I have a big head and I am bald. Both are facts that I am comfortable with. There's not a lot I can do about the size of my head and that I am bald is one of those things. Despite the spam and pop-ups I see online I don't think of it as a condition that needs treating it is just one of those things. Truth be told I wish I had lost my hair earlier in life as it is so much easier than it ever was having hair.
All of which rambling means that I like to wear a hat. I have a large collection of winter hats; flat caps, deer-stalkers, bobble-hats and beanies. I also have running hats for various conditions, caps for summer to keep the sun off, caps for winter that are water repellent and beanies and skull caps.
The latest beanie I have is a Buff, specifically a Microfiber & Polar Hat Flat Brush Multi. It's a double layer hat with microfiber on the outer and a really soft fleece lining. It's designed, according to the blurb, for low intensity winter wear and lists things like climbing, trekking, ski-ing and something called boulder. The hat is functional at -/+10C.
I don't ski, I don't hike or trek and I'm still not clear what boulder is other than a smooth rock but I do run and I run when it's cold. Despite the very mild weather ("mild" has to be the word of the UK winter so far) it has been windy and when you go up the hills around Cheltenham it is incredibly windy. While they are not high (around 950-1,000ft) they are exposed. It has also been pretty wet here lately, a less than comfortable mix of wind and rain.
So what about the hat? It's just a hat right? Well yes I guess it is; and much like reviewing socks or gloves it's difficult to comment on them expansively. You wear them for a purpose but you don't really want to notice them. They make you more comfortable but don't necessarily increase performance. No-one ever ran fast because of their hat (unless maybe they were stealing it and being chased down the road).
I wear a hat as I hate having a cold head, I like the hat to feel like it's not there - if I can feel it then it's not working.
I have worn this hat on three runs now of varying intensity and duration but all in similar conditions; wet, windy and, that word again, "mild". Although the wind does have a chill effect making it feel around half of the 9/10C that we have been having of late.
(the lumps in my ears are Sony Bluetooth headphones - a review of them will follow!)
The first run I wore it on was up at Leckhampton Hill, a lovely hill with exposed areas, a steep climb and lovely wooded trails. The only shame is that it is not bigger. The rain was coming down and the wind howling through the trees. I was pretty wrapped up as was running with my dog which meant that I was running a little slower than normal. Something akin to low intensity.
The hat did it's job, I was toasty and it provided some waterproof protection too. What I really liked about it was that whereas it had felt tight initially it now fitted. It had expanded a little and softened up. The closest thing I can think of like this is when you put on a pair of jeans from the washing machine and they feel like cardboard. A few minutes in though and they feel like the old friend you remember.
The fit was particularly noticeable when I wore the hat the following day without washing it. Putting it on it felt super-comfortable. This has also happened with another Buff that I was given for Christmas, the Merino wool one from the mix and match range. When I put it on initially it felt too tight and too small, after a couple of wears it is now the comfiest hat I have and I wear it all the time on my walks to work and the like. In short it has quickly become an old friend.
The running hat also did not smell, it is treated with some antibacterial treatment, so did not need washing. I have since worn it again on a longer more intense run, 7:15 pace for an hour, and the hat felt fine. The right mix of breathable and protection. I didn't overheat and at no time felt like taking it off. With the weather due to turn cold in the coming days and be more seasonal at closer to 0C I am looking forward to having the hat to wear as I resume my running after a soft tissue injury picked up on Leckhampton Hill running with my dog.
I'd recommend this hat, it's breathable, warm and protected against wind and the wet that I used it in. The fit is great and it wears in very quickly. The price point is consistent with other hats of this type. The colour way will not suit everyone as it is pretty bold but that never became an issue after the initial sideways glance. As someone who runs, pretty exclusively, in black a bit of colour is welcome!
Note: this hat was provided to me to review by Buff.
