Best Surf Hats

Best Surf Hats: Bought and Tested by Me!

Last Updated on June 20, 2023 by Matt

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.

The first surf session when I tested these surf hats was in the Spring, which extended into the Summer. This allowed me to get maximum UV blasting. I tried to surf in various conditions: big waves, small waves, windy, and so on.

Best Surf Hats Da Kind Indo Surf Hat
Best Surf Hats Da Kind Indo Surf Hat

Best Hat

If you are after a wide-brimmed surf hat, The DaKine Indo Surf is our best buy. Really well made with quality materials:

You can’t really go wrong with this one. 

FCS Essential Surf Cap
FCS Essential Surf Cap

Best Cap

The FCS Essentials Surf Cap was my favorite cap in the test. Folds/rolls up really small, but equally offers great protection from the sun.

A solid choice.  

FCS Essential Surf Bucket Hat
FCS Essential Surf Bucket Hat

Highly Rated

I really like the FCS Essentials Bucket Hat too so it comes highly recommended.

I have used it out and about when not surfing – the modern shape looks great on land and in the water.

Want to jump straight to my favorites?


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!

Product Pros

  • $20 price is excellent
  • Floating surf hat
  • UPF 50+
  • Flip up brim – good for paddling

Product Cons

  • The shape and size of the brim is a bit big

Key Features

  • Floating wide-brimmed surf hat
  • UPF 50+
  • Made from recycled materials
  • Adjustable chin strap

verdict

My Thoughts

This is a great budget-friendly surf hat – the $20 price point is hard to beat!

The chin clasp is solid, the nylon material feels 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 duck dive – especially if the waves have any sort of power. I had to reposition this a few times after duck diving just small waves.

For infrequent use, in small longboardy waves,  the Olaian surf hat is a great choice.

2. Kaiola Surf Hat

Product Description

Years in the making, the Kaiola 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 noticeable difference is the chin strap – it’s super 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.

Product Pros

  • Discreet but effective chin strap
  • Soft and comfortable material
  • UPF 80+
  • It floats 
  • Flip up brim – good for paddling

Product Cons

  • The chin buckle is a bit fiddly 
  • Personally, I don’t like the thick front panel and the heavily embroidered logo

Key Features:

  • Duck-dive and wipe-out proof
  • UPF 80 provides excellent UV protection
  • Signature chin-strap: nearly invisible, yet super strong. Non-chafing
  • “Water to land” concept: interior tuck-away chinstrap function
  • Super soft and padded internal headband

verdict

My Thoughts

I like a lot about this hat – the fact they are making it in Europe is a big positive. The company is also hot on the environmental impact 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 front 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 adjustable 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 vision compared to the bucket hat style.

Soft touch ear covers are really comfortable too.

Product Pros

  • Great shape to fit most noggins
  • Super light and packable
  • It floats
  • UPF 50+

Product 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

Key Features:

  • Floating lightweight surf cap
  • UPF 50+
  • Adjustable chin strap
  • Soft-touch ear covers

verdict
FCS Essential Surf Cap

My Thoughts

I really liked this cap – stayed on my head when duck diving, oh, and falling!

I like the fact that it’s 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 comes with a detachable neck cover, but I took this off for most sessions.

It also has a comfortable neoprene headband, 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 i thought was a nice touch.

Product Pros

  • Detachable and storable neck protection
  • Flip-up brim – good for paddling
  • It floats
  • UPF 50+

Product Cons

  • Like the cap version, the plastic clips do not feel as premium as some of the other hats

Key Features:

  • Shallow brim all the way around
  • UPF 50+
  • Mesh panel at the back to help with ventilation
  • Adjustable chin strap
  • Lightweight, quick-drying material

verdict
FCS Essential Surf Bucket Hat

My 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 glance this looks like a regular trucker cap – not for surfing or using in the water.

But, the hat features an option to 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 headband, and a 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.

Product Pros

  • Well made, quality feel
  • Removable neck flap protection
  • Floating brim
  • UPF 50+
  • Hydrophobic coated material to repel water
  • Great price

Product Cons

  • Comes with neck protection, but no place to store it like the DaKine hat

Key Features:

  • Hydrophobic material
  • UPF 50+
  • Floating brim
  • Adjustable chin strap
  • Soft internal neoprene headband

verdict

My 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.  

A fine surf hat, and a great score with 4.5 stars.

6. DaKine Indo Surf Hat

Product Description

My first impressions are that this hat is made from much 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’s a traditional surf brim hat style and comes with a removable neck cover, made from the same material as the hat too which is a nice touch, but some will maybe find this annoying.

The ‘peak’ section of the hat has a stiffer brim to prevent it from flopping around all over the place which I’ve tried to show in the images above.

It also has a small pouch in 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.

Product Pros

  • Nice thick material, it feels well made
  • Removable and storable neck protection
  • It floats
  • UPF 50+
  • Flip up brim – great for paddling

Product Cons

  • Neck protection can be a bit of a pain – some people will just chuck it away

Key Features:

  • Floating wide-brimmed surf hat
  • UPF 50+
  • Adjustable chin strap
  • Internal pocket for storing small, light items

verdict
Da Kine Indo Surf Hat

My Thoughts

It’s hard to fault the DaKine 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.

If you’re a surfer off to the topics, or looking for some extra protection from the sun, this one is a solid choice and it’s our top pick with 5 stars.

The Results

BEST SURF HAT

The Da Kine Indo Surf Hat gets our top marks – it covers all bases, is really well made, and is 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 favorite cap in the test with 4.5 stars.   

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

The FCS bucket hat comes in highly rated too – I have found this one really good to use just as a hat when out and about on land, as well as in the water.

I really like the shape, it has a tonne of great features, so it will be a really solid purchase for a lot of different uses – both on land and in the water.

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!

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