10 Perfect Hiking Hats for Women - Summer to Winter

If you’ve been struggling to find the perfect hiking hat or which hat is best for hiking in summer or winter then you’ll be happy to find below the best all-around hats for any time of year.

Keep in mind some of the most important features of any good hiking hat are the quality of the material, the brim size, and how great it is at wicking sweat.

Even more important is the fit. While it may be hard when buying online to know the fit, make sure to read the reviews of others to get an idea.

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HIKING HATS

-Editor’s Top Picks-

Best in Summer: O.R. Oasis Hat

Most Stylish: Tilley Western Hat 

Best for Backpacking: Sunday Afternoons

Baseball Cap: lululemon Run Hat

Best Hiking Hats for Women

The best kind of hiking hat will have a slightly wider brim around 2-4 inches to protect you from UV rays as well as a sweat-wicking head band and ventilation on the side walls of the hat.

When hiking in winter, I like to wear a beanie that is lightweight but warm, such as ones made of merino wool since these fibers naturally wick sweat and are odor resistant.

Outdoor Research Oasis Hat

FEATURES

• Foam-Stiffened Brim (to keep hat afloat in water)

• Wider sombrero brim for face and neck coverage

• Sweatband wicks away perspiration

• Removable chin strap for windy weather

REVIEW: With a UPF rating of 50, a removable chin strap, and an ultra-wide brim, this hat is ideal for hikes in the hot summer sun.

If you aren’t into the hats with an added neck cover, then this is the next best coverage you’ll get while still being hiking-worthy.

Also, the quality of this hat is far superior to what you’re going to find on Amazon for under $20. It is a hat that will last years to come so you won’t have to go shopping for another hat in 5 years.

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat

FEATURES

• Wicking sweatband manages the moisture

• Wide brim and neck cover

• Extremely lightweight and packable

• Chin strap with cordlock for windy weather

REVIEW: Point blank, this is the hiking hat that has it all. It’s crushable, packable, breathable and offers full face and neck protection from the sun.

For any long hikes or backpacking adventures, this is the hat you’ll want to have. It is adjustable in all the right places so you don’t have to worry about it coming off in strong winds or giving you a headache after a full day wear.

When I’m backpacking, I also really like that the back of the brim goes down instead of sticking out so it doesn’t annoyingly hit my pack.

The sunglasses lock on top is even a nice touch that you probably didn’t know you needed but now do.

Tilley Western Hemp Hat

FEATURES

• Made of breathable hemp with a wicking felt sweatband

• Tuckaway wind cord

• Naturally antimicrobial to reduce odor buildup in the fabric

• Very durable

REVIEW: This extremely stylish Western-style hat is unbelievably comfortable thanks to the hemp fabric that softens with wear.

Not only is it breathable with a UPF 50 protection, it is also water repellent and buoyant. There is even a hidden pocket.

Tilley is one of those brands that go above and beyond for their customers. In my opinion, they set the standard for adventure hats when it comes to quality and style. Additionally, most of their hats are backed by a lifetime guarantee.

lululemon Ponytail Run Cap

FEATURES

• Sweat-wicking

• Very lightweight

• Pony tail hole option

• Interior mesh fabric sweatband wicks moisture

REVIEW: I absolutely love the high ponytail hole and grab this hat almost all the time. It’s very lightweight, dries fast, and wicks sweat.

It also looks good when I’m not hiking and works with about any outfit I have.

O.R. Papyrus Straw Hat

FEATURES

• Wide brim at 3.25”

• Lightweight and Breathable

• Removable chin cord

• Dark Fabric Under Brim to prevent glare

REVIEW: If you want a straw hat that is made for hiking, this is the best one on market. It is lightweight, has a wicking headband liner, and the straw makes it very breathable.

This hat is also crushable so you can easily pack in your bag without ruining it like the other mainstream straw hats.

It also had a UPF 50+ rating for sun protection.

Wide Brim Ponytail Hat

FEATURES

• Ponytail hole

• Wide brim for ultimate sun coverage

• Waterproof & vented sides for airflow

• Chin strap for windy weather

REVIEW: This hat is very lightweight, packable, and easily wicks moisture. Not to mention it also has crown ventilation, a UPF 50+ sun rating, and a place to lock in your sunglasses.

This hat is ideal for backpacking because you don’t have to worry about the wide brim in the back hitting your pack.

Carhartt Cuffed Beanie

FEATURES

• lightweight with mid-weight warmth

• high-quality and durability

• multi-use for hiking and everyday wear

REVIEW: It is definitely a popular hat but that’s because Carhartt is known to make quality products that far outlast their wear.

It really is the perfect beanie that provides purpose and warmth for hiking and style for everyday errands.

Merino Wool Beanie

FEATURES

• Thermoregulating

• Naturally anti-odor

• Double-layered for cold winter hikes

• Very soft wool

• Loose fit that doesn’t bunch

REVIEW: This is my favorite beanie for all things winter! From cold, early morning hikes and even snowshoeing in the winter, this beanie is the most warm and comfortable hat I own.

Most importantly, this beanie is made out of merino wool so it is naturally thermoregulating, odor resistant and quick drying when you do start to heat up on the trail.

This merino wool isn’t itchy either, it’s quite the opposite, and actually very soft.

Things to Consider - Hiking Hats

Sun-protection:

There are a series of factors to consider for what amount of sun protection you will need. You will notice most hats have a UPF rating.

For example, a UPF-30 means that 1 of 30 UV rays gets through to your skin. That rating occurs from how tightly woven the fabric is.

Along with the UPF, you will want to consider the material type, the stretch level, brim length/location, and colors.

I do think a hat offers much better protection than sunblock, especially once you start sweating.

Brim Style & Length:

Different hat styles offer a variety of brims to choose from – baseball caps will keep the sun off your face, for example, but won’t do much to protect your neck or stay secure during windy hikes.

If you need more coverage, opt for a hat with a brim that goes all the way around, offering protection to the top of your ears and back of your neck.

Also, keep in mind that too large of a brim on the back of the hat will rub against your backpack when hiking and cause an annoyance.

Material:

The material of the hat will determine breathability, fit, and if it is waterproof. Materials vary depending on the season, desired quality, and if you want your hat to be waterproof or not.

Typically, nylon is the most common fabric for lightweight, breathable hiking hats for the summer months.

Merino wool is also an excellent fabric for winter hats when you need warmth but still wicks away sweat incredibly well.

Also, keep in mind which hats are machine-washable or need to be hand-washed. A lot of the nylon water-resistant hats seem to need hand-washing.

Fit/adjustment:

Some hiking hats come in sizes and you will want to measure the circumference of your head to know the correct size.

Most hats and almost all the ones on the list above are adjustable, which I prefer in case the hat gets wet or loosens up over time.

This is probably the hardest part about buying a hat online so make sure you get it from somewhere with a great return policy like REI or Amazon Prime.

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