Outdoor Research Swift Cap

The Outdoor Research Swift cap is great for trail running, hiking, backpacking, and other outdoor activities.

I'm out and about in the sun quite a bit in the summer. I want to protect my head and eyes from the bright sun so I usually wear a baseball style cap. I've had some that were hot and didn't breathe. I've had others that weren't comfortable or got nasty really quickly.  However, one cap that I've used extensively and have come to really like is the Outdoor Research Swift Cap.

The OR Swift cap has been with me on all sorts of adventures—from 12,000 feet mountains to sea-level hiking, this cap has been my reliable companion.  I've sweat buckets in it. It's been dropped in mud, rained on, and jammed in the bottom of my dirty backpack. It's had permethrin on it and a little bit of blood. Yet it keeps coming back well after a wash. 

I like the Swift cap because it is very durable. But it's also super practical. It's the ideal cap for backpacking because it's lightweight and packable. I put it in the back pocket of my hiking pants when I'm on trail. It also has a UPF rating of 40+ according to the OR website. The cap is also very breathable and doesn't let my head overheat on those warm summer days. It also does a good job of wicking sweat so the sweat doesn't drip in my eyes.  

The only negative of this cap is that it won't win any beauty awards. There are quite a few colors to choose from, but in my view it's not a neat looking cap. But it really gets the job done well so it's my go-to oudoor baseball style cap.  The price is decent so if you're looking for a cap like this, give it a shot! 

Background

I've taken the Swift cap on hikes through various mountain ranges, trails on the plains, and on longer trail runs. I've had it for two years and have put around 1,000 miles on it (give or take).

This is a superb, light, and comfortable cap. I use it for hiking and general use in sunshine. It's form fitting and breathes so well.

I have had this hat for seven months now. I absolutely love, love, love it. It fits my head like a glove (decent sized head), is so lightweight, comfortable, and just breathes perfectly. I have one and decided to try some new hats so I stop wearing it for everything. A Norrona and a Rab have joined my collection. The problem? I still keep reaching for the OR…

Background

Lots.

Great, but not that great because of a simple fact...

and here's why...

It all comes down to physics. The hat has lots of mesh, even hidden on top under the fabric, but the holes are very tiny, so not much real ventilation and is there any anyways? The cap fits snug against your head, so all the holes are either blocked by the hair. It's better if you have short, or no, hair.

Now, think about a chef in a kitchen and you certainly see the big tall hat they have. This design applies the laws of physics which says that heat goes up. Make sense so far? So their funnel type hat helps a lot to evacuate the heat.

Now... it's your choice; you may rush to buy one to hike the trails and if you do so, be sure that you'll rapidly become a sensation on the social media :) Or, you can buy one of the best cap you can have which is a simple "fisherman cap". They have lots of mesh and not sitting directly against your head allowing for a great ventilation. If good for a fisherman standing several hours under the sun, then it'll be the same for any hiker, and you're going to save money most of the time over that.

As for the UPF 40: You will sweat, right? So the band around your head will smell and you will need to wash it. How many washes their UPF40 stuff will last? I've washed mine probably 6 or 7 times and wouldn't be surprised if it was now at UPF0.

It's still a nice cap, but fishermen's caps are much better under the sun (my personal opinion here).

Background

Been in the outdoors for several decades and also a consultant in that business.