Columbia Schooner Bank Cachalot

I wasn't sure if I wanted to pay as much as I did for this hat, but in hindsight I'm glad I did. I carry it with me everywhere, even on weekdays during my walk to work and home again.

More importantly though, I wear this hat for most of the time that I spend hiking in New Zealand's back-country when it's not raining, and even sometimes when it is raining. I've found the general design to be practical. Although I tend to have skin that's sensitive to burning if I'm not careful, I've yet to have problems in areas that the hat covers, such as the top of my ears or the back of my neck. The item only comes in one size, but the elastic band inside is adjustable to fit large heads or small heads. I've occasionally adjusted this between trips for my own preference, simply to get a tighter or looser fit.

There are two other features that I've found to be particularly useful:

* The clip, which can be used to attach the hat to a collar, is of good quality. One problem I've had in the past, particularly when walking over hilltops, has been the possibility of sudden gusts of wind blowing hats away. I always attached this hat to something when wearing it, which only takes a second or two. Although it's often been blown off, I've never lost it as the clip has always held.

* The internal sweat-band, for me, is very effective. I tend to sweat a lot once I get going, and on the few occasions when I've been hiking without the hat, I've quickly noticed sweat dripping into my eyes. When wearing the hat, I've never experienced this problem.

It's not exactly designed as a fashion item, but it's very good for practicality, especially if you happen to spend a frequent windy places, and sweat a lot.