When you think of wearing a cowboy hat in the summer heat, you may feel like you’re out of your mind.
Fortunately, there are some benefits to wearing cowboy hats during the summer, and these benefits are why more and more people gravitate toward wearing cowboy hats every year during the summer.
You can join millions of people and wear a cowboy hat too. You may be wondering how you can choose the right one.
Don’t worry. This guide will walk you through purchasing a cowboy hat and what to look for.
In a Hurry? Check the Top Picks!
1. Best for Rainy Summertime: Stetson Bozeman Felt Natural Water-Resistant Cowboy Hat
(Sudden rain and coldness are unexcepted in summer, you can choose this water-resistant and warm-felt cowboy hat for prevention! )
2. Best Sunproof for Harsh Sunlight: MWS Wide Brim UPF 50+ Sunproof Cowboy Hat
(Afraid of harsh sunlight? UPF 50+ will block 98% UV rays; an excellent wide brim will shade your face and neck perfectly.)
3. Best for Summer Outdoor Activities: Outback Trading Waterproof Oiled Cotton Cowboy Hat
(Oiled cotton makes this cowboy hat waterproof and durable to deal with any bad weather without losing breathability.)
What Cowboy Hats are Good for Summer?
When you’re looking into purchasing a cowboy hat to wear during the summer, look into the features.
You’ll need to know what a hat can offer you to make you interested in buying one. In this section, you’ll learn about the features as well as different styles of hats.
1. Wide Brim Offers Sunproof You Need
When wearing a cowboy hat, you will feel confident that your ears, forehead, and neck will be protected against the sun.
Cowboy hats for summer should have at least a 3″ wide brim; some cowboy hats may be a bit wider to shield more areas from the sun.
When the hat is at least 3″ wide, it will cover most areas of your face and neck, thus blocking the UV rays from the sun efficiently.
When you don’t have as many UV rays hitting your face, your chance of having sunburn decreases.
If you choose a cowboy hat that is certified UPF of at least 50, you will be at least free from 98 percent covered by the UV rays.
The sun tends to hit shiny things as you’re outside in the hot sun. When the sun bounces off something shiny, it will hit your face and you will feel it.
This is why having a wide-brimmed cowboy hat of at least UPF 50 will decrease your chances of the sun hitting your face.
2. Best Materials to Handle Any Occasions
It’s best to understand the best cowboy hat materials that will protect you from the elements, such as sun, wind, and rain.
You will need a hat that’s wide enough to protect you from the sun, a material that is waterproof to protect you from the rain, and a hat that’s sturdy so it won’t fall off on windy days.
Below you will learn about three materials that cowboy hats are made of and you will know how you can choose them.
Felt – A felt cowboy hat is water-resistant so you can wear it when it’s drizzling. A felt hat is sturdy enough that it will get you through the strongest winds.
Since the rain and wind make the air feel a little cooler, a felt hat will warm you up when the others cannot.
Straw – The great thing about wearing a straw cowboy hat while you’re working outside in the heat is that the straw material acts as a protective layer between your skin and the sun.
It’s best to have extra protection and put some sunscreen on because there may be a gap between the material. The sunlight can go through that gap and can hit your face causing you to have a sunburn.
Oiled cotton – If you’re planning on going hiking or doing other adventurous outdoor activities, then you should pay close attention to the oiled(waxed) cotton material.
Generally, oiled cotton cowboy hats are waterproof, durable, and crushable. You can put them in your bag easily and enjoy the ultimate protection against the elements.
3. Extra Functional Design for Comfort
Now that you have learned a little bit about the materials of cowboy hats, you should understand the necessities of most cowboy hats.
These necessities have everything to do with your comfortability factor, and you will get closer and closer to the hat you’re leaning towards.
– Inner sweatband
The inner sweatband that lies inside of cowboy hats will soak up the sweat as you’re running or doing outdoor activities or working outside.
When the sweatband soaks up sweat, it will prevent you from having to wipe the sweat off your face multiple times.
– Vent holes
When you purchase a cowboy hat with vent holes, it means that the hat you purchased is breathable. You will get a good airflow going and you will feel cooler.
– Chin straps
Chin straps are great to have because it means the hat you purchased is adjustable. It also means that these hats will stay on your head better.
7 Reviews of the Best Summer Cowboy Hats
1. Best for Beach In Summer: Sunday Afternoons Lightweight Packable Straw Cowboy Hats
Now that summer vacation is rapidly approaching and will be here before you know it, you may have one or two trips to the beach planned.
The beach hat will not lose its shape if it’s placed in your suitcase on your way to the beach.
When you get to your destination, you should take your hat out so it can pop out to its original size.
While you’re outside soaking up the sand and the sun, you will stay protected as long as you wear this specific cowboy hat because it is UV protected at SPF 50.
2. Best for Rainy Summertime: Stetson Bozeman Felt Natural Water-Resistant Cowboy Hat
If you are full of adventure or you spend the days outside working, you will want this cowboy hat.
If you’re outside working or on an adventure and it starts to rain, this hat is waterproof so it’s okay if it gets wet.
The rain will bounce off the large brim so you won’t get water in your eyes or on your face and you’ll stay dry.
3. Best Sunproof for Harsh Sunlight: MWS Wide Brim UPF 50+ Sunproof Cowboy Hat
If you’re planning on being outdoors a lot over the summer, then you will need a hat like this.
This sunproof that is certificated gives you protection from the sun while wearing it.
It has a UPF of 50, and it has a wide brim for covering a majority of your face and neck to prevent sunburn.
4. Best for Women’s Summer Attire: MG Stylish Beaded Hatband White Straw Cowboy HatÂ
If you’re a woman who appreciates style now and then, check out this hat design.
It looks stylish when the silver with purple stones item is around the hat giving it a style that all the women will love and you will love it too.
5. Best Summer Hat Choice for Men: American Hat Makers Breathable Mens’ Straw Cowboy Hat
Men would love this hat because of the elastic on this hat. If you’re a man with a bigger head, then the elastic band on this hat will stretch out a little bit so it will fit you.
The design of this hat is also durable so you can guarantee that it will stay on your head no matter the weather condition.
6. Best Breathable: Henschel Aussie Mesh Crown Cowboy Hat
When you lay your eyes on this hat for the first time, you’ll notice that it’s pretty much see-through.
When you can see through a hat, that’s a good thing. It means that the hat is covered in holes because of the mesh material.
The holes will allow you to get more air circulation while you’re outside in the heat. By getting more air circulation, you’re able to feel cooler and breathe easier.
7. Best for Summer Outdoor Activities: Outback Trading Waterproof Oiled Cotton Cowboy Hat
You may be planning on taking the family hiking this summer. If you are, purchasing this hat is one way you will stay protected no matter if it’s raining or there’s lots of sunshine.
The cotton oil skin material will make the hat more comfortable for you to wear on long adventures.
Final Thoughts
As we end this guide, hopefully, you have learned a lot. Are you ready to purchase your favorite cowboy hat?
You probably are but please keep the features in mind and follow the recommendations listed above to see which hat would suit you the best. Happy hunting for your favorite summer cowboy hat.
