We’re sure sunscreen always finds a place in your, and everyone else’s, beach bag. Social media played a huge role in raising awareness of UV radiation and why SPF and UPF protection is so important. We’ve all started looking out for new smart moves, and adding sun-conscious steps to our routine while making our life easier.
Add Hats to Your Sun Protection Routine
Hats are a convenient way to add sun protection to your wardrobe, as they make for accessories that are not only style statements, but are also tools that can make a huge difference in your health and wellness. So wait no longer, and dive into our guide and find the best sun protection hats. Make your summers chic, conscious and sun-safe!
The Basics of UV Radiation
Let’s kick off this journey with the basics, so we can start to understand the science of UV radiation. UV (ultraviolet) radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the sun. It is categorized into 3 subcategories, shortly UVA is responsible for pigmentation in your skin and can damage your skin through free radicals; UVB causes sunburn and DNA mutations in your skin cells, which can also eventually lead to skin cancer and UVC which is mostly absorbed by the ozone layer and the most dangerous.
Unlike SPF, which measures sunscreen's ability to protect skin from UVB rays, UPF indicates how much UV radiation (both UVA and UVB) a fabric allows to reach your skin. For example, a hat with a UPF of 50 allows just 1/50th of the sun's UV radiation to reach the skin.
Light or dark hats - What Color Hat is Best for Sun Protection?
The color of the hat also plays a role in best sun protection hats. While both dark and light hats offer effective sun protection, there are a few things to consider to make the most informed decision possible.
Dark colors absorb radiation, which effectively blocks the UV rays before hitting your skin, but it also absorbs heat from the sun, which you might want to take into consideration if you’re planning to wear your hats in warm or even hot weather. On the other hand light colored hats such as white or pastel ones reflect UV, as they act almost like reflectors and bounce most of the light away from the skin. Light hats also reflect heat which can make a difference on super sunny and hot days, as it can contribute to a cooler sensation.
Of course your personal style should always play a role in choosing any of your accessories. At the end of the day your goal is incorporating a hat into your wardrobe, and you are more likely to grab a hat if you absolutely love it and that should be your goal.
Exploring the Best Hats for Sun Protection
While you’re looking for the type of hat that’s the best for offering sun protection on sunny days you’ll run into a lot of different styles. At Hat Attack we proudly offer a selection of hats with a UPF 50 rating, ensuring excellent protection against UV radiation. Let’s look into some of them.
Wide-brimmed hats
Wide brimmed sunhats are the first pick of many, when it comes to sun protection, as they give you sun protection coverage on your face, neck and shoulders which are the main areas affected by the UV rays.
When diving into the world of wide-brimmed hats you’ll quickly notice the wide variety of styles and materials on the market. You can decide on which one to get based on your own personal style, but if you’re new to hats and unsure of which style would suit you best you should check out our Guide on finding the ideal hat for your face shape to help you get started.
If you’re looking for ways to additionally protect your face in fall and winter we recommend going for Fall Brimmed Hats, which are made from materials that add some warmth to your look.
Caps
Caps are also a great way to protect yourself from the harmful UV rays. These are on the more practical spectrum of all hats, since they’re easy to wear with a ponytail and they’re generally more casual. The downside to these is that they only protect your face, and keep your shoulders and neck completely uncovered. If you’re opting for a cap, make sure you still bring your sunblock with you and reapply it to the rest of your body frequently.
Going with a cap as your sun-blocking accessory might be the perfect choice for you, especially if you’re active a lot or prefer casual style to highly elevated fashion choices.
Visors
Don’t want to commit to a hat for sun protection? Visors are a great choice as well, as they’re main purpose is providing shade and protecting your face, while not covering your entire head. Plus, since they don’t cover the crown of your head they’re easier to pack.
It's essential to use sunscreen with the right SPF and to wear hats that provide appropriate UPF protection. Remember, UV rays affect us not only when it’s sunny, but also on cloudy days. When choosing the best sun protection hats, make sure it has a UPF 50 rating, and choose a style that fits your lifestyle. This will help ensure you remember to take it with you while you’re out and about. So wait no longer, find a hat you’ll love for years to come!
