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Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat Review

Over the past few years I had tried various hats to find the best option for my hiking adventures including the traditional broad brimmed hat but I found that they just didn’t work well with fully loaded packs or windy conditions. So for the last two years I have been trying to decide if I wanted to stick with a peaked cap option with a cape, the Sunday Afternoons Sun Guide Cap or try to find a broad bit option.

Enter the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat. I originally saw this hat about 5 years ago on the the Larapinta Trail and dismissed it immediately because of the appearance. This is without a doubt one of the dorkiest hats on the market. After much procrastinating I though that at least I should try it out as there must be some reason that this hat sells.

I’ve already mentioned the appearance but put simply this hat is designed with function in mind and looks be damned. If you can get past the looks however then this is without a doubt one of the best hats on the market and now has pride of place in my kit as my ‘go to hat’ having surpassed all expectations on a recent mid summer trip. More on that in a minute.

The main, and only real negative as negative as already mentioned is the looks. What I mean by this is that as its common practice these days to wear caps or hats just about anywhere but in the case of this hat the sun cape on the back is permanently attached and cannot be removed and the brim is just weird so if you wear this off the trail you tend to get strange looks even though many people get away with wearing peaked caps in the same situation.

Now for the positives; and there are plenty. As a bit of background if you haven’t already noticed I have no hair and for those of you in the same situation you will know that a sunburned scalp is not pleasant. My ideal hat has a broad brim and the brim on this hat which is only present on the front half of the hat (stoping at about ear level) is wide, angled downwards and the under the brim is dark in colour. What this means is that even if you forget your sunglasses you won’t be getting sore eyes from the glare. On a recent five day trip I found that I wasn’t wearing my sunglasses as often as I normally do because the brim provides excellent eye protection.

Still on the brim there is a ‘split’ in the the brim (not present in copy versions or the cheaper version of this hat). This split means that instead of this hat reacting like any other broad brim hats and flying of my head in windy conditions I found that when the winds came from one side that side of the hat would flatten (due to the split) but the other side would stay in place. Even when I had heavy front on winds the angle of the peak meant that the cap was being held on rather than blown off. While the hat does have a chin lock strap I found that at no stage was I being choked even in gale force winds.

The cap component of this hat feels like a peaked cap and is very comfortable on. There are two strips, one on each side, of breathable material that allows the hat to breathe. The front of the cap has a ‘sunglass lock’. What this means is that you slide the sunglasses arms into the small slot above the brim and the sunglasses stay in place. For many years I have worn a neck strap on my sunglasses having given up on breaking my sunglasses after they fall on the ground. I will still continue this practice but for those of you who place your glasses on the top of your hat this is a great feature.

Now to the rear of the hat. At the point where the broad brim stops there is a generous cape, permanently fixed that covers the neck well. However it high wind conditions the cape tends to blow about so may not be all that effective if it is still intensely hot and sunny. Still on the back of the hat there is also a small adjustment strap that allows you to get the perfect fit.

Last but not least the inside of the hat has a strip of absorbent material that runs around the hat and goes high onto the forehead which stops any sweat pouring down your face on hot day.

There are around 5 readily available colours in Australia (see images below) but you will find that most stores will only stock a few colours so you may need shop around to find the colour in your size that you want.

You aren’t likely to win any fashion contests, and you will get stage looks with this hat but it preforms exceptionally well in in the function department. So if you want protection from the elements given this hat a go.

We Like

• The split peak at the front means that even in high wind conditions the hat stays on your head
• The wide low angled peak means that you can avoid wearing sunglasses for all but the brightest conditions
• UPF 50+ sun rating
• Dark underbrim to reduce glare
• A wicking headband that keep the sweat out of your face
• Adjustable sizing (within your size range)
• Foldable brim for easy packing
• Chin start to keep the hat on is high winds (and it works well)
• Sunglass lock to keep your sunglass in place on your hat if you aren’t wearing them
• Good range of colours

We Don't Like

• One of the dorkiest hats you’ll ever see (I wear one)

Best Uses

• Suitable for any situation where you need a hat for sun or glare protection and don’t care about the looks

Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat front view Cinder Grey colour

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat Wild Orchid Colour

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat Eucalyptus Colour

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat Lavander colour

Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat Blue Mountains colour

Buy One

You can purchase the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat in store or online from Wild Earth or from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $59.99 RRP

Other Versions

Sunday afternoons produce a range of hats. if your prefer a peaked cap then look at the Sunday Afternoons Sun Guide Cap

Front view of the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat. Note the chin strap that works very well in high winds

Side view of the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat. This image shows where the broad brim stops and the rear cape starts

Rear view of  the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat. There is an adjustment band at the rear of the hat that allows a range of adjustment within your correct size range. The long rear cape will provide adequate protection on your next unless its really windy

Inside view of  the Sunday Afternoons Ultra-Adventure Hat. The brim is dark and reduces glare and there is a wicking material around your head that forms the headband as well as two strips in the crown of the hat that allows air moment. In the centre of the brim there is a join that allow the brim to move in high winds which means that the hat is less likely to be pulled of your head

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

Last updated

17 March 2024

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