I've looked at lots of hats with rear aprons and haven't liked any of them. They always struck me as hot and less than "stylish". (Yes, if a man is to catch big fish these days just tune into any fishing show and you will see the participants decked out in the latest fashion and whackin big ones. I guess the big fish just won't be caught by just "anybody" anymore)

I seen this hat at an art show and scrambled through the crowd to get a better look. Not only was it reasonably good looking it had a "light and airy" feel to it.

I took the plunge (of course I did) and picked one up. Excellent! Very light with a removable rear apron that results in a regular baseball style hat but with mesh sides. UPF 30. Good enough sun protection for someone who has never worried about it. I'm sick of the back of my neck getting torched.

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I modeled my new hat to my daughter. She could not stop laughing! Hey, I thought the dorky nerdy look was "in". Oh well, I never was a slave to fashion..........

I like the hat so much I'm getting another in a different color.
So there :P.

Hopefully you got a free bowl of soup with it.   :)

PhantomJug wrote on Mar 25^th, 2011 at 1:35pm:

Hopefully you got a free bowl of soup with it.   :)

Oughta get something.........freakin off the chart for a lousy hat. The reviews tend to slam its durability as well.......... Only good for a couple years of regular use.

I'll give it a shot........sometimes I can be fussy and so far this has been the only hat with a cape I would even consider wearing. All this talk of skin cancer is putting up some flags in my head right now.  

I have a similar hat with an oversized bill and non-removable rear apron. It is not hot because on a hot day, I dunk the apron, or sometimes the whole hat, for a cooling effect. I generally remove the hat when portaging and stuff it in my daypack.

Is the underbrim dark?  That's my favourite feature on any hat.

Preacher wrote on Mar 25^th, 2011 at 4:03pm:

Is the underbrim dark?  That's my favourite feature on any hat.

Tis indeed. Charcoal grey.

Last year offshore on the first day of a three day trip my comrades in baiting started remarking about how red the back of my neck looked. You know your in trouble when someone calls everybody over for a "look". Fortunately sunscreen was available in rather plentiful supply and for the first time in my life I slathered some on. Saved my keister.

Now I have the hat. A white hat. Good for offshore....... no good for canoe tripping. Ya gots to blend in the north bush baby 8-).

O.R. sure thinks their "brand" has value!  A good $20 for their name.  Master, you could make that hat for $12. ;)

I may be (no, I am) less a fashionista than Wally.

I bought a Sunday Afternoons from Campmor. Mesh sides, dark underside brim, long neck gard, wide brims. I've had it at least five years. Used it in Canada, US, Belize. Love it.

wally wrote on Mar 26^th, 2011 at 4:37am:

O.R. sure thinks their "brand" has value!  A good $20 for their name.  Master, you could make that hat for $12. ;)

No Wally, YOU could make that hat for $12, I'm busy.

As a side note.......in some of the propaganda "selling angle" from O.R. the hat supposedly has developed a following among the mountain guides at Mt. Rainier. If that is true I have made a good choice in spite of the price as they are certainly a breed apart and are very particular about their gear.

Word has it that my sunshade brim is a hit among the professional sportfish circut.  Here you can see one of our own enjoying protection from the elements last summer.
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Take your favorite ball cap style hat, add this treated with Permethrin and you have a economical sunscreen cape/bug shield, that you can use on other hats and remove easily when you want.

I have one and use it along with my Doo-Rag Bug-Off bandanna.

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