When I am traveling, I often leave my hotel at the crack of dawn and don’t get back until long after the sun has set. My goal is to spend as much time as I can having new adventures, seeing all the sights, and tasting so many new things.
This also means that I find myself exposed to the sun a lot. It’s important to note that even in cooler weather, sun exposure can damage your skin over the long term.
Over the years I’ve started wearing lightweight long-sleeve shirts to protect my arms and travel pants for hot weather.
But, there was one place I didn’t cover my face. To be honest, I didn’t want to look like your typical tourist with a big floppy hat. Looking back, it seems like such a silly thing to risk my health about, but I was younger.
The good news is that sun hats have come a long way in their designs. This means you can look sharp and well-traveled while protecting your face.
This article is going to take a look at some of the best sun hats for travel during hot summer that you can order on Amazon. We will look at the features, prices, and some of the pros and cons of each hat to help you purchase the right beach hat for you.
Best Sun Hats for Women
7FURTALK Women’s Beach Sun Straw Hat
If you are looking for a lightweight and stylish beach hat, the FURTALK Sun Hat is perfect for you.
The hat is made of paper straw, which is more resilient than other materials used to make straw hats. That makes it one of the best packable sun hats as will keep its shape after packing or even if you get it wet during a swim.
Despite the lightweight material, the hat does a superb job at protecting your face and neck with a wide brim that runs all the way around.
Inside there is a band that will wick away any sweat that threatens to drip down into your eyes. The hat also boasts an attachable chin strap to help keep it on during windy days.
The FURTALK Straw Hat has a very chic design, with a simple ribbon running around the hat and ending in a nice bow on the back. This makes it a great summer hat to wear to the beach, while sightseeing or even to complement your outfit for a nice romantic dinner.
The FURTALK Straw Hat comes in two sizes, medium and large, with seven different colors available.
Some of the pros of the FURTALK Straw Hat are:
- Can be easily folded for packing, unlike similar straw hats that will lose their shape or become creased
- The paper straw material that the hat is made from is woven tight enough to block the sun but allows air to flow in and around the hat keeping you cool.
Some of the cons of the FURTALK Straw Hat are:
- While the hat will not become damaged during packing, the bow can get squished and might need to be re-tied or fixed
- The hat does run a little on the small size, so you might want to order the large if you are normally a medium.
6Lanzom Women’s Big Bowknot Straw Hat
Sometimes you just want a big floppy hat to cover your head, neck, and even shoulders. The Lanzom Women’s Big Bowknot Straw Hat boasts a five-and-a-half-inch brim to protect you.
The hat is made from a soft straw material that is thicker than the paper straw of the FURTALK Straw Hat. This means that it provides superior protection from the sun, but doesn’t breathe as much.
What’s really nice about this hat is the wide variety of designs available. In fact, there are thirty-one unique designs available! And they aren’t just different colors.
There are different ribbons, strings, or bows available in multiple different colors. You can even choose some designs that have sayings on them like ‘hello sunshine,’ ‘out of office,’ or my favorite, ‘resting beach face.’
Some of the pros of the Lanzom Women’s Big Bowknot Straw Hat are:
- Superior sun protection from the thickly woven together straw and wide brim.
- Very lightweight, to the point where you could even forget that it’s on your head.
Some of the cons of the Lanzom Women’s Big Bowknot Straw Hat are:
- Due to its thicker weaving of straw to protect from the sun, there is not as much ability for the hat to breathe.
- Some of the lighter colors are susceptible to getting stained from sweat.
5Wallaroo Women’s Victoria Sun Hat
This hat finds itself somewhere between the FURTALK Straw hat and the Lanzom Women’s Bug Bowknot hat. The Wallaroo boasts an old-school style with new-school technology.
Its old-school design comes from the flip-up at the end of the three-inch brim. The new technology is the poly-straw material, it makes the hat thick enough to block the sun, but still allows plenty of airflow to keep you cool.
The Wallaroo Victoria Sun hat is not meant to be folded or rolled, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be packed away.
Wallaroo has designed the hat so it can be filled with other things, like socks and underwear to help it keep its shape while packed. If the hat gets a little wrinkle or loses some of its shape, it can be steamed to regain its proper design.
The Wallaroo Victoria Sun Hat currently comes in twenty-one different colors on Amazon. They are also committed to adding new colors, adding three new colors in the last year alone.
This hat could also be a nice gift for your female friend who loves to be outdoors and enjoy the hot summers.
Some of the pros of the Wallaroo Victoria Sun Hat are:
- The woven poly-straw is thick enough to block the sun from your face and neck but still allows air circulation.
- The hat is designed as one-size-fits but has an adjustable ribbon on the inside of the hat to make sure it fits snuggly on your head.
Some of the cons of the Wallaroo Victoria Sun Hat are:
- The hat is hand washed only, which takes time. After washing, make sure to stuff it with kitchen towels so that it dries properly. If not dried properly, the hat can start to smell until it is washed again.
- While many sun hats run small, the Wallaroo Victoria actually runs a little larger than similar sunhat styles.
Best Sun Hats for Men
4Sombriolet Sun Hat
One of the biggest differences between men’s and women’s sun hats is in their design. Both styles focus on function, but women’s sun hats focus more on form than men’s.
Many men’s sun hats are designed to be low profile while protecting them from the sun. The Sombriolet Sun Hat is just that, protecting your face and neck without drawing extra attention.
This is a great beach summer hat and isn’t boring by any stretch of the imagination, coming in eight different colors on amazon.
This is our favorite pick for the best packable sun hat.
Some of the pros of the Sombriolet Sun Hat are:
- Despite being only hand washable, the hat is stain resistant meaning all that sweat will wash out easily.
- The hat is water-resistant, providing you with some protection should you be caught in light to medium rain.
Some of the cons of the Sombriolet Sun Hat are:
- If not packed properly, the brim can become creased, if that happens you will have to steam the bring to work the cerise out.
- When ordering, the sizing can be confusing. There are different measurements used for different colors. Some colors use medium, large and x-large sizes, while other colors use 7 ⅛, 7 ⅜, and 7 ⅝.
3Tilley Endurables LTM6 Airflo Hat
I love taking photos and videos during my trips. There is no better way to capture the moment and the memories.
To be honest, many times I have found that the hats that protect me from the sun get in the way of my camera. This means that I end up leaving my camera in my bag and miss out on capturing some really great moments.
With the Tilley Airflo Bucket Sun Hat, I don’t have to choose between my hat and capturing the moments on camera.
The classic fedora design provides a short but stiff brim that will protect you from the sun. The brim is short enough that it won’t impede your backpacking camera, whether you’re using your camera phone or professional equipment.
Fortunately, the classic fedora design does not apply to the fabric of the Tilley Airflo. The hat has several vents that allow for airflow and the material is light enough that it doesn’t trap air.
Tilley is a very well-known brand that produces some of the best sun hats for travel.
Is also available in eight different colors.
Some of the pros of the Tilley Endurables LTM6 Airflo Hat are:
- Tilley offers a lifetime guarantee for the hat, allowing it to be fixed or replaced if it becomes damaged.
- The hat can be washed on a gentle cycle in the washing machine.
- It is also available in a wide variety of sizes, meaning you can find the perfect size for you.
Some of the cons of the Tilley Endurables LTM6 Airflo Hat are:
- Compared to similar hats, it is on the expensive side.
- The brim can get creased if it isn’t packed right, which requires steaming to get it out.
Best Sun Hat for Heat
2Mission Cooling Bucket Hat
Whether you are looking for a beach hat or a sun protection hat, one of the toughest things is managing the heat.
Many times thicker hats, which are better at blocking the sun’s rays, might also trap extra heat causing more sweating. This is where the Mission Cooling Bucket Hat changes the game.
As a company Mission has made a name for itself, by using evaporation with its material to cool without chemicals.
To enjoy the cooling function of this hat, you simply wet the interior band before wringing out the excess water.
Give it a quick wave back and forth to get the evaporating started and plop the hat on your head. The patented material makes it feel a bit like an air conditioner on your head.
The Mission Cooling bucket also boasts a three-inch brim that can be flipped up and attached to the top of the hat with snaps. While you might not look the coolest, this feature helps get the brim out of your eyes if you are inside.
Since it has a buttoned brim, it could easily be used as a hiking hat for women who love going up in the mountains even on a windy day.
It is also currently available in six different colors and different designs.
Some of the pros of the Mission Cooling Bucket Hat are:
- Its cooling system is straightforward to use and keeps working for a few hours even on very hot days.
- The hat holds up to a lot of use, not wearing out easily.
- The cooling material is chemical-free.
Some of the cons of the Mission Cooling Bucket Hat are:
- It runs a little on the smaller side, so people with large heads might need to stretch it out.
- While the material is strong, it’s also flimsy, by design. This can lead to the hat losing its shape easily.
- When using the hat without water to cool it, it can actually be too hot to use.
Best Overall Sun Hat
1Einskey Sun Hat for Men/Women
