Pros and cons of fabric choices

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Someone in another thread asked about hats.  I didn't want to steal his thread so,

I looked at choices available that a company has to offer and wanted to get an opinion as far as fabric choices and the pros and cons of each.

Most of my hunting is for deer/small game and the Temp ranges from 70 degrees to 10.  If the "shoe fits" however, I will wear this thing almost year round for stumping and fishing.

The fabric options for this hat are:
Fleece
Wool
Bucksuede/saddle cloth
Cotton

Other choices are:
wind stopper
Insulated.

I am thinking of wool windstopper.  But would like to hear opinions on the materials.

[njloco]

Me and my friend Joe were at the Whittingham 3D last weekend and he had his Fred Bear look a like hat on made of wool. After that sun got up and took the coolness out of the morning, well Joe wasn't doing too well. He was sweating pretty good and had to keep taking his hat off, so I think your gonna need more than one hat to get the job done.

I have wool, cotton, gortex, fleece, and depending on the weather is what I wear.

Good luck

[Broken Arrows]

I have a bucket style wool with windstopper in ASAT camo I used it in Aug. through Dec. I have stopped looking for hats I found the one I like when it is gone I will buy another one.

Dave

[Shinken]

Wool with or without the windstopper would be my preferred choice for 70 degrees or less....

Shoot straight, Shinken

   

[ron w]

I have found that I like the Wensel style hat with the wire bendable brim....the one you gave me. I now back it up with a jacket or Asbell style pullover with a hood. When I need more that the hat,,,up goes the hood! Keeps the wind of my neck also!

[Ranger44]

I guess everyone is different.  There is no way I could wear wool when it was anywhere close to 70*.  If I'm walking I can't keep anything on my head for long without sweating.  I usually have a baseball style cap on and then change to something else I carry in my pack if it gets to cool for that.  Isn't part of the fun collecting all the gear?  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Any other opinions or PROS and CONS of material choices like wool vs fleece and Saddle cloth vs cotton?

[Michigan Mark]

Different materials and hats for weather, temperature and activity. When stand/still hunting in the 40%'s Wool packer works best for me.

[Bill Skinner]

In the 70's, I use a light cotton short brimed cap.  When the temps start falling, I go to a wool watch cap, it is not lined.  I don't usually stand hunt, I prefer still hunting, move, stop, move, stop, and the wool cap does the job for me.  Bill

[Stumpkiller]

Cotton is cool and feels good against the skin but sucks warmth away when wet.  Polarfleece dries quickly, is soft and quiet and has good insulating properties but, unless windproof, is drafty.  Wool insulates even if wet, bothers some wearers against the skin, and is quiet.  Saddlecloth (I think) is a woven polyester so it's like a "flat" polarfleece.  Less insulation but better waterproofness than cotton.  I have a Cabela's "hard hat" that sheds rain but is noisy in the brush and the brim does not yield to the string (bugs me).

   

This is one of the Three River's wool Pseudo-Borsalinos.  Really nice hat in the snow . . but again that brim is just eough to bother my bowstring.

     

I can't take the wool in anything over 55°F if moving much, but it can't be beat under 20°F . . . especially if windy.

Heck, you need at least six hats.  Get one of each.

[Herdbull]

The thing about very cold weather and hats with windstopper and other tight synthetic weaves is they prevent me from hearing well. I want to be warm , but need to hear since I am hunting. I'm not sure what will work for you , but I use a conbination of wools and synthetics.
Mike

[Whip]

For me it also depends on how I am hunting.  If I am active and likely to be sweating I prefer synthetics because they wash easily.  I know wool is good at not holding odors, but I still don't like to sweat excessively.  But if I'm sitting in a tree wool is hard to beat.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Nylon 3D leafy for Me. Once the temp drops lower then 32, I'll wear a wool beenie under it.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Thank you for the responses, very useful info here    

I will need several hats for this part of the country!  

[PaddyMac]

I almost always wear only a cotton bandana unless it's cold, then a fleece beanie.

[Bowmania]

I don't think there's any hat you can wear at 10 and still be comfortable at 70.  Day One camo has crushable hats with a short brim - enought to cover the eyes and soft enough to move if the string touches it.  It's good past 10, but I wouldn't wear it at 70 or 60+.

Bowmania