Running hat

[pete6032]

Any runners in the house? As it gets warmer I am looking for a decent baseball cap to wear while running to block out the sun. Will accrue a lot of sweat so what is the best material? Polyester or something else?

 

[lxskllr]

Where do you live? If it's someplace dry, I'd say poly. If it's someplace humid, it doesn't really matter. I'd also consider a poly buff and sunglasses rather than a hat.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

If it's windy don't bother, you'll eventually be running into the wind and spend more time screwing around with it than running. Hit the trails at noon or early dawn/late dusk.

 

[snoopy7548]

I have an old plain cotton baseball hat I wear while working outside that I also use for running. I just wash it after every couple of runs.

 

[sdifox]

I don't see how wearing a hat will make you cooler.

 

[shortylickens]

Sweatband.

 

[IronWing]

I don't see how wearing a hat will make you cooler.

That's because you live in Canada where the sun is an afterthought. OP, if you are in a dry climate than 100% cotton with a brim all the way around. Polyester make one sweat like a pig.

Here in Arizona, we have a condition called, "spongy head", where the skin on the top of one's head swells from sunburn, most unpleasant.

 

[lxskllr]

OP, if you are in a dry climate than 100% cotton with a brim all the way around. Polyester make one sweat like a pig.

Light polyester/nylon /should/ dry faster in a dry climate for evaporative cooling. That's the theory behind technical sportswear. I have no idea what dry heat is, so I usually wear cotton. I do wear a poly buff under my helmet as a sweatband, and shorten grass with it on the hottest days instead of wearing my boonie hat. Seems marginally better.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Hats of any kind when I run just make me hot and uncomfortable. I just wear sunglasses.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If I run I just throw my hair into a pony tail and wear sunscreen and just go. Hats are always going to fall off or feel like they're going to fall off and just be a nuisance.

I can't run for very long before I feel pooped out so won't have time to sunburn anyway in that time period. I'd say it's because I'm getting old but even when I was a kid I was never able to do long distance running, just not built that way I guess. I can run fast but not for long. Last time I completed a full track run I did it in just under a minute, which is apparently considered decent. I can't do that anymore with my bad feet though. I stick to doing light walking and tend to just do the trails near my house.

 

[MrSquished]

That's because you live in Canada where the sun is an afterthought. OP, if you are in a dry climate than 100% cotton with a brim all the way around. Polyester make one sweat like a pig.

Here in Arizona, we have a condition called, "spongy head", where the skin on the top of one's head swells from sunburn, most unpleasant.

Cotton is actually the worst for any kind of exercise where you will sweat. It wicks away moisture terribly and dries so slow. Technical fabrics are much better for any type of activity where you will sweat vs 100% cotton.

 

[shortylickens]

this man is correct.

 

[sdifox]

That's because you live in Canada where the sun is an afterthought. OP, if you are in a dry climate than 100% cotton with a brim all the way around. Polyester make one sweat like a pig.

Here in Arizona, we have a condition called, "spongy head", where the skin on the top of one's head swells from sunburn, most unpleasant.

I am from the subtropical island of Taiwan

 

[BudAshes]

 

[IronWing]

Cotton is actually the worst for any kind of exercise where you will sweat. It wicks away moisture terribly and dries so slow. Technical fabrics are much better for any type of activity where you will sweat vs 100% cotton.

You are wrong and your mother dresses you funny.

If you live with 0-10% humidity most of the year, cotton works great.

 

[Muse]

Sweatband.

You probably want a visor, right? I have a baseball cap I wear under my bicycle helmet because of the visor for its shade from the sun.

A baseball cap with a mesh on top that allows evaporation of sweat is cooler. That's what I wear, but I don't run anymore, was a big runner before a foot injury. I do bike and skate with that helmet + cap setup.

Then, too, I have a visor, period that I used to wear in the gym. It's not a hat, it's a visor with adjustable strap. Cooler, of course.

 

[Zorba]

Light polyester/nylon /should/ dry faster in a dry climate for evaporative cooling. That's the theory behind technical sportswear. I have no idea what dry heat is, so I usually wear cotton. I do wear a poly buff under my helmet as a sweatband, and shorten grass with it on the hottest days instead of wearing my boonie hat. Seems marginally better.

It doesn't matter if it is a dry climates or not, poly allows for better evaporative cooling. Cotton retains water, blocking sweat from doing it's jump and gets heavier. This might be good for a sweat band, but terrible for a shirt or full head covering.

 

[Zorba]

I wear a tight visor to block sun from coming over my glasses and to block sweat. I've got a few, but my favorite is an Epcot one that has a wide elastic band around the back. It'll stay on in up to ~35-40 mph winds.

I also have two Outdoor Research ones. One is super thin poly with and elastic band and very short bill, I use it when biking indoors mostly. The other has a medium sized bill and Velcro closure, I used to run in it all the time until I got the Epcot one, it also stays on just fine.

Straight hats just make me too hot when running. But I do wear an loose, Outdoor Research poly hat, with a medium, split bill when I'm hiking in sunny conditions.

 

[MrSquished]

You are wrong and your mother dresses you funny.

If you live with 0-10% humidity most of the year, cotton works great.

Not if you are going to do activities where you sweat. I'm not wrong. Sure if you are just hanging out, maybe cracking a bit of a sweat but not really sweating much, I never said there is anything wrong with cotton. But when you sweat, you get wet - and cotton sucks at moisture wicking and drying fast - two things athletes want to happen.

I've lived in Cyprus, and been there for weeks at a time. I'm pretty familiar with a very low humidity climate. Also, go on any board with folks who do active sports or things like hiking, cycling, running, etc.. the absolute last thing they recommend is 100% cotton, for the reasons stated above.

 

[IronWing]

Polyester feels like wearing a plastic bag on your head; it retains heat.

 

[shortylickens]

Polyester feels like wearing a plastic bag on your head; it retains heat.

No, it doesnt.
You are using something that is not polyester and confusing it with polyester.

 

[Zorba]

Polyester feels like wearing a plastic bag on your head; it retains heat.

Everything retains heat, but polyester allows evaporative cooling to continue, while cotton impeds that. Assuming you are actually using athletic poly clothing, it's also generally much more breathable than cotton.

Last summer I switched from wearing cotton cargo shorts (Levi's) to nylon cargo shorts (North Face), the difference in comfort out in the heat is insane.

 

[nOOky]

Headsweats or any other brand of light weight running hat. Patagonia and Columbia also make good ones. I have worn a running hat for as long as 33 hours during a 100 miler and I favor Headsweats, the one with the neck protector if it's going to be very sunny or hot. Try runningwarehouse or backcountry for good deals.

 

[MrSquished]

Everything retains heat, but polyester allows evaporative cooling to continue, while cotton impeds that. Assuming you are actually using athletic poly clothing, it's also generally much more breathable than cotton.

Last summer I switched from wearing cotton cargo shorts (Levi's) to nylon cargo shorts (North Face), the difference in comfort out in the heat is insane.

Yep it has to be athletic poly. You can't wear this kind of polyester and expect to stay cool in the heat

Headsweats or any other brand of light weight running hat. Patagonia and Columbia also make good ones. I have worn a running hat for as long as 33 hours during a 100 miler and I favor Headsweats, the one with the neck protector if it's going to be very sunny or hot. Try runningwarehouse or backcountry for good deals.

Backcountry is great. They got bought by a venture capital firm the other year but so far, they have remained a fantastic e-tailer for all things outdoors.

 

[Muse]

Everything retains heat, but polyester allows evaporative cooling to continue, while cotton impeds that. Assuming you are actually using athletic poly clothing, it's also generally much more breathable than cotton.

Last summer I switched from wearing cotton cargo shorts (Levi's) to nylon cargo shorts (North Face), the difference in comfort out in the heat is insane.

How about 50-50 cotton polyester blends?