Outdoor Research

Helios Sun Hat

No Better Sun Hat Made!

I have owned seven of these hats counting the four I just ordered in multiple colors. There is no better hat made!

Great sun protection for kayaking on the lake

This hat provides the right amount of sun protection out on the lake kayaking. It fits snug enough and with the chin sinch cord I feel confident it wont blow away on a windy lake Ontario day.

Brim won't lay flat...looks ridiculous

I like the weight of this hat and I bought one for my husband and one for me. His hat looks fine on him and the brim lies flat, but no matter what I attempt on my hat, (blocking, bending, stretching), I can't get the brim to lie flat and the hat just looks ridiculous. I think there is something wrong with the way my Helios was made. I plan to return it and get another one.

Great sun protection, travels well.

I bought this for a vacation and it did great and continues to do well.

Helios Sun Hat

This is the most versatile sun hat I have owned. It is my go to for mowing the lawn to beach and/or mountain vacations. I have two different colors. The hat is well made, and comfortable.

Good investment

I have one of these from 2009. Still in great shape. Excellent sun protection for the ears and neck as well as the face.

Just what I needed

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I just got back from three weeks in Peru—in the Andes and in the jungle. I needed a sturdy hat to protect my head from the sun that still looked good. This hat was just what I had been looking for. It kept its shape no matter how I stuffed it into my bag, and withstood all the elements I encountered. I definitely recommend it, and will be taking it on all my adventures from now on.

Great Hat - only 1 real issue

Love this hat. This is my daily go-to except for bad rain, when I use the Seattle Sombrero. Brim is wide enough to give decent face and neck sun protection, but light enough to wear all day long. The brim is semi-formable and doesn't flop much at all. The only real issue with the hat is sizing. You really need to try them on, aa even in same sizing, head circumference varies a lot and is not consistent. Also varies significantly based on color. Easy to do if you buy it in-person, but I wouldn't buy online unless you're okay with possibly going through a return/exchange process. Would gladly buy again and likely will if I ever lose this one.

Great fit. Maximum Comfort

I wore this hat for my first time on a nine hour hiking trip. It was comfortable from the minute I put on and the brim was big enough to shade my face and back of neck from the sun. Love the hat. Love the colors.

Inconsistent sizing and stitching

I love this hat, but hate that I have to select a bunch of different hats in the same size and try them on to see which one has been put together in the actual size I wear and which one has either been sewn together in the wrong size or mis-stitched. Because of the sizing issue, along with the fact that I live far from an Outdoor Research retailer, I have to give up on this hat. I need to be able to order a hat and receive it in the size it's labeled with.