10 Reviews: Best Bucket Hat for Hiking (Dec 2023)

The OR Sombriole combines style and protection in a tidy package, thanks to a combination of ripstop nylon and polyester. This hat’s construction adaptability makes it suitable for a variety of activities such as hiking, mountaineering, trekking, and daily travel. Because the brim is a little too broad for hiking, it’s not an all-around solution, but it’s still helpful. It has enough breathability thanks to a mesh insert in the crown.

Great for everyday sun, backpacking, and travel. Tough, well-designed, and well-made, like most OR stuff. This replaced my Tilley hat, which was great, but costs more and does not wad up as easily for travel.

by Mark Twain

The Columbia Bora Bora Booney II hat takes the top rank because it successfully balances several of the attributes. It is made of UPF50 nylon, which provides excellent sun protection, while the coolness of mesh paneling allows air to move freely, reducing perspiration. Topping it off is an Omni-wick sweatband that wicks sweat away from your face. It features a basic and lightweight design that makes it simple to store without losing its form.

I've had this hat for a while. The only annoying this is how the rim flaps with the wind and it pretty much defeats the purpose of having the hat on your head to block the sun.

by Ronald

Do you want to go hiking in the rain? The 100% waterproof polyester fabric of the LETHMIK Outdoor Waterproof Boonie Hat keeps your head dry even when it’s pouring outside. When you’re putting in the miles, the ventilation system enables air to circulate freely, which helps to keep sweat away from your face. What more could you want in a hiking hat? It’s simple, lightweight, breathable, and more waterproof than others.

This hat was inexpensive, very sun protective, and water repellent. It fits my large head well, not sure if it would fit extra large.

by James B.

The Filson Summer Packer is the perfect combination of design and functionality. Filson has been creating quality outdoor gear that will last a lifetime for more than a century, and this hat is no exception. Even having only four ventilation holes, the Summer Packer is surprisingly breathable, thanks to its lightweight yet incredibly durable cotton construction. The basic design is straightforward: there are no straps or velcro to contend with, making this hat ideal for trekking or everyday use.

The hat is great. I put two grommets in it and strung it up with utility climbing cord, so it now has a chin strap for windy days. Perfect. Great weight, stiff enough brim for windy conditions, and overall excellent feel.

by J. Y.

Reach for OR’s Sun Bucket if you need to go light but yet protect your head – you’ll be pleased you did. In most areas, this hat performs well, but it distinguishes out as one of the lightest brim hats on the market. When you lose weight, you lose some sun protection, but this hat still has a good brim to cover your ears and face properly. Because the Sun Bucket is so pleasant to wear, it’s more probable that bringing it with you won’t be a waste of time or energy. This hat is small and sturdy enough to fit easily into a backpack or pocket.

Very nice, lightweight hat for hiking and other outdoor activities. I love the bungee cord in the back that allows you to secure or loosen the circumference of the hat. I cannot believe I didn't get a hat like this sooner!!

by SarahAlthea

The Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat is designed to provide breathability, venting, and packability while being pleasant to wear. This design incorporates and improves on the best features of the previous model, with lighter materials (still UPF 50+) and a thinner profile. When crossing snow-covered mountain passes, we had to remove other hats to see, but the Ultra Adventure’s clamshell brim ends just before the ear, balancing coverage and visibility.

Fits perfectly, very comfortable even when cinched tight, never came off my head even in strong wind, great coverage from sun. Best sun hat available

by Katt c.

The Columbia Bora Bora II Booney features the most abundant mesh venting of all of the bags we evaluated, so it’s excellent for breathability. Both in the field and in a controlled test, it kept our heads cooler than other hats. It gives a respectable amount of coverage, including UPF 50 fabric, for a sun hat that falls higher on the style spectrum than most others we looked at. When the wind kicked up, an adjustable neck strap and crown held it on our heads.

I've had this hat for a while. The only annoying this is how the rim flaps with the wind and it pretty much defeats the purpose of having the hat on your head to block the sun.

by Ronald

The Tilley LTM6 AirFlo Hat is attractive, and if that’s enough to get you to wear a hat when outside, we’ll take it. The UPF 50+ nylon and spandex fabric is more rigid than our other selections, which means it’s less packable—folding it might result in permanent wrinkles. We put it to the test by stuffing it into a bag for a cross-country flight and were pleasantly surprised to find that it still looked good on the other side. However, we can see how folding and cramming it into a small space could ruin the shape, so if you need something packable, go with one of the two top picks.

It was exactly what I wanted, light weight, comfortable and provides much needed sun protection!

by Michael J. Jackson

This hat has a 5-panel crown and a broad brim, making it comfortable to wear and providing plenty of sun protection. The front brim is three inches long, while the remainder of the brim is a quarter-inch shorter. A molded piece of plastic is incorporated into the front of the brim to keep it from flapping in your face in the wind. This hat is designed to keep you cool in hot weather. It includes a sweatband and wicking mesh liner, as well as huge vented sections on both sides of the crown. It also contains a cinch rope that may be used to tighten or loosen the hat.

A great hat! Bought it specifically for the sun! Excellent coverage and comfortable end it vents great. Best hat I have ever found!

by Bobby Johnson

Barbour’s Wax Bucket Hat is composed entirely of cotton and comes in a wonderful military green color. While traveling and experiencing the great outdoors, such as hiking, fishing, and many other activities, the lightweight packable material will keep you cooler and more comfortable. This bucket hat will keep you warm no matter what you’re doing outside. This bucket sun hat with a shorter brim is ideal for beach days, hiking, camping, fishing, tennis, kayaking, and boating, as well as a variety of other outdoor sports.