I use the white OR Sun Runner hat.
A couple of “musts” for me was that the hat had to offer good ear and neck protection (check!), be a lightweight and supple material (check!), and be versatile as possible (double check!). In short, the Sun Runner meets all my criteria and then some. I haven’t used the snap-on skirt that much but I wear the hat on nearly every run and it does a great job of keeping the sun out of my eyes and sweat in check. When running with a headlamp, it’s nice to have the brim to redirect the light spillover away from my face.
I like that I can cinch up the cord in the front on the skirt to keep the material tight against my face, or if I get too hot, I can flip it over my head so if rides in back, which allows the skirt to flap a bit more and increase airflow around the face. The ONLY complaint I really have about this hat, and I think any hat of this style would do the same thing, is that the skirt material sometimes annoys me when it rubs on my ears. It feels fine, but I get bothered by the swishing sound it makes after a while. Easy fix… flip the cord back as I mentioned, or just take the flap off for awhile.
I should probably mention that I especially was drawn to the Sun Runner Hat from Outdoor Research because I’ve really liked their other products I’ve owned. I have a Seattle Sombrero rain hat that I’ve owned many years and it’s still holding up very well. Outdoor Research offers a guarantee which, in my opinion, is unbeatable… the “Infinite Guarantee”. This is how they state it (in part) on their website:
“We believe so strongly in the quality of the apparel and gear we make that if our product fails to meet your needs at any time, we are happy to replace it. Our products are guaranteed forever, and your total satisfaction with our product is our goal.”
Great company, great running hat!
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