Review on 👒 Protective Outdoor Research Swift Sun Hat for All Sizes by Timothy Weems

I forgot my cap on a recent climb to Moab. The sun was beating down and luckily a friend lent me his OR Sun Runner hat. As proof of how much I love this hat I ordered the surgical hat as soon as I got back. I didn't need the side panels of a Sun Runner hat (I always carry a bandana with me and roll it out and wear it under my hat when I really need to cover my ears and neck), so I ordered a Swift sun hat in Exhaustion. A hat of typical Outdoor Research quality, so excellent. As with the hat I wore in Moab, I think it would make a great sun hat. It is very light and has a very comfortable fit. There is a quick release buckle on the adjustment tab which seems useless to me but is very shallow so it's ok. I really like the "tired" color, a nice olive, light enough not to pick up too much sunlight and without the slightly dull army-navy color characteristic of gray-olive. It's casual enough that it doesn't look like I'm playing golf in Mara Lago, and neat enough that I'll wear it to an engineers' meeting in the rain without looking unprofessional. The hat has a strange aspect: the mesh. The side panels are actually the sides of the one-piece mesh lid. The top of the mesh lid is hidden because the top nylon panel (the olive green part in my case) is actually an entirely separate "awning" attached to the front and back edges. I think the aim is to offer a little more insulation and ventilation between the head and the sun. This makes the hat a bit heavier (it's still very light) and I suppose that theoretically it could snag on bushes if you're pushing through thick vegetation, but honestly I don't think the difference would really be noticeable. Either Swift or Sun Runner seem like good choices. In the end I don't see much reason for criticism. It seems very handy in hot weather and in the sun and will probably work in cool weather too. It's well packaged and looks cool. It will probably become my go-to hat for hiking, running and working in sunny and/or dry areas. Highly recommended.