8 Minute Read
THE BEST SURF HATS
Living in Southern Portugal (where I do currently) the sun shines for pretty much 300 days out of the year. And while this is great for getting a suntan, its not so good for your skin when you’re out in the surf. So, I’ve been looking into buying myself a surf hat to keep the wrinkles at bay.
I went online to look for some product reviews – And guess what? All of the stuff I could find was regurgitated brand fluff on various big name websites. So, what I thought would make a great blog post was if I went out and bought a few of what I think are the best surf hats and wrote down my thoughts.
Honesty Disclaimer: I was sent a hat by FCS and Kaiola free of charge which did not influence the results. The other hats were purchased at full RRP.
I tested these hats over the Spring and Summer to get maximum UV blasting. I tried to surf in various conditions: big waves, small waves, windy and so on.
If you want to jump to the top picks, click here
1: Decathlon Olaian Surf Hat
Product Description
OK, so first up is this offer from Decathlon – If you haven’t heard of this sports store you need to find out! In Europe Decathlon is MASSIVE. In a nutshell, Decathlon offer all sorts of sporting products at very, very good prices – cutting out the middleman, going from manufacturer direct to consumer.
This surf hat, branded as Olaian, is by far the cheapest in the test, but by no means a bad product.
Sure, they have cut a few corners to keep costs down, and this hat may not appeal to a hardcore surf customer base, but it does what it needs to do. Cheap and cheerful!
Pros & Cons
Pros
$20 price is excellent
Floating surf hat
UPF 50+
Flip up brim – good for paddling
Cons
The shape and size of the brim is a bit big
Tech Specs
Floating wide-brimmed surf hat
UPF 50+
Made from recycled materials
Adjustable chin strap
Thoughts
This is a great budget freindly surf hat – the $20 price point is hard to beat!
The chin clasp is solid, and the brim at the front is stiff so you can fold it for paddling.
Having said that, the brim is a bit too big – which you notice when you need to duckdive – especially if the waves have any sort of power. I had to reposition this a few times after duckdiving just small waves.
For infrequent use, in small longboardy waves, the Olaian surf hat is a great choice.
2: Kaiola Surf Cap
Product Description
Years in the making, the Kailoa surf hat is manufactured in a sustainable way in the North of Portugal. The company set out to make the best surf hat possible – and one that can be used in the water AND on land.
Very different in feel to the other hats in this test, it is very much like a traditional trucker cap, but the materials used are quick drying, soft and lightweight – which results in a really comfortable cap.
The other really noticeable difference is the chin strap – it’s really thin and discreet but does the job sufficiently.
The peak flips up too, to give you more visibility when paddling or when riding a wave.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Discreet but effective chin strap
Soft and comfortable material
It floats
UPF 80+
Flip up brim – good for paddling
Cons
Chin buckle is a bit fiddly
Personally, I don’t like the thick front panel and the heavily embroidered logo
Tech Specs
Duck-dive and wipe-out proof
UPF 80 providing excellent UV protection
Signature chin-strap: nearly invisible, yet super strong. Non chafing
“Water to land” concept: interior tuck-away chinstrap function
“Water to land” concept: interior tuck-away chinstrap function
Super soft and padded internal head band
Thoughts
I like a lot about this hat – the fact they are making it in Europe is a big positive. The company are also hot on the environmental imopact they are causing, or not as the case may be. Suppliers, materials and packaging are all sourced with Mother Nature in mind, which again is a big plus point.
It works well in the surf, and the chin strap is pretty sturdy even though it is super thin. The fact that you can tuck it away easily to wear your cap on land is also a nice touch, but personally, I don’t really like this ‘trucker’ style with the padded from panel.
Pretty pricey at $65, the most expensive hat in the test, but for something made in Portugal with the environmental credentials they have, I think it’s good value.
Overall, it’s a great cap, and if you like this style of trucker cap then it would be a great investment.
3: FCS Essential Surf Cap
Product Description
Super light cap which packs away into a tiny space into your backpack – or even into a pocket in your boardies!
It has an ajustable chin strap and a simple but effective back strap (around the back of your head).
The shape of the cap is really nice, and the fact that it’s a cap allows a bit more peripheral vison compared to the bucket hat style.
Soft touch ear covers are really comfortable too.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Great shape to fit most noggins
Super light and packable
It floats
UPF 50+
Cons
It’s a cap so doesn’t offer as much UV protection as the bucket style hats
Plastic clasps do not feel as premium as some of the other hats
Tech Specs
Floating lightweight surf cap
UPF 50+
Adjustable chin strap
Soft-touch ear covers
Thoughts
I really liked this cap – stayed on my head when duckdiving, oh and falling!
I like the fact that its really compact – so after a surf, you can stuff it into your boardies pretty easily.
I guess it’s a bit of a personal preference, but I prefer the cap style over the bucket hat style. Although not everyone will agree with me!
At the time of the test this was €35 / $35 which is a pretty darn good price.
Solid choice with 4.5 stars.
4: FCS Essential Surf Bucket Hat
Product Description
Made with the same material and components as the Essential Surf Cap (above) the bucket hat version offers a little extra protection from the harsh UV rays.
It has a fairly stiff brim allowing you to flip it up for paddling, but it’s not too soft to flop down over your face when wet.
It also has a comfortable neoprene head band, as well as a soft chin strap and ear flaps.
There’s also a vented section at the back to help keep your head cool which is a nice touch.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Removable and storable neck protection
It floats!
UPF 50+
Flip up brim – good for paddling
Cons
Like the cap version, the plastic clips do not feel as premium as some of the other hats
Tech Specs
Shallow brim all the way around
UPF 50+
Mesh panel at the back to help with ventilation
Adjustable chin strap
Lightweight, quick-drying material
Thoughts
Solid product offer from FCS – One of the top surf hardware brands, and for good reason.
Well-made and lightweight, you can’t go far wrong with this surf hat.
The only gripe I have, is the quality of the plastic clips to connect the chin strap – only a minor gripe though!
A fine surf hat, and a great score with 4.5 stars.
5: Rip Curl Surf Series Cap
Product Description
On first glace this looks like a regular trucker cap – not for surfing or using in the water.
But, it does have some nice features like the fact you can flip up the peak for paddling, solid chin closure, and a sturdy, adjustable strap at the back.
It also has a hydrophobic coating on the material, an internal neoprene head band and removable neck flap – so a lot more than a regular trucker cap!
Personally I’m not 100% sold on the shape of this cap compared to the others, but perhaps it’s just the shape of my head!
Well-made, high-quality cap from a much loved brand.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Well made, quality feel
Removable neck flap protection
Floating brim
UPF 50+
Hydrophobic coated material to repel water
Great price
Cons
Comes with neck protection, but no place to store it like the Da Kine hat
Tech Specs
UPF 50+
Floating brim
Hydrophobic material
Soft internal neoprene headband
Thoughts
This is a well-thought out surf cap from Rip Curl. I know I mentioned the shape is not to my taste, but the features, price and quality of the hat make it a really good option .
The only feature I would add to this hat is a small internal pouch to store the neck flap – Otherwise, if you’re anything like me it will just get lost.
Overall it’s a really great surf hat so gets 4.5 stars.
6: Da Kine Indo Surf Hat
Product Description
First impressions of this hat are that it’s made from thicker material than the others in this test. I see that as a good thing – it will most likely last longer, but time will tell.
It comes with a removable neck cover, made from the same material as the hat too which is a nice touch, but some will find this annoying.
The ‘peak’ section of the hat has a stiffer brim to prevent it flopping around all over the place which I’ve tried to show in the images above.
It also has a small pouch which you can store the neck protection in, if you do not want to use it. I guess you could store other stuff in there too like a small sun protection stick for instance.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Nice thick material, it feels well made
Removable and storable neck protection
It floats!
UPF 50+
Flip up brim – good for paddling
Cons
Neck protection can be a bit of a pain – some people will just chuck it away
Tech Specs
Floating wide-brimmed surf hat
UPF 50+
Adjustable chin strap
Internal pocket for storing small, light items
Thoughts
It’s hard to fault the Da Kine Indo Surf Hat in all honesty.
The only thing I’m picky about is the neck covering, but you can simply not use it because it’s removable.
A solid choice which is why it’s our top pick with 5 stars.
BEST SURF HAT
The Da Kine Indo Surf Hat gets our top marks – it covers all bases, is really well made, and nice and comfortable to wear in the surf.
If you buy one, I’m confident you will not be disappointed.
That’s why I gave it a full 5 stars.
BEST SURF CAP
I love the simplicity of the FCS Essentials Surf Cap.
Really practical but at the same time, it can be packed away super small – easy to stuff into a pocket in your boardies or waistband when you are not in the surf.
My favourite cap in the test with 4.5 stars.
Final Thoughts
I’ve tried to be as honest and open in this review as possible and not just copy and paste what you could have already read somewhere else on the internet.
If you bought a hat using this information as a guide, hit us up and let us know on Instagram or Facebook or ping us an email at [email protected] we’d love to hear from you!
Check out these other articles
What is Neoprene? Everything you need to know
When you think Surfing, the first things that come to mind for most people are tropical beaches,...
An interview with Nazaré Big Wave Surfer, Glyn Ovens
2-3 Minute ReadWe recently chatted to Welsh big wave hellman, Glyn Ovens about surfing huge waves,...
How Many Calories Does Surfing Burn?
How many calories are burned surfing? We give you the answers you’re looking for. Find out here.
0 Comments