First impressions
Face coverings are nothing if not controversial at the moment, but thankfully we’re not discussing the antics of ICE agents here – rather the ongoing battle to make camping great again, by beating the bugs and keeping mosquitoes from getting right up in your grill and turning outdoor life miserable.
List price: $44 (US)/ £40 (UK)
Models available: Unisex
Sizes: Small–Medium / Large–Extra large
Materials: Recycled polyester (100%)
Colors: Stone Green / Dark Stone
Compatibility: Hiking, camping, general summer use
To be quite honest, things have to be pretty bad in order for most people to deploy a full face net, instead of relying on spray repellents, because – beekeepers and bank robbers aside, very few folk enjoy having a mesh over their visage, not least because it makes slurping campfire hot chocolate and scoffing ‘smores pretty damn awkward. But when the bugs are bad, you need to put sartorial and snacking concerns to one side, otherwise they will drive you to complete distraction, and you may as well pack up and go home.
In addition, while the face net might be the most eye-catching element on the Skien Valley Booney lid, which is part of Columbia’s new Insect Shield range of outdoor attire, the mesh is completely removeable and it’s far from the only feature on what I found to be a very functional camping and summer hiking hat.
Design & materials
The unisex Skien Valley Booney lid doesn’t just come with a removeable face net, the whole hat has also been impregnated with an insecticide called permethrin, which stuns annoying and potentially dangerous animals including mosquitoes, flies, ticks, ants, chiggers, and midges (no-see-ums) and – according to the CDC (the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) can even kill them. Together with the face net, which can be quickly and easily attached to the hat via a couple of snap connectors, this totally protects your head and neck from biting insects, while enabling you to retain full visibility of your surrounds.
But it’s not just an anti-insect hat. Made from entirely recycled polyester, the Skien Valley Booney hat has a broad brim that shades your neck, eyes and nose while you’re out hiking trails, providing effective protection from the sun. With a drawstring strap, it can be tightened under the chin and worn during windy walks, and the air vents and mesh lining combine to make the hat breathable and well vented.
On the trails and in camp
I have been sporting the Skien Valley Booney hat while hiking and camping on Dartmoor in the southwest of England, and in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. For the most part, I’ve been wearing it while walking on the often-exposed trails found in both of these places.
This summer the UK and Ireland have sweated through four heatwaves, and the risk of sunburn and sunstroke has been high, especially when you’re up in the hills and peaks, where tree cover is sporadic or non-existent. The broadbrim style of the hat makes it perfect for protecting my prominent probiscis and the back of my neck from the rays emanating from our nearest star, and I’ve been very glad of it.
There are a couple of small vents in the top of the hat, which – while they could be a bit bigger for greater effectiveness – do let in a little bit of air, and the mesh inner keeps things cool too. When it’s sunny and windy, which happens a lot in the Wicklow and Dublin mountains, and even more often atop the tors of Dartmoor, the adjustable chin strap keep the lid in place.
And back in camp, there have been times where I would have very possibly slapped myself to death without having recourse to the face net. As mentioned, things have to be pretty bad for me to hide behind a mesh net (I hate having to sip beer through those things), but during a couple of nights in the Wicklow Mountains especially, the midges were absolutely relentless, and I had no choice. Ther was nowhere to hide, and I genuinely don’t know what I would have done without it – other than to retreat to my tent as soon as dusk descended, which would have made for a very long night.
The net is reasonably easy to use, and despite looking a bit daft (I’m sure), I could see through the mesh well enough to cook dinner on my camping stove, and to see the envious looks people who didn’t have such protection were giving me.
Also consider
If broad brimmed hats really aren't your vibe, and you're looking for a lid that will keep your ears a bit warmer when you're hiking and camping as summer segues into fall, this functional beanie style hat is a good option. Also made with 100% recycled materials, it ticks the planet-friendly box and is very comfortable. It's also available in a veritable rainbow of colorways, but it won’t keep the sun out of your eyes or protect you from biting beasts.
Pros
- Made from recycled materials
- Retains thermal properties when wet
- Loads of color options
Cons
- One size only
- No lining
- Too chunky to wear under a helmet
If you are looking for some protection from the sun, but would prefer a peaked cap over a broad brimmed hat, the super versatile and very stylish Sealskinz Salle cap is a good choice – and it's even waterproof. Made from three-layer fabric, there's a waterproof membrane in between the robust outer and inner breathable mesh layers. A unisex hat, it comes in one size only, but is simple to adjust and easy to fold up for stashing in a backpack.
Pros
- Effective waterproofing
- Extra-long brim keeps rain out of eyes
- Comfortable adjustable fit
- Well designed folding brim
- Machine washable
Cons
- Single size might be too large for those with smaller heads
Hiking hat |
List price |
Style |
Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
Columbia Skien Valley Booney hat |
$44 (US)/ £40 (UK) |
Unisex broadbrimmed hat |
100% Recycled Polyester |
Columbia Lost Lager II Beanie |
$25 (US) / £22 (UK) |
Unisex beanie |
100% recycled polyester |
Sealskinz Salle Cap |
$42.50 (US) / £30 (UK) |
Unisex peaked cap |
100% polyester |
