light
misting that I saw while running errands around town was kept at bay.
However, I needed weather that was significantly worse before I would
consider this hat anything more than a glorified sun visor.
I
received such weather on my outing to Red River Gorge. From the onset
it was clear that the weather would be bad. We needed to get a permit
to enter the park, but the rain was so heavy I didn't want to get out
of the jeep. The Outback Classic kept water from dripping down
my
back or soaking my head while running the 100 ft (30 m) to the ranger
station. We were in there for a while and I thought for sure the hat
would be soaking wet on the inside by the time we left, but it was dry
as could be.
Hiking through the brush, the hat
stayed nice and
dry on the inside. However, I did notice that the perspiration from my
forehead was soaking into the cooling beads located inside the
sweatband. I felt as if I was getting a brain freeze from eating ice
cream too quickly. My perspiration was causing the cooling beads to
actively cool my head down. This would have been nice in the summer,
but the headache that I got wasn't all that pleasant in the winter.
 When
this hat was exposed to freezing rain, I thought for sure that it would
be soaked on the inside, but once again I was wrong. The ice that
formed on the top of the had remained on the top, and the underside was
still nice and dry. Even after clipping the hat to my hammock ropes and
letting freezing rain layer ice on it throughout the night, the inside
was still dry. All I had to do was to work the hat a bit to free the
crusted ice and it was good as new.
The chin strap
worked well
in keeping the hat on my head in strong winds. I did notice that the
excess strap that was hanging around my chest did ice up a bit though
throughout the day. This wasn't too much of a problem as a simple
shaking removed this quite easily. I also noticed that the vent holes
tended to stay iced over more than other parts of the hat. I'm not sure
if it was because of the vent being metal or what, but breathability of
the hat was compromised due to this.
As a wide
brimmed hat, the
White Rock Outback Classic performed well. On multiple occasions this
hat kept my back and neck safe from falling snow. Numerous times I had
to crouch under snow covered trees but not once while wearing the
Outback Classic did I get snow down the back of my coat. I was forced
to remove the hat and shake off excess snow every now and then, but
that is a
small price to pay for a dry neck.
In all, I am
pleased with the
performance of the Outback Classic. It has proved to be a hat suitable
for both cold weather and warm. My only suggestion so far would be to
have the ability to remove Hydro Cool beads in the winter months. I
feel that this would provide a better comfort level for the wearer in
various conditions.
Long Term Report: Apr 2, 2009
Field Conditions:Over
the entire 4 month testing phase, I have been able to wear this hat for
approximately 25 times during overnighters, dayhikes, trips around
town, and other outdoor activities. This hat has been used
in wintry snow and ice, sweltering heat and sunshine, and heavy
downpouring rain. During this last testing phase, I took 2 day hikes at
the local park wearing
this hat. Temperatures fluctuated between 40 and 50 F (4 - 10 C)
both days due to varying sunlight and wind. There was no rain either
day, but there was quite a bit of wind at times. In addition, I wore
the hat on multiple occasions around town during varying weather
conditions.Performance:During
the past few months, I have continued to be impressed by both the
quality of the White Rock Outback Classic, and the use I've received
from it. I've always been one to regularly wear a hat. From keeping the
sun off my face during sporting activities, to keeping rain at bay in
times when I had to be out in inclement weather, to just covering my
balding head; I'm no stranger to wearing a hat on a regular basis.
However,
looking like an Aussie was something totally new to me as I usually
throw on a baseball style cap. While it's true that my wife refuses to
be seen in public with me while I'm wearing it, I myself have grown
attached to the style of the hat quite fondly. I have no problem
anymore snapping up the sides and heading out during a sunny day of
running errands, or grabbing it when the clouds look ominous.
In
short, while it took some getting used to on my part, this is
definitely something that I'm apt to grab on my way out even if I don't
think that I'm going to need a hat during the day. Having it "just in
case" is something that I've caught myself doing on multiple occasions.
It's also something that I can see myself grabbing for quite a while
to come. Style, protection, and comfort keep me grabbing this over any
standard baseball cap.
The durability, use, and comfort of the
Outback Classic is wonderful. I tend to sweat profusely during any
amount of physical activity. I even have a tendency to sweat when
I'm chilled for some reason. This hat has soaked up its fair share of
perspiration quite well. Even though I have not washed the hat during
the entire 4 month period that I've worn it, I can say that while it
has obviously been worn there is no stink or odor of any type that
lingers after wearing. In addition, all the threads remain nice and
tightly sewn, and the elastic cord remains pliable and stretchy after
repeated use. The snaps have not begun to rust yet, and the cooling
beads remain in their original shape rather than feeling like gel. When
I'm wearing this hat, I hardly notice it anymore. It's still just a tad
big for my head, but very comfortable and much nicer than having a
tight fitting cap on when I begin to sweat profusely.
As
mentioned before, the only negative aspect that I had with the Outback
Classic was the active cooling beads in the hat band. Like I discussed,
wearing this during cool weather still has a tendency to produce
headaches; exactly like a brain freeze I get when drinking a slushee or
eating ice cream too fast. This can be a bit painful at times, and
there have been a couple of occasions that I have removed the hat
during foul weather simply because I couldn't take the pain anymore. I
don't anticipate these problems during the summer, but it would be nice
if the active cooling beads were in some sort of removable package to
allow for a more comfortable experience when using the hat in colder
weather or when wearing this while hiking through areas of great
elevation change, and therefore temperature change.
In all
though, I consider the White Rock Outback Classic to be a great hat. It
provides protection from all the elements nicely, is well constructed,
durable, and comfortable. It has so far outperformed any hat that I
currently own in all types of weather conditions. The many features
that it incorporates make it a very valuable tool in any hikers arsenal.
I'd like to thank White Rock, and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to participate in testing the Outback Classic.
Read more reviews of White Rock Gear gear
Read more gear reviews by Andrew Buskov
|
