10 Best Fishing Hats in 2022 (GearTop, KastKing, and More)

If you want a hat that will hold up while you fish for a long time, you may want a polyester one. Polyester is common for hats since it's great for the outdoors.

It will resist tearing and does well in the washer if you ever need to clean your hat. On the other hand, it doesn't have the best breathability, so it may be too warm to wear in the hot summer months. This might be better as a fall or winter option.

Cotton is a breathable material, so you don’t feel as warm when you wear it. However, cotton absorbs liquids, so it will take a long time to dry if it gets covered in water or sweat. If you want to keep your head protected while taking advantage of this cooler material, you should go with cotton.

Nylon stands out among fishing hat materials due to how well it works in various outdoor conditions. It’s a waterproof material, making it great for fishing trips if it falls in the water or starts to rain. It also has great wind resistance and a durable design, making it excellent for the outdoors.

However, it's not a breathable material, so it could make your head warm after a while. If you plan to fish in an area with lots of rain, though, nylon might be the best option for you.

Straw hats have a thin design with multiple layers of straw threaded together. Since straw is thinner, it will provide lots of breathability with little risk of sweat building up. It also does a good job of blocking the sun when worn, so it works great on hot days.

However, straw hats are weaker and can form holes easily. If you plan to fish in a warm area, though, you may want to use a straw hat.

Many fishing hats have mesh inner linings to have more breathability. This makes them great for fishing trips since they will prevent sweat from building up on your head. If you plan to fish during the warmer seasons, a mesh lining may provide you with more comfort.

Other hats have a design with holes for ventilation to keep your head cool. However, you may need to wear extra layers underneath the hat in chilly weather.

Most fishing hats will include information about their ultraviolet protection factor, or UPF rating. This rating lets you know what fraction of the ultraviolet rays go through the hat. A UPF 30 hat will only let one out of 30 units of UV go through. Hats with a rating between 30 and 49 are considered good, while a rating of 50 or higher is excellent.

You should always go with higher UPF ratings if you'll be in direct sun, since the higher numbers reduce your odds of getting sunburned. Most of these products will have information about their UPF ratings on their pages.

Many fishing hats come with additional fabric on them to cover the neck, ears, and face. These neck covers, ear flaps, and face covers will provide more protection from the sun and prevent sunburns.

They can also provide additional protection from bugs since they block the face, ears, and neck. Some will even include mesh masks to prevent bugs from getting on them. However, a hat with these covers could cause you to sweat more in warm weather.

Fishing hats come with different brim lengths, from smaller sizes under three inches to larger ones. Smaller brims are nice since they won’t block your vision when you look around. However, they won't protect as much of your head and neck from the sun.

Larger brims cover more area and prevent you from getting a sunburn while cooling you off. On the other hand, the top of the brim could bend and block the wearer's vision.

Fishing hats can have floppy, stiff, or floating brims. Floppy brims are nice since you can fold them however you want, and some of them will include snap buttons to hold the brim up. However, these brims can get in the way and fall in front of your eyes.

Stiff brims won't bend into your eyes and will provide protection from the sun. You can also attach lures and lights to them without issues. On the other hand, you can't adjust the way the brim bends, or fold it to fit in your pocket.

Floating hats have styrofoam in the brim, so if they fall into the water, they will float. However, the styrofoam could get damaged if you put too much pressure on the brim.

As you choose a fishing hat, you will notice there are different types often mentioned: boonie, bucket, and baseball hats. Boonie hats cover the head well and have a stiff brim, so they do a great job of blocking the sun out. Also, since it's a stiff brim, you can easily attach lights to it; but you can't adjust the brim.

Bucket hats are similar, except they have a floppy brim that points downward. Since it points downward, the sun won't get in your eyes, and it provides protection from the sun's rays. However, the floppy brim could get in your way if you don't adjust it.

Baseball hats are what you'd expect, but ones for fishing have a large bill that blocks the front of the face. This gives the entire face excellent protection from sunburn while also protecting the eyes, but it doesn't protect the neck. These are great for attaching lights for night fishing, however.

Most fishing hats include a cord that goes near the chin while being attached to both sides of the hat. Chin cords will prevent the hat from flying away whenever the area gets windy. On top of that, many of them can be adjusted to hold the hat in place.

Although the cord may get in the way at times or feel restrictive, an adjustable chin cord will keep you from having to fish your hat out of the water.

As you look at fishing hats, you should know how the different colors can impact your fishing. For example, if you fish from the shore, you should avoid bright colors like red or yellow since the fish can see them. This means you should use colors that match the shore and earth to avoid sticking out, such as brown or gray.

On top of that, hat colors can affect your temperature. For example, light colors like white, light gray, and yellow reflect heat, but dark colors like black, brown, and dark blue absorb heat. This means the light colors are good in warm weather since they won't make you as hot, while dark colors can help you remain warm during the colder months.