Winter hat recommendation ...down??

[Dogwood]

I usually make due with a merino/Alpaca beanie(it pulls/stretches down partly over my ears ) and bandanna wrapped and pulled down over my ears. The bandanna tightened around my ears that way also help keep the beanie stretched down tightly. I like Turtle Fir and Patagonia merino beanies but also have ones made by TNF(100% merino). I also have the hood on my shell/rain jacket to throw into the head warmth mix. I have different wt/warmth beanies that I mix and match w /other apparel set ups. I always think about everything working together that I might have for keeping my head/ears/face warm and the rest of me warm for both in camp and while on the move. For hardcore winter hiking I like a balaclava/sherpa like hat and carry a shell w/ a hood. If doing really short mileage less strenuous winter days and where I'm likely to spend more time in camp than usual I like those BlackRock down beanies. Shug was wearing two of them in MN lately in his vid. From what I saw what he was doing on that trip that worked well for him. I don't particularly like wearing down on my head though when on the move.

[gwb]

I like Golite's fleece beanie. It covers my ears. I also carry a neck gaiter. Sometimes the neck gaiter makes a good hat as it leaves the top of your head open for ventilation. I tried a Montbell down baseball cap and found it way to warm for anything other that a casual stroll.

[trippclark]

Go on Amazon and look up Turtle Fur. The hats are long enough to cover your ears. They are made of fleece

+1 for Turtle Fur. I bought mine 12 years ago from Campmor and it is still my winter hat of choice.

[Dogwood]

As I said I like my Alpaca Turtle Fur Beanies but be careful you don't shrink them up on high heat in the dryer.

[saltysack]

$10 turtle fur rocks.... Campmor


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[mudsocks]

For hiking I prefer my Mountain Goat wool, for sleeping I like my Black Rock down. Two hats is probably lame and ridiculous but it works for me. I find wool to less sweaty and more breathable and the down hat warmer and itch free when sleeping. I'm thin and shaved head and find sleeping in the Black Rock comfortable down into the mid teens. Below that I use both.

[rocketsocks]

I use a merino wool beanie, and a fleece lined acrylic hat as the outer shell. it wicks, breathes and keeps me warm.

[saltysack]

For hiking I prefer my Mountain Goat wool, for sleeping I like my Black Rock down. Two hats is probably lame and ridiculous but it works for me. I find wool to less sweaty and more breathable and the down hat warmer and itch free when sleeping. I'm thin and shaved head and find sleeping in the Black Rock comfortable down into the mid teens. Below that I use both.

Thx BRG down looks good but can't justify $85 for hat to sleep in. I only get to winter hike about 2-3 times a year. Living in north Florida can't really justify. I just ordered capilene 4 expedition wt hoodie for $80. Between that and my montbell ul down parka should be good w $10 turtle fur Beenie.



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[verysimple]

Thx BRG down looks good but can't justify $85 for hat to sleep in. I only get to winter hike about 2-3 times a year. Living in north Florida can't really justify. I just ordered capilene 4 expedition wt hoodie for $80. Between that and my montbell ul down parka should be good w $10 turtle fur Beenie.



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Where is cap4 hoody sale?

I wear xgo level 4 cap..

[saltysack]

Steepplanet.com and backcountry.com


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[George]

OR windstopper péruvien mountain hat

[Snowleopard]

OR windstopper péruvien mountain hat

http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Resear...h+peruvian+hat
This is my favorite winter hat, warm for its weight. I live in a windy place; the chin strap keeps it from blowing away.

[George]

seems pricey, but they will last for years of daily use

[Oslohiker]

The best beanie by far I have tested are from a brand not sold in the US. It is called Brynje (Norwegian). In the wintertime I actually mostly use the headband from the the same brand for the most, but switch to the hat when it gets really cold and when I stop for camp or a break. There are two versions, one all polypropylene and one with a polypropylene mesh with a merino wool outer shell. If anyone are going to Europe it is worth checking it out. Check out these reviews:

http://www.kitreviews.com/clothing/2...tic-double-hat

[Del Q]

Balaclava is the only way to go, my hats kept falling off years ago, met TREK, puts a balaclava on as soon as he gets settled in, works for me.

[Bati]

I also recommend a balaclava. I used my expedition weight one extensively from Georgia till Mt. Rogers. Oddly enough, it's the one piece of clothing that I didn't change into a "dry" one when I stopped hiking, but I was able to control the sweating easily. You can raise the face mask part to cool your neck or if you get really warm, make a "head band" by folding the face part on itself again, and position the eye hole so that the wind blows onto your head. Sure it looks really stupid, but it works. I used a good gore-tex jacket with a hood to stop the wind; I was lucky to have one with neoprene lace stoppers so that my face wasn't cut on the windy days.

[Sarcasm the elf]

For most of my winter hiking I use a thin fleece hat and a relatively thin balaclava, depending on the conditions I wear one or the other or both. That combination works well for me when I'm hiking in temperatures that are down to the low teens. I have a much thicker hat that I wear when it gets seriously cold.

[Another Kevin]

Similar arrangement to Elf's. Carhartt beanie. (I have a fleece one, but keep coming back to a knit one.) Thin polypro balaclava for sleeping, or to layer under the beanie when I need more around my neck. Pull up the hood on my jacket if that pair isn't enough. Neoprene facemask and Army land ops goggles if the wind and temperature are insane.

Once upon a time, I had a shapka-ushanka made of fisher fur, which is as warm as sable. But one summer the silverfish got to it, and I haven't been able justify the extremely high cost of replacing it. I don't know what happened, but in recent years the price of fisher fur went through the roof.

[Weather-man]

I've looked at the Black Rock down beanies but for the life of me can't justify buying one. I just can't figure out where I would wear it....

In movement I would sweat it out and soak the down. I suppose one could wear it in camp but I normally wear my "walking hat" in camp so as to allow body heat to dry it out. I see down beanies as a single purpose item and hence would leave it home.

My current hat of choice for winter hikes is a Mountain Hardware fleece beanie with wind stopper fabric. Great hat, breathes well and efficiently blocks most wind. I have an old issue wool beanie that I can add for extra insulation as well as pull up my dry-clime hood if things get frisky. I sleep with either or both on.

I also carry a neck gaiter that I was given in Norway. Neck gaiters go a long way to keeping you from losing core heat.

[Wise Old Owl]

Hmmm, polyester micro fleece is microns smaller than wool so it traps more air.. so turtle fur is a clear choice.. here is the rub. The inventor of Polartec did not patent the product and created this tiny monofilament of plastic. The smaller the filiment which is smaller than wool or hair will trap more heat.. hey stop shaving if you don't believe me. The thicker the fleece - 300 weight.. the better.

I am a huge fan of Balaclava.