Your running shoes may be the single most important piece of gear for your daily runs. That doesn’t mean, you can just throw on anything else from the closet to round out your outfit for the day, though. You still need a comfortable pair of shorts with enough stretch to let you move freely, a weather-appropriate topv to help you maintain good temperatures throughout the run, and a protective running hat to keep all the elements away.
Do you really need to wear a hat when running? We won’t say it’s a requirement. However, having one on during runs does bring a number of benefits that make it a good idea to keep one as a regular part of your running outfit. A good running hat can protect your eyes from the sun if you prefer not wearing running sunglasses, while serving as a shield against wind, rain, and snow. The best running hats should also wick away moisture, keep sweat falling down to your eyes, and, if you have longer, keep it in place where it can stay safely out of the way.
It’s important to note that running hats are different from any old baseball cap. While they have the same general design, both doing a great job of keeping the sun out of your eyes, your standard ball cap just isn’t capable of regulating temperature and wicking moisture away, making your runs feel a lot less comfortable with all that extra heat and sweat on your head. A proper running hat, on the other hand, can do all those and more.
These are the best running hat to wear during your outdoor runs all year round.
Headsweats Reflective Running Hat
While they do make apparel and other types of hats, Headsweats specializes in running hats. As such, they have a long list of styles and designs available. This affordably-priced hat is one of our favorites. It’s made with the outfit’s proprietary Eventure knit fabric, which is very lightweight, breathable, and dries up to four times faster than cotton, making it extremely comfortable to keep on. There’s a moisture-wicking terry sweatband that lines the entire hat, too, so sweat doesn’t ever stay on your head too long, while the adjustable rear buckle allows you to dial in the fit. This one comes with reflective piping around the brim and the bottom of the hat for nighttime visibility, as well as a black undervisor to reduce any glare. There are no prints or embroideries on this hat, by the way, although they did put in a flat front panel, in case you want to print it with your own logo. On the downside, there’s no SPF protection, which, in our opinion, they should really consider putting in.
Brooks Lightweight Packable Hat
Made from a lightweight material that’s resistant to both wind and water, this hat protects you from the elements during wetter, chillier months, all while bringing lightweight protection with excellent breathability whenever it gets hot, along with SPF 50+ sun protection. What makes it particularly handy, though, is the fact that it’s completely packable, with a handy pocket in the back where you can roll the whole thing in to turn it into a pocket-sized bundle that’s small enough to tuck inside even a shirt pocket. It does run on the smaller side, though, so it’s probably best to get something else if you require bigger-sized headwear.
Headsweats ProTech
Like the previous Headsweats hat in this list, this six-panel running hat is made using the outfit’s technical knit shell with a terry sweatband liner underneath, ensuring it wicks sweat and dries quickly. It also reprises the black undervisor to prevent glare and the adjustable fit, although this one uses a drawcord adjustment. What really makes it different is the addition of a 7-inch drape in the back that you can let down to keep the sun out during hot weather, all while being sparse enough to tuck up comfortably during cloudier days. Suffice to say, if you’re not a fan of the excess neck sweat during summer, this thing will do the trick.
Patagonia Duckbill Cap
If you like your running hats with plenty of ventilation, you can’t go wrong with this airy design from Patagonia. The entire crown and back panel are all made from a recycled polyester mesh with very big holes, ensuring air can come in and cool you down at all times. The front panel and the brim, on the other hand, are made from a nylon and spandex blend with a DWR finish, so it offers decent stretch while shedding moisture. It has an unusually shorter brim, by the way, which, surprisingly, still works well at blocking the sun out, especially with the dark undervisor for minimizing glare. Why did they make it short? Mostly, because they made the brim foldable into a built-in pocket to let you pack the whole thing when not in use, which we find to be very convenient. Other features include a miDori bioSoft sweatband for wicking sweat away, HeiQ Pure odor control treatment, and an adjustable elastic closure.
Rnnr Distance Hat
This running hat comes in two sizes (standard and large), which makes it a great choice for folks who prefer the look and fit of a hat that’s perfectly suited for their head. Both sizes come with buckled straps in the back for easy adjustments, too, so you can further dial in the fit. It provides excellent ventilation via the mesh side panels, with the rest of the five-panel hat getting UPF 40+ sun protection. Inside, you get a sweat-wicking polyester sweatband at the front panel to wick sweat away, while the brim out front is flexible enough to be curved or flipped up, depending on how you want to rock it. What we find most impressive, though, is how durable this feels, making it seem like those kinds of hats that will stay in your closet for many, many tears.
Janji AFO Hyperlight Cap
Unlike many running hats, this one doesn’t use mesh on the side panels, instead sticking with the same solid poly-elastane fabric blend all throughout. Despite that, it’s incredibly light at just 29 grams (that’s literally only an ounce), so you barely even feel that you’re wearing it, while the bungee cord and rubber toggle in the back allows you to adjust the fit to your liking. The fabric wicks sweat really well and lets your head breathe easily, all while drying fast, so it never ends up soaked even when you sweat up a storm. We love the this hat’s foam brim, which blocks out sun well, stays stiff even when wet with rain, and brings pliable qualities that let you scrunch it up to put in your pocket without ruining the shape (it pops right back when you take it out). It even has reflective materials on the rear logo and the bungee cords, so you’ve got some added visibility from behind.
Rnnr Pacer Hat
At 2.1 ounces, this running hat isn’t as lightweight as the Janji one above, but it’s still incredibly light, so it’s very comfortable to keep on. Like the previous Rnnr model in the list, it comes in two sizes, standard (56cm) and large (58cm), with a strap and buckle adjustment in the back, so you can pick one up that fits perfectly on your head. Instead of using mesh knit on the sides like the Distance, this one covers the hat’s crown, side, and rear panels in laser-cut perforations for all-around breathability, while a sweatband at the back of the front panel wicks sweat before it can fall down your forehead. It retains the same flexible front brim and elastic back strap, although the overall material feels a little stiff with no stretch whatsoever (which some people do like).
Ciele GOCap Athletics Edition
We love the playful designs Ciele puts into their running hats, which makes it a great choice if you like having some fun colors on your running gear. There’s honestly a lot to be impressed with when it comes to this one, in particular, from the fit (which dials in pretty well with nearly every head and hair combo we tried) and the machine-washable build to the impressive lifetime warranty. Instead of putting mesh on the sides, the hat puts it on the crown and the upper side area, which really helps get rid of sweat soon as they come out, while the fast-drying technical fabric ensures neither rain nor sweat will stick around too long. If you like your hat with a little structure, you’ll definitely like this one, as it delivers that without being too stiff like some other running hats we’ve tested. Oh yeah, it’s machine-washable, too, which is very convenient.
On Lightweight Cap
On Running makes some of our favorite running shoes, so it only makes sense we’d enjoy using their running hat, too. Their hat has a more low-key design (as opposed to the louder style of Ciele’s hat above), with just a small On logo stitched on the left front side, which is perfect for those who prefer a more no-frills look. We love the tear-proof woven fabric it uses, which feels extremely hardwearing, as well as the laser cut mesh on the sides, which go higher up towards the crown to provide plenty of ventilation. The inner sweatband is very soft, by the way, so you can move the hat around without irritation, although the sliding adjustment is a little hard to use when you have to cap on.
Hoka Performance Hat
If you follow the US Ironman triathlon, chances are, you’ve seen this running hat on some of the competitors, whose low profile five-panel design and snug fit on the head have made it among our favorites for not just running, but regular gym training, too. It’s made from blend of polyester and elastane, so there’s a decent amount of stretch, while the wide brim holds up really well to both sun and rain. While it’s breathable enough, we do wish they added some more laser perforations on the side for added ventilation. Do note, it runs a tad small (which is why it fits snug), so it might not be for those with bigger heads (or bigger hair).
Tracksmith Off Roads GOCap
Yes, Tracksmith’s hat shares the same name as Ciele’s popular running hat. Apparently, they partnered together for this take on the five-panel GOCap design, which is designed specifically for the trail. While the hat doesn’t feel as breathable as the standard GoCap (it’s breathable, just as not as much), we do like the light weight, the more protective woven build, and the overall look, which gives the normally fun and playful GOCap aesthetic with an extra bit of rugged flair. It’s completely packable, too, so you can stash it in a back pocket without ruining the style.