A great sun protective hat will provide protection for your face, nose, head, neck and ears. We know that the skin is thinner in those areas so it is particularly important to protect yourself with a sun hat.
Medical experts recommend a broad brim hat with a UPF50+ rating as the best and most reliable way to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to keep it healthy and safe.
There are a number of factors you need to consider when choosing a protective sun hat.
UPF rating
You are familiar with SPF which is the sun protective rating for sunscreen. UPF is the rating for clothing. Not all fabrics protect the same so it is important to choose a specialist sun protective hat which utilises fabrics with an excellent UPF50+ rating. UPF (which stands for ultraviolet protection factor) is a standardised rating system administered by the Australian Government.
Brim length
The length of the brim is a big determinant of how protected you are from the sun. The Australian Government recommends a brim length of at least 7.5cm (for a broad brim sun hat for adults) and 6cm (for a bucket hat).
Shape
Some sun hats protect better than others because of their functional design. The Australian Government recommends broad brim sun hats, bucket hats and legionnaire style hats as they all provide excellent sun protection. Baseball caps are not recommended as they only provide protection to the scalp and forehead.
Packable
We are all on the move more and more so a hat that can be packed away easily in a travel bag that doesn’t lose its shape is most ideal.
Weight
A light hat is most comfortable to wear. If you are travelling a lot, it makes sense to have a hat that is lightweight so that you can carry it with ease.
Adjustable size
If you are wearing your hat on a windy day or would like to let your friend with a different size head wear your hat, it helps if it is adjustable.
Chinstrap
A chin strap helps you keep your hat on in windy conditions. Look for a sun hat with a chin strap that is removable so you can use it only when you need to.
Solbari Sun Protection offers a range of award-winning UPF50+ sun hats which include features highlighted above. Solbari is the leading Australian sun protective clothing brand with customers in over 75 countries.
