As someone who loves spending time outdoors, especially hiking and camping, I'm always looking for ways to lighten my load. One area I focused on recently was headwear. I wanted a beanie that was warm, lightweight, and breathable – something I could wear on chilly mornings or evenings without feeling weighed down. The search led me down a rabbit hole of materials, brands, and price points, but in the end, I found some great options that I'm excited to share.
My initial thought was, "How hard can it be to find a beanie?" Turns out, pretty hard! I wanted something that would keep me warm during those unexpected temperature drops on the trail, but I didn't want to carry around a bulky, heavy hat. Many beanies I tried were either too heavy, not warm enough, or simply uncomfortable. I needed something that struck the perfect balance between warmth, weight, and breathability. I wanted a warm beanie that wouldn't break the bank.
I started my search by considering the cheapest option: a simple fleece beanie. I found one for just a dollar, and it weighed less than 30 grams. It was surprisingly warm and breathable, perfect for those milder days. It got me thinking, sometimes the simplest solution is the best. However, I wanted to explore other materials and designs to see if I could find something even better.
Then, I stumbled upon a recommendation for a down beanie. While some might think it looks a little silly, the OR down beanie weighs only about an ounce and is incredibly warm. I considered it, but ultimately decided it wasn't quite the right aesthetic for me.
Next, I looked into merino wool beanies. I came across the Arcteryx Rho Toque. It's made of merino wool and incredibly comfortable. It weighs about the same as the Zpacks fleece beanie, around 0.99 ounces. I really liked the feel of the merino wool, but I was still looking for something a bit different.
I also checked out some alpha beanies. I found a shop that sells alpha 90 and 120 beanies that are double-layered at the bottom to keep your ears warm. They looked promising, and I might consider one of those in the future. If you’re interested, you can find the alpha beanie here.
While browsing WholeCustomDesign Global for other gear, I stumbled upon something completely different: a Fashion Vintage Beanie Hat Men Docker Cap. It wasn't specifically designed for hiking or ultralight backpacking, but something about it caught my eye.
The vintage beanie style was appealing, and the description mentioned it was suitable for spring and summer. I figured it might be a good option for those milder days when I didn't need a super-warm beanie. I decided to give it a try.
Here's what I found:
Sometimes, the best gear isn't necessarily the gear that's specifically designed for a particular activity. The Fashion Vintage Beanie Hat from WholeCustomDesign Global is a great example of this. It's not marketed as a hiking beanie, but it works perfectly for my needs. It's stylish, comfortable, breathable, and provides just the right amount of warmth for milder days. Plus, the price is very reasonable.