Sun hat

D

dotnmarty

New member
Well, I've had a couple bouts of skin cancer recently . Dotty insists that the ball caps will no longer do on the boat. So, even though the horse is long gone from the barn, I am asking for your help in finding the best sun hat on God's green earth (and water). Thanks.
 
Well, I spent most of my life out in the desert without a hat, and of course, now I'm paying for it. Once a year I go to the dermatologist and she either burns or cuts off the skin cancers.

There are really 2 types of hats for me: thetilly hat, with a brim all the way around, or the visored hat with a flap in the rear. Both look dorkey, but it beats skin cancer. Those links above are only to give you an idea. The tilley/brimmed hat obviously comes in a bunch of styles (rainproof, straw, etc) as does the visored cap. Shop around.

That said, when cruising, we'd get a lot of lectures by doctors about sun exposure (thataway/Dr Bob will be here soon,) and one of the most important statements is that a hat isn't sunproof, but about SP75. So try to use sunblock as well. The brimmed hat has a thicker layer of cloth covering the ears, but doesn't cover the neck as well (hence the term "redneck".)

Whatever the style, wearing a hat has helped tremendously.

Boris
 
Second that on the Tilley! Not only are they effective and comfortable, but also stylish in a jaunty way. I've been wearing their hats for years.

Nick
"Valkyrie"
 
I have a Tilley (make sure you get exactly the right size - not too tight) and also a couple of OR's - a Seattle Sombrero, and a non-waterproof lightweight "desert" model - that are more forgiving and adjustable than the Tilley size wise. For hiking, the OR Sombrero is my go-to, all purpose hat when it might rain or snow or shine over the course of a few days. The ORs are much easier to carry and pack when not being worn. For use exclusively on the boat, however, the Tilley is hard to beat.
 
OK-I appreciate the recommendations and precautions. I think I'll head down to REI and check out the Tilleys and OR's. I don't know my head size, so I can't order online. If it's like my waist and collar, it's probably different from the last time I checked years ago.
 
The thicker the material, and broader the brim the better. You do want some "ventilation" around the crown in hot climates.

Remember that water (as well as sand and snow) do also reflect UV light and the reflective radiation is also responsible for skin cancer. Thus the sun block.

The same holds true for arms, legs, feet etc....

Some people are more susceptible--that others..l

As you age, get checked regularly--BUT any new area, which crops up, grows rapidly, has dark pigment--should be checked immediately. Melanoma (does not always have to be dark) is a deadly disease. My daughter lost a close friend in his 30's.

It might be worth while to look at some photos of skin lesions.
http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_cancer_pictures_slideshow/article.htm
 
Calebelas flats hat ,big brim and wide rim around to protect your ears and neck also has a clip and string to keep from losing it in the wind . Works great!
Richard
 
Marty - Around here the OR Seattle Sombrero is a great hat. It's waterproof, reasonably warm and it's adjustable to fit. Good for rain or sun.
 
Hi kids! As the Wild Nordic Stallion, when young I was known as "a real white guy,snowball,ghost,albino,snowman,blondie". Since my first bout with the big "MM" 15 years ago,my dermatologist are on a first name basis and see a lot of each other.Childhood peer pressure to get a little color is coming back to haunt me.When I started looking for a boat,my primary concern was staying out of the sun. I love this little boat and my hat. Vern
 
I have lived under OR hats for years and second the recommendation. I would lean toward something like the seattle but with a stiffer brim like the force 9 model. Those do well in sun also but i prefer the large front brim/neck cape non-goretex models if the heat is really on.
 
Growing up fair-skinned in Hawai'i I wore Boonie/Gilly hats out of necessity. My son still hates the one I wear to this day. If it's good enough for our armed forces, it's good enough for me. Plus, you can buy them for nearly nothing at army surplus places, they're washable and they only get more comfortable the longer you wear them.

http://www.uscav.com/category.aspx?catid=119&tabid=548&cm_mmc=google-_-Clothes-_-Exact-_-boonie hat

This would be my second choice. Nice wide brim but the they're kinda unwieldy. Look for one w/ a chin string.

http://www.surffanatics.com/cat/pro/384008
 
BrentB":1po7f305 said:
You should re-apply sunscreen often. Some recommendations state every 2 hours
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That's some good advice. When I was very young I was stationed on a coral island in the West Indies. Nothing but clear blue sky and clear blue water. After a few months I was a bronze god complete with wavy black hair and an Errol Flynn mustache. Sure I heard something about possible harmful effects of the sun, but, even if it was true, it would be way down a long road, at least 20 years away. I'm pretty sure there was no such thing as sunblock, unless it was the DDT they sprayed in our tents every night while we rested in our racks. Anyway, its now over 50 years later, the bronze is gone, the wavy hair is gone, the mustache is grey and scraggly. Do what the man says, that long road now seems amazingly short.
 
dotnmarty":3qfu8vo5 said:
Anyway, its now over 50 years later, the bronze is gone, the wavy hair is gone, the mustache is grey and scraggly.
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I'm sure that Dot still sees you as the stud she married!
 
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