Hats as protection against the sun and the elements.

[johnnycanuck]

Ahh summer time. Most Canadians have been looking forward to these two weeks for the last eleven and a half months. It's getting hotter and old Mr. Sunshine just plays peek-a-boo with the horizon. Its times like this that I think about how well my hat is protecting me from that big old fire ball in the sky. Now in the summer I replace my moisturizer with sunscreen as back up protection. But I still wonder if I am doing enough? The Canadian Caner Society tell us to wear a wide brimmed hat and when you read the fine print they say a "flat brimmed hat with a brim of at least 80mm" (that's about 3" for you Americans ) So that rules out most fedoras as proper protection form the sun as they are usually shorter then 80mm and snap up rather then laying flat or curving down (according to the Canadian Caner Society)
So my question to all of you. What do you do to protect yourself? Do you feel you are doing enough? Or is it even a concern to you?

Johnny

 

[FurFeltFedora]

My Fedoras are in the 63x70 category so it's not bad coverage, but I still make sure to use an SPF 30 or greater on the back of the neck. I come in two colours - pasty white and lobster red. There is no in-between and after the burn I don't go tan, just back to white.

What I have noticed is that if I go outside for anything now without a hat on I'm always surprised by how much hotter it seems and how much more I'm squinting even with shades on. Long live the hat!!

 

[Dinerman]

3" flat brim? Sounds a lot like this.

I feel a snap brim, at least for your face, gives more protection than a flat brim. Maybe if you snap it down all the way around,as some do.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Johnny,

As an American, I appreciate the concern you Canadians have for us, down here in America. You guys are further North, so the sun is at more of an angle to you than us Americans who are down here closer to the Equator. The sun is at such an extreme angle to you that a 4" brim, that's 10.2 cm (101.6 mm) might be more appropriate, depending on which direction you're facing.

Also, during this 2 week thaw, the sun is probably more of a shock for Canadians than for us Americans.

All tongue in cheek Johnny. lol I do need to switch from moisturizer to sunscreen. So much rain in my neck of the woods, I haven't thought about the sun for awhile.

I have a Henschel fabric hat with a vented crown for yard work. I have an Akubra Capricorn I've been wearing to work and walking around in after lunch. Cheers, Chuck.

 

[Wolfwood]

I wear a Fed IV and I just noticed today how much shade it really gives you. You could see it best on the shadow that I cast on the street as I walked along it - everything but my neck seemed to be protected and that's mostly because I was wearing a tee instead of my usual collared shirt.

No sun creams on my skin usually (unless it is really hot and I'm going to spend a long time outdoors) - I really hate trying to apply it through my body hair...

3" flat brim? Sounds a lot like this.

Indeed, that sounds like a Mountie recruitment campaign to me!

 

[John in Covina]

I have an Akubra Bushman that works as one of my outdoor hats for the summer.

 

[Delthayre]

More'n a year in coming

I now have a cuenca fedora with a 3" snap brim. That falls slightly short of the CCS directive, but it's still a very shady hat.

 

[scottyrocks]

Guess I'll have to break this out (4" brim):

 

[carldelo]

No sun creams on my skin usually (unless it is really hot and I'm going to spend a long time outdoors) - I really hate trying to apply it through my body hair...

Same here - try the Neutrogena spray-on sunscreens, expensive but much easier to use.

 

[duggap]

Trust me, ScottyRocks, that hat should be given a decent burial.

 

[WideBrimm]

A mile closer to the Sun

Here in Mile High Denver we've got to worry about how much closer we are to the sun. Its so darned easy to get sunburned, especially since we have over 300 days of sun annually. The problem with straw or panama hats is that for so many of them, when you hold them up to the light you can see it shining through the loosely woven top of the crown. That doesn't do my bald noggin much good. And so I get that slightly sticky felt from the fabric store and apply it to the inside of the hat. Seems to work well. Otherwise I often stick to my felts or canvas fedoras, especially if we are blessed with a rare cool day with showers

 

[Chinaski]

Akubra Lawson

 

[daizawaguy]

Sunscreen stops you going red, but DOES NOT stop ultra-violet damage. The only way is the HAT!!

 

[Wolfwood]

Sunscreen stops you going red, but DOES NOT stop ultra-violet damage. The only way is the HAT!!

Unless you make sure to pick a screen that has both UVB (burns) and UVA (aging) protection...?

 

[Mr. Paladin]

I grew up on a ranch and we never heard of sunscreen. The only protection I had was a western hat working out. With red hair and fair skin, my middle age weight loss program is routine trips to the dermatologist so he can cut / burn things off. Wear the sunscreen and a long-sleeved shirt if you are outside much. If you don't worry about it when you are younger, you will regret it later.

I think a nice Camp Draft will have a plenty wide brim for protection, at 70 m/m.

 

[daizawaguy]

Nope....think of it...how can a cream (and all its wonderful chemicals) stop the suns rays!!?? Does it create a `shade`...no. Creams cannot stop sun damage. You may not turn red, but the damage is still done. Ask a dermatologist...not one who has a vested interest in selling creams though!

 

[Slim Portly]

Trust me, ScottyRocks, that hat should be given a decent burial.

Are you crazy? That hat has more character than most, by a long shot.

The irony of me living in the desert is that I'm never out in the sun. It's too darn hot here. Typically I wear my hat from the house to the car, from the car to the office, and anywhere that I stop on the way home such as the grocery store or the indoor mall.

Unfortunately, even though I naturally have a bit of olive in my complexion, as Mr. Paladin pointed out all of the damage to my skin from youth will no doubt be coming back to haunt in my dotage.

 

[scotrace]

See Also

This thread on sun protection.

 

[johnnycanuck]

3" flat brim? Sounds a lot like this.

I actually own this hat. Its actually a Biltmore not a Stetson.

 

[Michaelshane]

Guess I'll have to break this out (4" brim):

We should have an ugly hat contest....this is a good entry. :eusa_clap