For the most outdoor lovers, one of your favorite things to do in your spare time is to go hiking. It’s nice being outdoors under the stars or the bright sun.
You get to see things on your hike that you wouldn’t normally see if you weren’t hiking. Have you thought about wearing the best hiking beanies on your head?
You probably haven’t thought about it because you don’t see the need to wear one.
And you will find out throughout this guide why the best hiking beanies are good ideas and you’ll learn about how to choose them.
Our Top Picks for Best Hiking Beanies!
1. One that Can Light Your Road: Attikee LED Lighted Acrylic Beanie
(LED flashlight; Rechargeable; thermal and soft acrylic fabric)
2. One that Gives You the Best Warmth: Minus33 Lightweight Merino Wool Stretchy Skull Beanie
(Durable and insulated merino wool; lightweight; comforable fit)
3. One that Keeps Sweat Away from Your Head: The North Face Quick Dry-Lining Jim Beanie
(100% polyester lining; durable and won’t become humid; dry quickily)
What Makes the Best Hiking Beanies?
In this section, you’ll learn about the thickness, full coverage, windproof, materials, colors, and features of the beanies.
Once you have gone over this section, you’ll understand why these are so important when choosing a beanie for hiking.
1. Suitable Thickness
When choosing the thickness of your beanie, you need to ask yourself an important question. When will you be wearing beanies?
If you plan on going hiking in the wintertime, you will need hats made out of wool. They are the thickest out of all the materials to choose from and will keep you warm.
If you’re going hiking in the summertime, you’ll need something a little bit lightweight. You don’t want anything too heavy when wearing them during the summer months.
2. Full Coverage
Extra-long beanies are great for covering your ears. If you are going to hike in some high-altitude areas, the extra-long beanie will protect your ear against breezing wind.
There are a few different styles to choose from, such as cuffed beanies, slouchy beanies, and brimmed beanies. These styles are recommended and you’ll find out why below.
Cuffed beanie –
The cuffed beanie has a cuff that folds over in the front. The cuff goes down long enough that it will cover your ears during the winter months.
Slouchy beanie –
This type of beanie is more casual than the others, and it can be worn with the longer or shorter hairstyle you choose.
On the top part of the beanie, it slouches. That’s why it’s labeled as the most casual style on the market.
Brimmed Beanie –
The brimmed beanie looks almost like a baseball hat because it has a bill. It’s kind of like two styles in one, and it will keep you protected from the sun if you’re hiking during the spring and summer months.
3. Windproof
When you’re hiking in cooler weather, it’s important to look for windproof beanies. Below, you will find the answers to a few questions you may have been thinking about.
Fleece lining beanies will keep your head warm in the winter. It is also insulated and will keep the wind from entering your head and make you warm.
When a beanie is fleece lined, it means that your head will stay toasty while you’re hiking.
4. Superior Materials
It’s best to learn about the materials before you purchase the right beanie hat. You will need to learn which material goes with what season so you will purchase the right kinds.
Merino wool –
If you can find a hat that has merino wool, that would be a great find because you can wear it anytime you want throughout the year.
It is insulated and will absorb sweat during the summer months. It will continue to insulate during the rainy season when it’s hit by water.
There’s also a double layer that will keep you extra warm during the winter months.
The fabric is durable so you can rely on this type of beanie to get you through for years to come.
Wool –
Wool is the best to purchase if you’re going hiking during the colder months.
If you’re going hiking on a windy day, this hat is insulated to protect you from those windy conditions.
Polyester –
Polyester is resistant to water but that doesn’t mean they’re waterproof. It means if some drops of rain or snowfall on your beanie, then it will absorb it.
You don’t want too much water to get on it. If you’re allergic to wool or you find that wool is very sensitive to your skin, this is a great second option.
Spandex –
A beanie that is made out of spandex will stretch so it will fit better on your head. This kind of material is great if you have a bigger head.
Spandex beanies are also breathable to make air flow easy to get in and out of your system during the hottest months of the year.
5. Colors
You may have heard that bright colors are great for hiking but why? When you go hiking, hunters are hiding behind bushes waiting to hunt an animal.
If you are wearing bright colors, such as neon colors, you will be noticed by the hunters. They won’t shoot you by accident if they know you’re a human.
6. Functional Features
We’re getting close to the end of the guide where you will have your choices narrowed down. There’s one thing you haven’t learned about yet, and that is the functional features.
There are a few different features that are a necessity for hiking and you’ll find out why.
Waterproof –
It’s best to purchase a waterproof beanie. When you’re hiking in the woods, it can rain at any minute. You need a beanie that’s waterproof so it will absorb the water and won’t damage the beanie.
Moisture-wicking –
Another feature to have in a beanie that’s good for hiking is moisture-wicking. When you’re hiking in the summertime, you need a beanie that will absorb moisture so it will not go to your body.
Fire-resistant –
You never know what could happen when you’re hiking in the woods.
If you stop to take a break and build a campfire to roast smores flames can jump out and could hit you if you’re too close.
Beanies that are fire-resistant will protect you from fire hazards so you won’t get burned.
Heat-retention –
Heat-retention is a great feature to have in a beanie that you wear in the cold area for a long time because it locks the heat and will maintain your head temperature so you won’t feel as cold.
LED lights –
A beanie that has an LED light on the front is a special kind of beanie. It can be used as a flashlight if you’re hiking in the woods after dark. It’s something to consider.
7 Best Hiking Beanies Reviews
1. Best Under Your Helmet: Smartwool Merino Hiking Beanie
If you’re planning on hiking in the winter, this hat is 100 percent made out of wool so it will keep you warm. It’s also comfortable to wear for hours at a time, and it’s also durable so you know it will last a while.
2. Warmest One: Minus33 Lightweight Merino Wool Stretchy Skull Beanie
You will find that this wool hat works great throughout the year. It has a comfortable fit and will fit just about any size head.
When you put this beanie on, you’ll notice that you will instantly be warmed up from head to toe. That’s because of the extra layer of wool it has during those colder days.
3. Best Functional: Attikee LED Lighted Acrylic Hiking Beanie
The last thing you want to happen to you is to be stuck in the woods without a flashlight so you can’t see how to get home. The fancy LED lighted beanie will help you navigate your way through the darkest part of the woods.
4. Easy to Wash: Danish Endurance Machine Washable Wool Hiking Beanie
The Danish Endurance beanies will fit both, men and women, and they come in different colors.
These beanies are designed with stretchy fabric so you can easily put the beanie over your head.
You can pull it down a little bit and cover your ears if you need to when you’re hiking in the cold.
5. Dry Your Sweat: The North Face Quick Dry-Lining Jim Hiking Beanie
These hats are recommended for the winter season because they provide extra warmth so you’re not shivering as you’re hiking.
It’s also a comfortable beanie that you will want to wear all the time, not just hiking. And 100% polyester lining will keep your head warm without sticky.
6. Best for Outdoor: Long Columbia Cascade Pink Hiking Beanie
You may need to stay out and hike longer after putting this hat on because they keep you very warm due to the extra fleece layer that’s on the hat.
These hats are also durable and will last you a lot longer than some of the hats you may have at home.
7. Best Stylish: Blueberry Uniforms Wool Hiking Beanie
Not only will this hat keep you warm while hiking in the colder weather, but they are also stylish. You will want to wear this hat anytime you want, not just for hiking.
Concluding Thoughts
Whew! That’s a lot of information. Take your time going through everything before you rush into going shopping the best hiking beanies just yet.
Read over everything that has been mentioned above and see which beanie you need to purchase based on your needs alone.
