Friday, July 08, 2022

Sunday Afternoon Hats Reviews: Caps, Visors, and Beanies


By Jeff Valliere and John Tribbia

Sunday Afternoon Hats


Jeff: I cannot say enough great things about Sunday Afternoons, as not only do they make among the best hats on the market, they are also a very environmentally conscious company, using sustainable, socially and environmentally friendly materials.  I could go on and on, but you can read much more about them here:  


Below are some of their hats I have been wearing over the past few months that I would highly recommend.


Outback Merino Beanie

One Size

$38

The Merino Beanie is made from sustainably sourced 100% extra fine Everwool merino wool from humanely raised sheep.  The Merino Beanie has a microfleece inner earband for soft comfort, although the remainder of the beanie is not at all scratchy.  Performance is excellent, as this hat is exceptionally comfortable and warm.  I do not use this hat for running however and is primarily best suited for day to daily wear or low to moderate output winter activities (skiing, snowshoeing, light jogging on the coldest days).  Well, that was before my wife took possession of the hat….



Adventure Mesh Cap

One Size

$34

Jeff: The Adventure Mesh Cap is a nice middle ground hat for running in the midday sun.  I often want more coverage than a regular cap provides when running in the high mountains or during the middle of the day, but wearing a full brimmed hat feels too floppy and hot to me.  


The Adventure Mesh Cap, with UPF 50+ sun protection, a removable neck cape and mesh ventilation is a great option to add some coverage without being too hot or disorienting (often the floppiness of a full brim hat can alter my peripheral vision and impacts my balance/agility).  I find the Adventure Mesh Cap to be cool, comfortable and just enough to protect my neck from getting scorched by the intense Colorado sun.


John: The versatility of the Adventure Mesh Cap is my favorite feature. As Jeff mentioned above, having the option of adding more sun protection coverage with the removable cape is ideal for days when you will be navigating in high sun exposure areas. I also prefer the removable cape over full brimmed hats and hats that have non-removable capes because I often run with a hat in the early morning to keep my headlamp from slipping down and when it is raining or snowing to block my eyes from the precipitation. Neither of those situations require the cape, so I can easily remove it or stow it if I’m planning for a long day adventure. 



Vaporlite Rush Visor

One Size

$30



Jeff: Given that I don’t have much hair, I prefer the full coverage of a hat, so my wife quickly took over the Vaporlite Rush Visor.  She loves how lightweight and flexible it is with a crushable brim for stashing easily in a pocket, has a wicking sweatband, a stretch comfort adjustment, glasses lock and is ponytail friendly.


John: Agree with everything Allison highlights about the visor. I’m not a big visor wearer either, but I definitely liked the comfort design and wicking sweatband. Not to mention, the green/yellow coloring is bright and appealing. While the stretch comfort adjustment is nice, I did find the visor  sags and falls off when wet. 



Vaporlite Stride Cap

One Size

$34

Jeff: Like the Rush Visor, the Stride Cap is exceptionally lightweight and flexible with a crushable brim for stashing easily in a pocket, has a wicking sweatband, a stretch comfort adjustment, glasses lock and is UPF-50 sun rated.  

I love how light and breathable the Stride Cap is. It is ideal for warmer days and for me I prefer it early mornings due the shorter bill (on bright sunny days, I prefer a larger bill for a bit more coverage).  The glasses lock is super handy for keeping glasses in place when not in use and has saved my glasses more than once, however it takes a bit of practice to line the glasses’ stems with the holes.  

John: Jeff hits all of the features that I love about this hat. I also appreciate how the hat fits - it is deeper than many running caps I’ve worn, which is great because it anchors on your head snugly. A gust of wind has little chance of taking it away. The Stride Cap has well placed reflective material for improved visibility in dimly lit situations. Various sizes and  shapes of sunglasses fit well underneath the flexible brim. 


Rainier Beanie

One Size

$29

With 4 way stretch breathable fabric, an insulating fleece liner, water and wind resistant properties, sunglasses lock, high vis reflective details and UPF 50 sun rating, the Rainier Beanie is ideal for colder running (below freezing and down into single digits or below).  The Rainier is my go to when it is really cold and or precipitating.  I love the fit, feel and performance overall, as it is very comfortable, warm, water resistant and the glasses lock is super handy.


Sunday Afternoon Hats are available at Sunday Afternoons and at our partners below.

Tested samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. others were personal purchases. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased through affiliate links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'

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1 comment:

seung.kim said...

The removable cape is a nice idea. But other than a unique feature like that, a hat is a hat is a hat. More power to those who can appreciate small differences among caps, but I've never found a reason to need or want anything more than a <$20 Headsweats cap. Again, products like these must mean that there's a market for them, but I can't help but think that running is becoming less and less a simple, inexpensive activity, that runners are becoming more and more dependent on expensive "necessities."