Best Hiking Hats in Australia (Men & Women)

Australia is world renowned for its sunshine, it is the sunburnt country after all. We have all been educated on the dangers of too much sunshine and one of those components was to always wear a hat when outdoors.

Our cricketers, farmers and military all wear hats to protect themselves when being out in the sun all day and you and your family should too. While most people don’t spend too much time outdoors, for hikers, backpackers and campers the opposite is usually true.

We have brought you an extensive rundown on the best hiking hats for both men and women on the market, so whether you are looking for a new hat or want to see what's out there today we should have you covered.

Best Hiking Hats Australia

Sunday Afternoons Adventure Hat

The Sunday Afternoons Adventure Hat is a simple design to maximise your sun protection from any direction. It’s suitable as a hiking hat for men or women, is made of lightweight nylon that ensures your head never gets hot while wearing it.

It is a great hat for bushwalking or hiking and is designed to be also used on the water as it floats and when it’s wet – has a moisture wicking sweatband to help keep you comfortable. It’s an adjustable hat to ensure it can fit a range of head sizes.

Customer feedback is overly positive due to its ability to cater to a range of people’s needs. Users like the style of the hat itself too. Whether you are hiking, boating or even pottering around the garden – you can not go wrong with this comfortable hat that provides excellent sun protection.

Macpac Legionnaire Hat

Macpac is a well-known brand in Australia with a wide range of backpacking, camping and general adventure equipment. Their hat range is also extensive with hats for different environments and their Legionnaire Hat is a great addition.

The legionnaire style of hat is essentially a baseball-style cap with a long cape to protect the neck. It's not the most fashionable style of sun protection, but boy is it effective. Given this style is made famous from the French Foreign Legionnaires wearing them now for over a century in the sunshine of North Africa – the design will protect you from the sun while bushwalking in Australia.

The hat is unisex. Super lightweight and very comfortable and customer reviews are all very positive, especially for people who are working outside in the sun as it stays out of your way allowing you to move with freedom. It’s a great hat for runners or fast hikers or for anyone that likes the design and is perfect for keeping you cool while you move.

Sunprotection Australia Adapt-a-Cap Riverstone OSFM

This unique hat by Sunprotection Australia provides the most amount of coverage out of all the hats reviewed here due to its not only having a cape but a full neck and face covering to ensure absolute maximum protection.

It’s essentially a legionnaire style hat with an extra face covering and is very popular with fishermen as the face-covering can protect the wearer from the glare coming up from the water. The face-covering is also good out in the dusty areas of the country that many people like to adventure to.

Customer reviews are generally positive, however, it's better suited to fishing than to hiking, with many hikers complaining about the face-covering either getting in the way or making them feel a little suffocated. This hat is best used in more temperate regions of the country or as a fishing hat.

Macpac Bushman Hat

Another hat from Macpac, this bushman's hat has the more traditional wide all-around brim that is ubiquitous with people who love the sun. While a little heavier than the more compact hats we have reviewed above, this style of hat provides all-around protection from the sun and doesn't look too bad doing it.

This straightforward sun hat is very flexible and can be used for any activity out in the sun whether it be sitting in the sun watching cricket or heading out for a long weekend hike. It's a great hiking hat for women and men and can be packed down small when not in use

Online reviews are positive as there are no real surprises with a hat like this and while ultra-light runners or hikers may find the brim of the hat gets pushed back a little as they move and would be better served with a legionnaire style hat, for everyone else the Macpac Bushman hat is perfect.

Sunday Afternoons Lookout Hat

Another Sunday Afternoons hat and possibly the most stylish of the hiking hats we have reviewed here, this bushman style hat is great at all-around sun protection and is very flexible in its uses.

The Lookout Hat may or may not be the best hiking hat depending on your own style, but this well-crafted canvas hat with leather and brass accents will have you covered and looking good while you are at it. This is a hat you can go for a nice Sunday morning hike and then sit in your local’s pubs beer garden in the afternoon without the need to change it.

Like the Macpac, it’s likely not the greatest for long-distance runners, but for the rest of us, it's a nice addition for keeping the sun off us anytime we are outdoors but it comes at a cost of double the average price of the other hats.

What To Look For When Buying A Hiking Hat

Hats, like heads, come in all shapes and sizes. When buying a hat for hiking in Australia, sun protection is almost always the priority and each style has its own advantages.

Legionnaire style hats, like the Macpac, are great for people who like to move fast or work outside all day and don't want their hat even remotely getting in the way.

Wider, more traditional hats like the Bushman or Lookout hats are a little more stylish, offer wide protection and can be used for most outdoor activities. The composite style like the Adventure Hat with a wide brim and a neck cape can be used for any type of activity.

ARPANSA has some great information on how different hat types have differing sun protection factors for various parts of your head.

You want to ensure your hat has UP50+ sun protection and is fine if it gets wet. Other considerations are adjustability, weight, and cost and of course how you like to look when wearing it.

Don't forget that a good hat should also keep your cool and cut down on your water lost to sweat. Dehydration is one of greatest risks that hikers face. Remember to keep your fluids up while on the trail.

Hiking Hats FAQ

What kind of hat is best for hiking?

Any hat that offers sun protection 360 degrees, is comfortable, lightweight and doesn’t get in your way while you are moving.

How should a hiking hat fit?

Any hat should feel comfortable on the user and certainly not too tight. A good rule of thumb is it should sit properly and you should be able to get a finger under the brim without causing pain.

A hat that's too loose can also become an annoyance so, like anything with hiking, it's best to have your equipment comfortable.

Final Thoughts

Always choose a hat that offers as much protection, especially in Australia, as you can get.

Bushman-style hats like the Lookout are great, look good and offer excellent protection from the sun, while the legionnaire style (like Macpac’s offering) is more compact and suited for fast movements.

Regardless, always remember your hat when you head out into the bush for a stroll, a hike or a proper overnight trek.