A little over a year ago, I went into my dermatologist鈥檚 office, laid down on a table, and watched out of the side of my eye as she stuck a needle in my right ear to numb it. Then she took a large scalpel and scooped a raisin-sized mole out of my ear. I bled everywhere, was cauterized immediately, and walked out of the office with my entire ear wrapped in white gauze like a character out of a bad comedy.
I鈥檓 not trying to gross you out, but I do want to get your attention. My ear went under the knife听because the doctor had found an almost-cancerous mole and wanted it out immediately. She told me I was just days away from skin cancer and harangued听me (nicely) about taking every precaution I could to prevent further problems.
The thought of getting cancer and possibly dying before my kids grow up scared the shit out of me. I now get a skin exam every six months, religiously apply sunscreen, and wear a sun hoody and听dorky hat every time I go outside for an extended period of time.
Truthfully, it鈥檚 been fun to track down the most absurd sun hats I can find. There are a lot to choose from, and I鈥檝e amassed a small collection. My favorite and most-used听is the ($50), which looks like a safari hat and should probably be matched with one of those tan, multi-pocket vests.
The Brimmer has become the first hat I reach for听because it鈥檚 big enough to cover my entire face and neck, breathes well even on sweltering days, and can also be folded up and stuffed in my bag before and after an adventure. Adjustable head and chin straps听have kept the hat on my head in 40-mile-per-hour winds. It also floats if I lose it in a river, and as you might expect from Patagonia gear,听it鈥檚 made from 100 percent recycled nylon. I鈥檝e sweated profusely into the Brimmer, scraped it against tree branches, and thrown it in the wash several times and the hat still looks fine. It doesn鈥檛 look new, but I like a used look when it comes to something like a sun hat because it ups the dorky dad cred.
My听favorite for casual wear听is the 听($20). It鈥檚 made of straw and听nearly twice the size of the Brimmer,听so I use it for more stationary activities like beach days or backyard BBQs. I听love the look of the Cowboy because it鈥檚 so damn big and silly.听I also get a little chuckle out of wearing a summer hat that says 鈥淪ki Bum.鈥 The straw is fragile and I鈥檝e ruined a couple River Cowboys already from travel, but at just $20, they鈥檙e easy to replace if they get torn up.
If neither of these options get you excited about sun hats, here are two more I鈥檝e tested and recommend:
($38)鈥擝y far the most ridiculous-looking听option on the market, the Sun Runner is great because it keeps you fully protected but can also be turned into a 鈥渘ormal鈥澨齢at by removing the neck protector.
($55)鈥擳his sun hat from one of the world鈥檚 most famous hat makers wins all the style points and looks great when paired with a short-sleeve buttoned shirt and听khaki shorts.