Chaos Stratus Sombrero

Huge brim gives great sun and rain coverage. Floatable brim makes it a perfect for paddle sports. Adjustable for a perfect fit.

If you spend a lot of time out in the sun or rain you can't find a hat that does much more than the Chaos Stratus Sombrero. Sombrero hats are made from 100% Polyester and are both breathable and waterproof.

The medium size, blue with black brim hat I was given weighs in at 4.5 ounces and measures 15.5 inches front to back and 13 inches side to side, which provides massive protection. The hat's stiff brim is 3 inches wide at the front and increases in size until it reaches 4 inches at the back.

I have been testing this hat during trail hikes in Northern California and also in my initial forays into become a stand-up paddleboarder. The sun in my part of California is very strong during much of the year and the sombrero has provided excellent protection during my hiking and paddleboard sessions.

Putting the hat on, you can adjust the sweatband using a convenient pull and lock on the back of the hat. The adjustable chin strap is removable or you can just tuck it up into the hat in you don't need it. Worn on the paddleboard, I use the chin strap to keep things in place during windy conditions as the large brim can also act a bit like a sail.

Knowing the hat floats keeps me from worrying about what would happen if I end up taking a dunk. The hat has an anti-microbial inner liner that along with side vents ventilates the hat quite well.

The one drawback to the large size of this hat's brim is it doesn't work well when I backpack as the brim comes into contact with the top of my pack. It does, however, work great with a day pack and would work for ultralight backpackers who use a smaller backpack.

Although I haven't been able to test the hat in the rain yet since it doesn't rain this time of the year in California, I have tested the waterproofing and it worked quite well using a hose for testing. After 4 months of wearing the Stratus Sombrero hat, it still looks like new.

Product details:

• Size: Medium,Large,X-Large
• Colors: Blue/black (Seaport), Khaki, Black, Green/black (Forest)
• Cost: $42.99