Hats for a late winter Camino Frances

If you are wearing a wide brimmed hat..I would attach a chord to it around your neck as odds are it will blow off somewhere on a windy day!
You may also want to consider a warm winter cap of some sort as mornings, for sure will be cold. I used a winter cap, sometimes with a visor which I attached a chord. The visor came in handy under my rain jacket hood to keep water from dripping on my face.

I used a cloth billed cap (baseball style) during my summer camino. That helped keep the sun out of my eyes. Surprisingly I got by OK with little neck or ear sunburning until I went to the beach. You can attach a cord to the back of the cap and someplace else so if the cap blows off now and then it won't go far. A cap allows you keep shading your eyes even with a rain or jacket hood pulled up over it.

Take ear muffs. LOL

Bill Anthony said:

Thanks, more of a hat guy. I am taking a wool toque but trying to get a handle on how much sun there will be.

Click to expand...

Sun? In Feb/March on the Franes? Not enough to justify a hat for sure. Unless you have some sort of skin cancer tendency.

Www.weatherspark.com

Bill Anthony said:

Thanks, more of a hat guy. I am taking a wool toque but trying to get a handle on how much sun there will be.

Click to expand...

Yesterday coming into Los Arcos (Jan16th) it was blue skies and 11c and I was wearing a t-shirt and sunglasses. As Forrest says, “Life is like a box of chocolates...”. If you are sensitive to sun, find a simple lightweight bucket hat to complement your wool toque. I have one from OR that is Gortex but not lined so good in rain or sun however no thermal help.

Bill Anthony said:

Thanks for the info. I have a tweed bucket hat but above 15c a bit hot/sweaty. I was showing your blog to a friend just 2 hrs ago, snow and sun. Is the lamb at Cafe Iruna in Pampalona that good and filling?

Click to expand...

The Cordero is better than any string of words I could cobble together... when something melts in your mouth and Angels sing, you have arrived!

I recommend, and usually carry, three hats on my Caminos:

1. A ubiquitous ball cap. The stiff bill works well under a poncho hood. Mine is from Adidas and is a neon safety yellow, polyester fabric. It is hanging from my shirt in my Avatar...see photo to left. Also, it does double duty for high visibility. I also wear it for casual use too.

2. A knit beanie or watch cap to keep your head warm in the coldest weather you will encounter. Mine is from Outdoor Research (OR) is microfiber and is neon safety yellow. Works well for sleeping in cold albergues too.

3. A lightweight sun hat with good ventilation. This is the ubiquitous "bucket" or "boonie" style hat. GET ONE WITH A CHIN CORD. Mine is from OR and weighs nearly nothing, and folds up VERY small. I carry it in a pocket. It is best in hot sunny weather, but NOT good under a poncho. When worn under a poncho the brim channels water down my back...not good!

My primary considerations for obtaining each hat are lowest weight for purpose, and being able to fill at least two purposes: e.g. rain hat, sun / shade, warmth, or a combination.

One new idea that ticks several boxes is the BUFF Cap. Ivar sells them in his online store. I first saw them while working at the Pilgrim Office last July / August. I was fascinated when other pilgrims arrived wearing them and asked to inspect them.

They come in Camino centric designs, just like the BUFF microfiber tubes. The material is the same as a BUFF. The brim is stiff foam. It is one-size fits all with a pull-toggle adjustment.

This baseball-styled hat works for: sun protection (minus the wide brim); cooling (if you wet it); warmth (if you wear it dry); organizing hair; and giving shape to a poncho or other rain hood. It is virtually weightless. I just obtained two of them with the sello logo fabric and plan to field test this April on my next Camino. I found mine searching on the internet, as Ivar's stock ran out...check with him now.

Hope this helps.