Customer Reviews Outdoor Research Helios Sun Hat

I use this for work. Brim is the perfect size; big enough to keep bugs away while wearing a head net, and small enough to put hood up over when raining. The adjustable strap around the cap ensures the hat stays on while boating.

Really enjoy this hat. Its lightweight, keeps the sun off, is cool, and doesn't look bad either. I like the dark "under-brim" which keeps glare down.

Use for around my home while mowing, gardening and outdoor activities.

The mens medium seems to run a bit large compared to the measurements on website even with tightening the pull string.

Good Fit, I like the chin strap and adjustable headband. Good sun protection. I wish it were a little more breathable/cooler.

A good lightweight piece that fits well. I ended up returning it because I needed something slightly different, but of similar hats I've tried this was the simplest and streamlined.

I've been relying on baseball caps and hair-beard and head-for sun protection long enough. When I roll up to the trailhead parking to hit the trail, the sun stares down on my as if it is saying, "how about a little skin cancer, bro?" Now I grab my Helios hat-in a nice grey color to match my backpack, and say, "No way sol amigo, not this time."

I chose this hat because it was packable and washable. I like the cord option for wind. It would be nice to have mesh for ventilation. I like the light blue color but see that it is not available any longer. Being winter, I haven't had much chance to wear it yet.

After giving the hat some more time it has become apparent that it while it is comfortable it doesn't breathe well. It did a great job shading my head neck and face. My head under the hat got a little too warm though. This after a day at the amusement park in 80 degree F sun. The darker under-brim is a definite plus.

It survived 3 days in an amusement park. Brim flips in the wind but works well. Got a little sweaty but it was 90f.

Styling is great. Brim size is just right. Wish the brim would lie flat like the Sombriolet. Can be a bit floppy in a moderate breze. It does block the sun well but, light enough not to be to hot. Piping in the brim similar to the Sombriolet would make perfect.

I bought this hat for a trip to the out-island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas in late March/early April. I shave my head and need a hat to protect my scalp, neck, and face. The cotton sun hats I'd worn before would get too hot and heavy-feeling. This hat did an admirable job of keeping the sun off my head unless a strong wind was blowing, then the brim will be pushed up. It also served to protect my head and face from light to moderate rain. Overall, I am very pleased with this hat, and feel it's the best sun hat I've used to date.

Good quality

The hat is just OK. No ventilation holes. The foam brim is so stiff that it looks like a state trooper hat. I was replacing my beloved old hat - a sun roller - and bought this by mistake. The sun roller was wonderfully floppy and has ventilation holes in it. But I guess they now put foam in sun roller too. Not everyone that wears your hat is in the water. Foam brim is not good.

This hat is very well made. Fantastic! In 2015 I bought a similar OR hat and loved it! Lost it. This OR hat is the closest in the online collection, but it is significantly different. The brim is a 3-4 centimeters smaller and cannot be shaped at all. The sweat band is white/beige and really stands out between the skull and the dark underside of the brim. With smaller dimensions and the pronounced white line under the brim it looks like a ridiculous beanie hat on me. I recognize that hats, like bathing suits, are highly individualized. The lesson I learned is never buy a hat online.

Hat is a little lighter than the previous model however I liked how the brim on the old version could me manipulated to your liking much more easily.

Comfy but doesn't breath and is at least a size too big even with my big head.

The color is great. I would prefer a less broad hat in a boonie style.

Like the hat very much; however, the hat is blue and the "sweat band" area is a light gray, which shows when you have the hat on. Meaning there is a light gray band around your skull (forehead). I feel that detracts from the look. Not sure if I'll keep this hat for that reason. Suggest the inner band be same color as hat.

Hat seems ok, but the size range is messed up - no smaller size available. By the time I pull the adjustment cord to make the hat fit a size 7 head, the whole back half of the hat is puckered up and looks ridiculous, and renders it useless for me.

I love this hat, but hate that I have to select a bunch of different hats in the same size and try them on to see which one has been put together in the actual size I wear and which one has either been sewn together in the wrong size or mis-stitched. Because of the sizing issue, along with the fact that I live far from an Outdoor Research retailer, I have to give up on this hat. I need to be able to order a hat and receive it in the size it's labeled with.

Made too light for my liking. I also was not crazy about the sizing cord. I think it might have been better if it went all the way around the head instead of bing sewn 1/2 way on eigther side, inside the band. It was nicely sewn though and very light for those who like that.

I don't like how it looks on me - the rim is a little stiff and does what it wants.

This offers good protection but not not breath at all. My head starts sweating and baking inside when it's really hot. i can't imagine why thuis hat gets such good reviews. It's like wearing an oven on my head during the summer.