Protecting yourself from the sun is no laughing matter, but that doesn’t mean there’s not some fun—or style—to be found in the process. Adding a hat to your outfit is an easy way to boost your defenses, and few caps are better at helping than the boonie hat. A military staple that dates back to the Vietnam War era, the best boonie hats offer a wide, stiff brim to ensure your face is more shielded while providing a bit of character. While the boonie hat started as purely functional, it’s now found quite a home in the menswear space.
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Now, any outdoor or designer brand worth its salt has some sort of take or interpretation on a boonie hat, but which is the best version for you? Luckily, we’re here to help sort through the sound and noise and help you find the best boonie hats. Below, you’ll find ten recommendations for the best models on the market, ensuring you get something functional and stylish without compromising on either. Here are our picks for the best boonie hats.
A boonie hat isn’t something you wear out in the boonies, but rather, a specific style of sun hat. Traditionally seen in a military context (more on that in a second), it’s a wider hat with a stiff brim to help protect against the sun, particularly in hot and/or tropical climates. It also, but not always, features a bit of fabric around the hat’s crown that can include loops to store items. The critical distinguisher between a boonie hat and a bucket hat is the stiffness of the brim, which doesn’t sag or droop like a bucket hat often does.
The boonie hat was introduced and became a fixture for the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. It started as the cap of choice for U.S. Army Green Berets before finding a larger adoption rate among all the forces. The boonie came in a handful of patterns and became standard issue gear for the U.S. Army in 1967. Critically, the fabric loops around the crown could hold foliage to help troops better camouflage themselves among nature.
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The U.S. military continued to issue the hat in various materials, including cotton and wind-resistant poplins, and it still sees consistent use to this day as part of the military uniform; service members have it as an alternative to a baseball cap.
Given the hat’s functionality, it didn’t take long for the boonie to find a use for civilians: It’s great for any outdoor activity, including fishing, hiking, camping, picnicking, or even as a functional hat for designers to interpret as they see fit.
Best Overall
While Canada Goose is a household name beloved for its down parkas, the leading Canadian outdoor outfitter is more than just one thing—as evidenced by this take on the boonie hat. With a wider brim that almost feels more like a cowboy hat than a traditional boonies, this Venture hat features a water-repellent poly/cotton blend that’s handy to have in case it starts to drizzle. Air holes on the side make it very breathable, and the drawcord around it is reflective if you wear it at nighttime during a rainstorm.
Date of Brand Origin: 1957
Material: Polyester and Cotton
Colors Available: 2
Best Runner Up
Few do it better than Patagonia, and we’re not even talking about the company’s repeated and on-the-record commitment to the outdoors. It’s universally beloved for a good reason. For example, the Quandary Brimmer Hat is its take on a boonie that’s got a generously wide brim for solid sun protection, a variety of colors to ensure you can snag an option that works best for you, and includes a water-repellent coating to help weather the outdoors. We also love the sweat-wicking headband that comes in handy on warmer days.
Date of Brand Origin: 1973
Material: Nylon and Spandex
Colors Available: 5
Best Value
If you’ve seen boonie hats out and about, there’s a strong chance Columbia made one of them. The stalwart outdoor brand’s take on the hat includes plenty of smart features that make it punch above its value, including vented netting to enhance breathability, an adjustments tab in the back to nail a personalized fit, and a drawstring neck cord so you can keep it in place when the wind picks up. But the best feature is the included UPF fabric, complementing any existing sunscreen you’re applying.
Date of Brand Origin: 1983
Material: Polyester and Nylon
Colors Available: 2
Best Military Inspired
Roark’s approach to the boonie hat is to play up the more utilitarian and militaristic heritage with a cotton construction—plenty of brim pockets for you to keep a few essentials in while you’re on the beach (we’re thinking TSA-friendly sunscreen or maybe even a set of AirPods). With a broader brim for protection from the heat and solar rays, a greenish hue, and a good chin strap to keep it in place, it’s a great foundation for a solid summer look.
Date of Brand Origin: 2009
Material: Cotton
Colors Available: 1
Best Coverage
If your neck is susceptible to getting burnt, or you just want to ensure total coverage, Lululemon’s All Sport Wide-Brim Hat is the best choice for you. It doubles down on the boonie’s wide brim, and features a mullet-like construction with a bit of material trailing down the back for full coverage. Combined with UPF 40+ protection, this boonie hat is particularly well suited to those who hit the beach right when the sun comes up and stay until it starts going down.
Date of Brand Origin: 1998
Material: Nylon and Elastane
Colors Available: 3
Best for Winter
Boonie hats, while useful in the summer, aren’t just for warmer temperatures. They can be just as handy in the winter when the sun still shines. To wit: the Wool Cranbrook Hat from Arc’Teryx is a great boonie selection for those colder days when you’re outside for long walks or on a hike and want protection. The textural elements of the wool blend make this a bolder sartorial choice in addition to keeping your head warm, and it even includes adjusters to help better lock in the fit you need or want.
Date of Brand Origin: 1988
Material: Wool, Polyester, and Viscose
Colors Available: 2
Best Designer
A decidedly swanky, luxe, and designer approach to a boonie hat, Jil Sander’s version is a crisp white that’s sure to pop with any outfit. The hat includes some snap buttons to leverage different looks depending upon the day—for example, you can snap a front button for less face coverage if you’re not directly in the sun. Drawstrings around the back and the bottom allow for a snugger fit when the time calls for it.
Date of Brand Origin: 1968
Material: Cotton
Colors Available: 1
Best Minimalist
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You might be unfamiliar with South2 West8, but the Japanese operation is among the best outdoor brands out there, as evidenced by its Crusher Hat. The boonie-style cap is made from a super durable cotton and nylon blend that’s very comfortable and well-suited to outdoor activities (South2 West8 has roots in Japanese fishing culture). In short, this is an all-around outdoor boonie hat whose simplicity is a feature, not a bug.
Date of Brand Origin: 2003
Material: Cotton and nylon
Colors Available: 1
Best Looking
A-Cold-Wall*’s more streetwear-focused approach often results in striking pieces that can be worn anytime, anywhere. Its take on a boonie includes some sharp details, such as a zip pocket for handy storage (an easy place to keep some cash or a key) in addition to providing good sun coverage. Plus, the branding that’s made A-Cold-Wall* so memorable is included here subtly and tastefully, making it quite a statement.
Date of Brand Origin: 2015
Material: Polyamide, Polyester, and Cotton
Colors Available: 1
Best If You Know, You Know
Outdoor Research is one of those beloved companies that real outdoorsy types know and love because of its deep attention to detail and desire to create products that punch above their price points. The perfect example of this is the Bugout Brim Hat, which includes an impressive number of features that other hats double or even triple the price don’t. The hat’s nylon material is treated with a UPF 50+ and has an insect-resistant coating to keep things comfortable. It’s well worth its price—and then some—and might serve as a great gateway to all the rest of Outdoor Research’s stellar products.
Date of Brand Origin: 1981
Material: Nylon
Colors Available: 1
Now one of the most popular hat styles on the market, baseball caps became popular in the 1860’s when the Brooklyn Excelsiors first wore a version of the six-panel hat style. This type of hat features a mid-sized bill in the front and five to six panels of fabric that are finished with a small button on the top. Baseball caps are great for everyday wear as they’re a durable hat style that offers good sun protection for your face. And the variety of materials and subtle styles of baseball caps make this a hat style that can be dressed up or down for many occasions.
Shop our favorite water resistant Baseball Cap made from organic cottonAlso known as sun hats, beach hats are made for bright days outside. This popular brimmed hat style is made from lightweight materials such as straw or raffia to offer a respite from the heat of the day. Perhaps most importantly, the large circular brim of sun hats offers protection from dangerous UV rays that can harm your skin. Beach hats are all about combining style and function, so they’re made from quick-drying materials that can handle being tossed in the sand or in your beach bag.
SHOP UPF50+ BEACH HATSThe beret hat style originated in the 17th century in the Basque country between Southern France and Northern Spain. This area is home to the Pyrenees mountains, and Berets are still commonly worn there today. Often thought of as painter hats or artist hats, berets are made of wool, cotton, or synthetic materials (we only make 100% cruelty-free wool berets). This round, soft, and slightly poofy hat style offers insulation from heat and cold along with a classic French style.
SHOP 100% CRUELTY-FREE WOOL BERETSThe boater hat, also know as a skimmer hat, is a summer hat that was most popular in the 1800’s and 1900’s. A classic skimmer hat is made from straw and features a small to medium sized brim, a flat top, and a ribbon around the crown. Boater hats have a timeless style that makes them a great choice as a warm-weather hat that can be worn on the water and to more formal occasions. At Conner Hats, we’ve revamped the boater hat style to meet functional needs as well as high style. Crafting with sustainable materials, we’ve developed skimmer and boater hats that are water resistant, quick drying, and a few styles that even float!
Shop Boater and Skimmer hatsDrawing from the laid back, hippy style of the 60’s, boho hats are one of the the most popular floppy hat styles. Perfect for the free spirit looking for a new music festival hat, this wide brim hat type has a classically cool vibe that’s easily dressed up or down. With many different colors and brim sizes, the boho hat style is flattering for many face shapes. Plus, floppy hats offer great sun protection for the hat lover that’s always on the go.
Shop sustainably made Boho HatsOriginating in Britain in the 1800’s, bowler hats were created to solve the issue of top hats that fell off too easily when riding horses. Bowlers hats quickly gained popularity in the USA and became known as derby hats. For the same reason as bowler hats gained popularity in Britain, derby hats were put to good use in the American Southwest where horse riding and other rough activities made top hats unsuitable. This durable hat style is made with hard felt and sports a shorter brim. Made iconic atop the head of Charlie Chaplin, bowler hats remain a classic hat style today.
Shop our most popular cruelty-free wool Bowler Hat stylesAlso known as boonie hats, bucket hats are a hat style that’s no stranger to hard work. Boonie hats gained popularity during the Vietnam War, and are now commonly used for sun and rain protection. This soft hat has a medium sized brim and and chin strap, so the protection it offers from the elements stays put all day long. It’s supreme comfort and packability make the bucket hat a good choice for travel.
Shop waterproof Bucket HatsThe close fitting, bell shaped cloche hat style brings you back to a different time, when speakeasies were in use and the roaring 20’s were in full swing! Often know as a flapper hat, cloche hats are a soft and comfortable hat style made from wool. They come in many colors and sport embellishments around the crown to fit any style.
Shop best selling Cloche Hat stylesFedoras may have gained popularity in the 20’s, but they’re still one of the most popular types of hats today. An iconic symbol of Frank Sinatra, the fedora hat has evolved over the years into slightly different hat styles such as the Pork Pie, Trilby, Snap Brim, and Stingy Brim. This classic hat has a timeless style that’s characterized by a small brim that turns up at the back. Our own revolutionization of the fedora hat style has led us to create classic styling with a variety of sustainable and high quality materials for a selection of fedoras make to last a lifetime (and tread lightly on the environment).
Shop our collection of wool, straw, and leather FedorasThis type of hat is often known as a military cap due to it’s use in the military wardrobe of some countries. In some ways similar to the baseball cap, field caps feature a a flat top instead of the baseball caps rounded top and a stiff, slightly rounded visor. Military caps offer distinction from the common baseball hat while keeping the same durable design elements.
Shop Field CapsThis hat shape is a blend of western and outback style. With a wide brim and distinctive oval crown, gambler hats are made of many different types of hat materials. This makes them suitable for a range of occasions and types of weather. At home in the days of riverboat casinos floating along the mississippi river, gambler hats are a comfortable hat style that offers great sun protection. The modern gambler hat is the perfect style for those who want a taste of western flare in a toned-down style.
Shop popular Gambler Hat stylesIn search of the Godfather hat? The Homburg hat is the style you’ll want. Worn by Al Pacino in the Godfather movie, the Homburg hat is sometimes known as a gangster hat. This type of hat is easily identified by its crown, which features a deep center dent. Homburg hats are oval shaped with gently curved-up sides. This classy style is the perfect way to level up any outfit.
Shop our favorite Homburg Hat styleThis hat has many names, but all carry its distinctive style. Sometimes called a Ivy, Ascot, or Duck Bill cap, the newsboy or paper boy cap came into style through an act of the government. In 1571, parlament enacted a law that required all men six years and older to wear a wool flat cap. Apparently enforced as a way to stimulate wool consumption, the flat bill cap style has since gained popularity all over the world. With a low profile, this style sports material that extends from the crown all the way to its short brim. Similar to the peaky blinder hat, the newsboy cap is a classic style that can be made with a variety of materials for use in any climate or occasion.
Shop Newsboy Caps and Flat CapsThe Australian father and and son team at Conner Hats knows a thing or two about outback hats, to say the least. The aussie hat style is crafted for the tough extremes of the Australian outback. While the Australian hat style was made popular by Crocodile Dundee, its durable build goes beyond looks. Outback hats are crafted with hardworking materials like leather and cotton and have a wide brim that dips down in the front and back, offering premium protection from the sun.
Shop Outback hatsBuilt to be right at home in hot desert climates, safari hats are a go-to style when looking for a hat with great sun protection. With a gently downward sloping brim that’s medium to large sized, safari hats are made with many materials. If having a lightweight and cool hat is most important, choose a safari hat made with mesh. Looking for ultimate sun protection? Pick from upf 50+ safari hat styles made of hemp and organic cotton.
Shop Safari HatsAn offshoot of the ever-popular baseball hats, trucker caps have nearly the same shape as baseball hats, but they have mesh panels for all but the two front pieces of fabric. Trucker hats are usually adjustable via snaps along a back strap, and are a hat style that’s gained mass popularity.
Shop Trucker CapsThis straw hat style originated in Ecuador and gained popularity during the 19th century, when many miners in the California Gold Rush travelled through Panama. With a thick weave and a medium sized brim, panama hats were the answer to the need for sun protection in hot tropical areas. The light color and beautiful weave of panama hats makes them a great match for fabrics like silk and linen. And that puts the panama hat style right at home at any warm-weather occasion.
Shop our favorite Panama Hat styeOriginally created as helmets for tropical military forces, pith helmets have a distinct, round crown and are made from breathable materials- usually straw. This type of hat is sometimes seen on postal service workers in the United States and is also quintessential to safari expeditions and tropic explorations.
Shop Pith HelmetsA segment of victorian-era fashion, steampunk hats celebrate the 19th centuries advent of steam powered machinery and beautiful victorian clothing. Steampunk hats are regaining popularity as fashion statement all on their own. Using classic hat styles like top hats and bowler hats, steampunk style adds cogs, chains, and lace to create eye-catching and unique hat styles.
Shop Steampunk HatsAh, the shining icon of true class. Top hats are perhaps the most widely know type of hat. With a tall crown and a small brim, top hats were originally used by the highest members of society in the 1800’s. Now, this novelty hat is the epitome of formal attire (or a fun occasion)!
Shop Top HatsYour special day requires a one-of a kind hat. From fancy fascinator hats to matching styles for the entire bridal party, wedding hats add a special touch to any ceremony. Wedding hat styles vary greatly depending on the wedding location. For warm weather events, beach wedding hats offer respite from the shade without compromising style. Throwing a black tie event? Choose a wedding hat that rises to the occasion.
Shop Wedding HatsThis iconic style of the American southwest features a very wide brim crafted to keep the elements away from your face. Usually sporting a brim that turns up on the sides, the classic cowboy and cowgirl hats are made for function above all else. Western hats are made from a variety of materials for different uses. Waterproof cowboy hats are one of the best types of hats for rainy days on the ranch. And lightweight straw cowgirl hats are best for dusty and hot mid-summer days.
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