When running in the heat, it is generally a good idea to wear some sort of hat or cap to protect your head. In cold weather, a large amount of the body’s heat is lost through the head. In hot weather, the converse is true. Keeping your head cool and protected from the sun’s rays will make your run both more enjoyable and safer. Depending on the type of cap or hat, there are a variety of benefits to covering your head while running in hot weather. Caps made of wicking material keep your head cooler by pulling sweat away from your skin, much like certain types of athletic shirt do. A hat with a bill helps to shade your face and eyes, reducing the chance of sunburn to the head and face. Hats can help to keep hair under control and both hair and sweat out of your eyes. Some of the best running hats for use in hot weather include:
Columbia Omni Freeze Zero Hat
Columbia Omni-Freeze Zero Trail Dryer: This Columbia hat features Omni Freeze gel in the headband fabric, which gets cold when wet. It adds no weight at all to the fabric and it works! This is my absolute favorite hat. The headband gets cool the more I sweat and the hat is super lightweight and breathable. It also offers SPF 50 sun protection. Columbia also makes clothing with the Omni Freeze technology.
Brooks Running Hat
Brooks Headsweats: The Brooks mesh hats get great reviews. The mesh allows for optimal cooling and evaporation of sweat.
Infinity Cool Cap: The Pearl Izumi Infinity In-R-Cool boasts superior moisture wicking capabilities with its trademarked In-R-Cool technology. The cap’s bill shades eyes from glare, aided by its dark underside. Reflective bits have been added to increase visibility. The hat’s hook and loop closure makes sizing easy..
Buff UV: The Buff UV Head Cover is a tube-shaped piece of fabric utilizing Polygiene and CoolMax technology for microbe-free moisture wicking. This unique accessory can be used as a headband, scarf, bandana, face mask and several other things. Dip it in water to keep you head or neck cool in hot weather, or wear it under a hat for extra sweat absorption.
Halo II Headband
Halo Headband: Do you prefer headbands to hats? Try the Halo Headband Pullover for effective sweat absorption without all the coverage of a cap. This headband also fits under a bicycle helmet. Halo puts thin piece of rubber-like material at the base of the band to channel sweat away from the eyes. It works better than any other headband I have tried.