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A boonie hat shades your face and the back of your neck at the same time, which a cap can't do once the sun swings round behind you. Most listings give the brim width. It runs from 7 cm on the womens hiking hat to 9 cm on the camo boonie hat and 9.5 cm on the boonie hat with ponytail hole. Belts, watches and the rest of the small kit that goes with a hat are in our military accessories.
Weight matters when the hat spends half the day in your pack. The womens hiking hat weighs 80 g and folds easily. The hiking boonie hat is heavier at 130 g, light nylon with press studs on the sides. For open country with no shade at all, compare them with our wide brim hats before you decide.
Heat builds up fast under a hat on a humid day in the tropical north, so look at how each style lets air out. The camouflage boonie hat has grilles built into the sides. On the camo boonie hat the vents are holes with metal eyelets, while the boonie hat for men has embroidered side vents. The polyester styles dry quickly after rain: with the camouflage boonie hat you shake it out and keep walking. The nylon of the womens hiking hat is water-repellent, which helps in wind and drizzle.
Wind is what usually sends a boonie flying on an exposed ridge. The hiking boonie hat has a drawcord under the chin, and the boonie hat for men has an adjustable chin cord. The sun protection hat for women adjusts around the head from 56 to 60 cm, so measure just above your ears before you order. If you wear your hair up, the boonie hat with ponytail hole lets it come through the back instead of pushing the hat up off your head.
Khaki and black are the most common colours, followed by grey and army green. Orange and pink are easier for your group to spot if you wander off the track. Most people leave a boonie plain, but if you like a name tape or a flag on your gear, our velcro patches sit on packs and caps that carry a loop panel.
