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Phil's gear review : Hats

Phil's gear review : Hats


Postby Paul Webster » Sat Oct 29, 2011 12:06 pm

With the weather getting colder, Phil Turner takes a look at hats in our latest gear review.

Agree with Phil? What do you wear?

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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Caberfeidh » Sat Oct 29, 2011 1:22 pm

That's a poor selection of hats ~ seven of them are very similar, beanie-type things, the two caps are similar,only the fleece extremities one was unique. Could you not find any other types of hat? What about the bjerne-fritte so beloved of Norwegians? The North-American Mad Bomber ? Idiotic Nepalese ear-flappy thin-wool multi-coloured things should be discounted as the badge of the bipolar psychotic but something that keeps the neck warm is to be valued in a Scottish winter! Then of course there's the range of army-surplus headwear; the Tam O'Shanter, the Glen Garry, the desert-camouflage helmet-liner. There's a shop in Edinburger's Royal Mile which sells reproduction ancient-style helmets ~ I considered getting myself a 17th Century style Border Reiver's Lobster-Pot helmet for all-round protection in those belay situations where icicles rattle down a frozen gully upon one's noggin. Also the prices are silly - why pay £25 for a run-of-the-mill hat when you can get a good fleece hat-and-gloves set for a tenner out of Asda or Tesco?
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby mrssanta » Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:19 pm

or even make a fleece hat with a 65p remnant?
I also have a home made soft shell hat costing nothing from leftovers but if I bought the fabric specially could probably make 3 for about a fiver.
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:15 am

mrssanta wrote:or even make a fleece hat with a 65p remnant?
I also have a home made soft shell hat costing nothing from leftovers but if I bought the fabric specially could probably make 3 for about a fiver.


If we were to send you designs for hats we wanted, you could make a profit and we could have excellent hats... :D
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Paul Webster » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:13 am

Though I've gone through alot of basic woolly offerings I find the wind tends to go straight through them - maybe I have sensitive ears. I've preferred a Lowe Alpine mountain cap for about 10 years - nothing beats it for keeping your lugs warm in a strong wind.

I hate the restriction of wearing a waterproof jacket hood unless I really have to; the cap is great as your hood becomes unnecessary unless the rain really is pouring down. Seemed expensive when bought maybe, but I can't see that it'll ever wear out. As opposed to footwear where I go through a pair or two every year.

Maybe we will test the Caberfeidh-Mrssanta hat next time there is a review. :D
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:58 am

I thought something like this, but in thick fleece...
English lobster tail helm 01.jpg
English lobster tail helm 02.jpg
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby nathan79 » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:36 am

As a baldy, I've got a variety. I wear a goretex mountain equipment cap most often. Was about £18 does a good job. Got a few woolen/ fleece tammys (I refuse to call them beanies) don't often wear them on the hills unless it's real cold. I've got an extremities hat similar to the lower alpine one, great but for me far to warm to wear in anything but the coldest weather. And of course I have the beard to go along with it. I got my dad one of the lowe alpine ones and he's a more regular wearer of his.
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby morag1 » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:32 pm

Well that settles it I suppose, nothing to beat the good old beanie

I have several, all in different colours - I match them up with my jackets :eh:
I dont pay very much for them, just buy some whenever they are on sale and keep them for when I need them
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:56 pm

Aaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr! Why does no-one do them in the style of a good ol' Sou'Wester??? :D
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby kinley » Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:04 pm

Lowe Alpine mountain cap in winter.

Paramo cap for wet/windy 3 season.

Black Rock Gear Down beanie for insulation at rest stops/camping.
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby mrssanta » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:34 pm

Caberfeidh wrote:
mrssanta wrote:or even make a fleece hat with a 65p remnant?
I also have a home made soft shell hat costing nothing from leftovers but if I bought the fabric specially could probably make 3 for about a fiver.


If we were to send you designs for hats we wanted, you could make a profit and we could have excellent hats... :D


I can do two styles, ordinary beanie, various sizes (i have a pattern) or balaclava, but I'd need your head to draw round!
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Caberfeidh » Wed Nov 02, 2011 8:15 am

mrssanta wrote:I'd need your head to draw round!


I'll just amputate it and pop it in the post... :shock:
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby mrssanta » Wed Nov 02, 2011 10:59 pm

That would be ideal I'm sure! :) :)
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby Merry-walker » Wed Nov 02, 2011 11:28 pm

I'm happy with my hat so I'll stick to it :)

If it can survive a Braemar winter, it can survive anything. Pressie from my dear ol' mum.
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Re: Phil's gear review : Hats

Postby pollyh33 » Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:57 am

Caberfeidh wrote:
mrssanta wrote:I'd need your head to draw round!


I'll just amputate it and pop it in the post... :shock:



Who gets to be your Salome? I'm polishing up my silver salver as we speak! :shock:
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