Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Helios Sun Hat

This hat kept my shaved head from turning red on my 5 mile kayak trip today. I just bought it last week and this was the first use. So far, I'm a happy camper. The brim is a little stiffer than my old floppy hat, which i really appreciate. Good product.

I have used this hat for years. Backpacking, hiking, canoeing, climbing, you name it. I don't really like hats so being able to keep this hat in my pocket is great, then when ever the sun comes out I just put this on and with a touch of sun screen on my nose I'm good to go. It packs down very small, you can easily fit it in a large pocket or stuff it in your pack. The shape doesn't stay perfect but I have been crumpling it for years with out a problem. Only complaint is that it tends to sit very lightly on my head and pop of in the wind if I don't tighten the draw cord, I have more hair than most folks so maybe that's the reason. The elastic draw cord helps but it still wont keep it on with out the draw cord.

This lightweight hat quickly replaced a similar style hat I used to wear. This one is lighter and breathes much better.

I enjoy this hat in both sunny and mildly wet weather conditions, my mother, aged 82, doesn't go outside in summer without hers and my wife is equipped with one too (family recommendation). Three strikes for the pros.

I was given this as a gift after having skin cancer removed from my face. I needed a good hat for sun protection. This hat was everything we had hoped for. It is much cooler than other hats I own including a wide-brimmed straw Panama hat, an Army 'Boonie' hat and a cotton floppy. It maintains its shape when traveling, cleans up easily and is a bit more stylish that my other options. I also like the drawstring that allows for adjustment to tighten it up in windy weather or loosen it up when the temperature is over 100. I wish I had saved my self the money on those other hats and purchased this one sooner.

love that it is packable and durable

I was bought this as a present by the wife as i have a tendancy to burn and peel accross the top of my forehead (it must be love) however this has proven to be one item that i wont go without on any of our many excursions, you can shove this in a backpack along with all your other kit and it falls back into shape instantly. nod off and the brim just bounces back I cannot reccomend this product highly enough to all you avid adventurers out there with an aversion to the sun great protection and a lot of thought in product design.

This IS my favorite hat of all time! It weights next to nothing and always finds its way into my bag. You can do anything to this hat and it will bounce back into shape and fit great. Great for photographers also because the brim will squish out of the way while you are looking though the viewfinder and then pop back into shape.

Brilliant design. Brim is wide enough to provide good sun protection without being huge. Single handed pull string at the back insures hat stays tight on your head even in very high winds. I especially like how I can flip up the front of the brim in cloudy and lower light situations, allowing a broader view, or flip it down to align with the rest of the brim in bright conditions. Breathable with low sweat factor, quick-drying, washable.

I use this hat when I take out my canoe or go fly fishing. often times I won't realize I'm actually sweating because the wicking function is THAT good. The ONLY thing I would change if I could would be if the fabric could resist or wouldn't take a memory quite so readily.

Own this hat in a couple colours. Great sun protection for long days out

4

After a week on the lake, the hat held up well. The downside for me was the sizing adjustment. It would snug the hat but after traveling across the lake would loosen up and several times the hat flew off. The chin strap kept me from losing it. That said, the chin strap is a simple "tie-down" and the hat could be improved by having a front/back strap system. I would still recommend it as it protected my head from the sun all week.

This hat is lightweight with good sun coverage. I sized down for a more snug fit after purchasing OR hats previously and it made all the difference. Would definitely get again.

Great hat use it for the sun on beach days. Can tighten to keep on my bald head on windy days.

This hat provides the right amount of sun protection out on the lake kayaking. It fits snug enough and with the chin sinch cord I feel confident it wont blow away on a windy lake Ontario day.

This is the most versatile sun hat I have owned. It is my go to for mowing the lawn to beach and/or mountain vacations. I have two different colors. The hat is well made, and comfortable.

I wore this hat for my first time on a nine hour hiking trip. It was comfortable from the minute I put on and the brim was big enough to shade my face and back of neck from the sun. Love the hat. Love the colors.

OR changed the way the chin strap is fastened to the hat. Thank you! Love it.

Hat is light and comfortable, and dries really well. Highly recommend.

It does everything I want in a sun hat. It is also very light and not heavy on the head. Unfortunately, it had a sewn in logo that seems so unnecessary and wasteful - it took me almost an hour to get rid of it. I'm sure you've done studies that show this branding pays off - but I avoid it, and wish stores would offer branded or unbranded versions. If it wasn't for the logo I would have given it five stars.

Keep it in my pack. It's there when I need it and it always works.

Pretty good overall. It would be nice if the brim could be formed to have and hold some shape.

Nice hat. Comfortable. Fits well.

Love this hat, I bought it to replace an older one. Just needs a little breaking in.