Introduction
Hats are a smart addition to any wardrobe! They add to your style, fashion and just the right bit of flair in your outfit. However, when it comes to extreme weather, hats play a different role in keeping you healthy, warm, and safe.
Keeping your head warm while skiing is key to ensuring maximum best performance. Because by keeping your head warm, the rest of your body also maintains a warm temperature. Hence, no chattery teeth and more head-in-the-game kind of energy!
Read on to find out the importance of wearing a ski hat, whether it is under your ski helmet or on its own.
Product
Details
Best Overall
North Face Bones
- Material: Fleece/Acrylic
- Item Weight: 3 lbs
Great Warmth
Salomon Unisex Ivy
- Material: Alpaca/Synthetic
- Item Weight: 0.29 lbs
Most Versatile
Salomon Logo Beanie
- Material: Acrylic/Polyester
- Item Weight: 0.132 lbs
Slim-Fit Design
Helly Hansen
- Material: Polyamide/Acrylic
- Item Weight: 0.31 lbs
Quick Drying
Burton Women’s Chloe
- Material: Acrylic
- Item Weight: 0.249 lbs
Wind Resistant
Mountain Hardwear
- Material: Fleece
- Item Weight: 0.218 lbs
Eco-Friendly
Turtle Fur Beanie
- Material: Fleece
- Item Weight: 0.156 lbs
Extra Coverage
Hat Scarf Set
- Material: Acrylic/Fleece
- Item Weight: 1 lbs
Anti-Microbial
Tough Headwear
- Material: Polyester/Spandex
- Item Weight: 0.40 lbs
Cruelty-Free
Winter Trapper Hat
- Material: Faux Fur
- Item Weight: 1.15 lbs
Premium Choice
Arc’Teryx Bird
- Material: Merino/Synthetic
- Item Weight: other
Comfortable Fit
Wind Warrior Hat
- Material: Polyester/Spandex
- Item Weight: 0.156 lbs
Our Top Picks for the Best Ski Hats
1. The North Face Bones
North Face has never disappointed with its merchandise just because of how carefully they manufacture every last piece of theirs. The Bones beanie specifically took the market by storm with its winning specifications.
Some of these specifications are the fleece-lined North Face earband, giving the wearer’s ears the comfiest feel of warmth and protection. The high-resistance acrylic fibers also give this North Face model a long lifespan with high durability.
Material: Fleece / Acrylic
Features: Slim fit, Inner soft fleece liner, Unisex, one size fits all
The North Face Bones
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2. Salomon Unisex lvy Beanie
The cutest gift you can either give to your female friend or, as a female skier yourself, you can treat yourself to this extremely warm beanie that can power through really low temperatures.
It manages to stay warm and on your head regardless of how much activity you are engaged in. So it comes across as no surprise that the manufacturer, Salomon, is a major name in the ski gear industry and famed for pushing out the finest models.
However, if there is any drawback to this beanie, it is that you may find it difficult to wear underneath a helmet due to the pom-pom at the top.
Material: Alpaca wool / Synthetic Material
Features: one size, fleece lining, pom-pom detail
Salomon Unisex Ivy Beanie
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3. Salomon Logo Beanie
The Salomon Logo beanie is versatile enough to suit your outdoor activity needs and look chic and stylish for everyday use. With this beanie, you get a collection of wonderful features like an inner lining that lays easy on your ears and head.
It also has stellar moisture-wicking capabilities that ensure no dampness and icky sweaty feel lingers around your face, neck, and ears. Also, it is super lightweight, so you’ll forget that you’re even wearing it!
Material: Acrylic / Polyester
Features: Unisex, highly resistant, lined with fleece
Salomon Logo Beanie
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4. Helly Hansen
Situated in the middle of a moderate price range, the Helly Hansen is a simple yet handy pick. It’s a slim-fit model with a sober design, color, and a slightly pointy tip.
Although it is mainly acrylic fabric, a percentage of elastane in it increases comfortability and ease of wear. All in all, there’s nothing too unique about the Helly beanie, but at the same, it’s not too drab either. Just the perfect balance of practical and useful.
Material: Polyamide / Acrylic
Features: Stretchy, unisex, urban design
Helly Hansen
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5. Burton Women’s Chloe Beanie
I remember gifting the Chloe beanie to one of my female skier friends and watching her struggle trying to pull on her helmet over it. So, yea! Maybe don’t try on a helmet above this hat.
But otherwise, it is a great selection if you’re looking for a soft, quick-drying, and very warm hat. And don’t hesitate to wear it for trips and outings unrelated to your skiing practice.
Material: 100% Acrylic
Features: loose fit, the pom-pom on top of the hat, casual design
Burton Women’s Chloe Beanie
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6. Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon
Made for the mountains, this beanie is for the skier daredevils willing to jump in and risk it all for the experience of a lifetime. And where it concerns the drafty winds of the mountains, not to worry!
This Dome Perignon hat is known to block 100% of all winds coming your way while still maintaining a cozy and not uptight feel. With its lightweight and thin design, you can easily slip a helmet on top of it, and it will fit just right.
It also has full ear coverage and dries quickly.
Material: Fleece
Features: wind resistant, full ear coverage, quick drying
Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon
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7. Turtle Fur Beanie Chelonia 150 Fleece Hat
If fancy is what you want, fancy is what you’ll get! Modern, environment-friendly, and providing premium heating facilities, the Turtle Fur Chelonia Hat is no usual model. By utilizing striated-texture yarn, the company ensures the fleece captures heat and retains for long hours at end.
In addition to that, where this beanie stretches down to cover the ears, there is double padding to ensure no cold air makes its way in.
Material: Midweight Chelonia 150 Fleece
Features: Double layer fabric on ears, one size, heat-trapping feature, recycled material
Turtle Fur Beanie Chelonia 150 Fleece Hat
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8. Mens Womens Winter Beanie hat Scarf Set
My absolute favorite on the list! A flawless fit for both men and women, this beanie doesn’t just keep your head warm. But the complimentary scarf it comes with protects more than just that.
On the coldest days, you will barely feel a thing with this set of beanie and scarf manufactured of thick, high-quality fleece and acrylic and lined with a fleece interior.
You can pull the scarf right up to your eyes and keep the beanie as low as you want on your forehead, and keep your entire face covered. Voila! You now are a super warm and cozy ninja skier.
Material: Acrylic and Fleece
Features: Scarf included, one size fits all, versatile form of wear, unisex
Mens Womens Winter Beanie Hat Scarf Set
The Price of “Mens Womens Winter Beanie Hat Scarf Set” varies, so check the latest price at
9. Tough Headwear
The best fit for a helmet cap doesn’t let the thinness of the material lead you to believe that it doesn’t execute its job of keeping you warm.
Sewn with flat seams and woven with polyester that acts as an essential wind blocker and dries pretty quickly, you have all the basic functions of a ski cap fulfilled in one little compact model.
Material: 89% Polyester / 11% Spandex
Features: Quick drying, unisex, anti-bacterial, soft feel
Tough Headwear
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10. Tough Headwear Winter Trapper Hat
A tough hat built for an equally tough skier. This faux fur hat, manufactured with weatherproof technology, is a perfect fit for every winter sport.
And due to its animal-friendly and cruelty-free nature, it makes a perfect choice for those looking out for the environment and adopting wise shopping habits.
If it’s warmth, comfort, and affordability all in one model…I guarantee this’ll do it for ‘ya!
Material: Faux Fur
Features: Weatherproof, heat trapper, cruelty-free manufacture
Tough Headwear Winter Trapper Hat
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11. Arc’Teryx Bird Head Toque
Merino wool hats are known to get a little hefty with their price tags but are completely worth it once you slip them on. Although this renowned Arc’Teryx Toque is only 50% merino, it still plays a dominant role in making it the warmest stretchy hat for you.
Due to its thickness and bulky fit, you may not find any success pulling it on underneath your helmet. But I managed to find a slightly bigger helmet, and it fits perfectly.
Material: 50% Merino Wool / 50% Synthetic Material
Features: Great insulation, stretchy material, fleece lining, moisture wicking
Arc’Teryx Bird Head Toque
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12. Outdoor Research Wind Warrior Hat
The finest feature of this Wind Warrior hat is that it literally goes to war with the wind whipping around you as you zoom down the slopes at your ski resort. The Gore-Tex Windstopper fleece that it is manufactured of is custom designed to reduce the effect of the wind on your head and ears.
However, even with all this security and protection, this hat doesn’t impair your hearing abilities at all. Nevertheless, acquaintances of mine who tested the hat said that it does run a size smaller, so purchase carefully.
Material: Gore-Tex Windstopper Fleece (90% Polyester / 10% Spandex)
Features: Wind stopping, doesn’t impact hearability, comfortable fit
Outdoor Research Wind Warrior Hat
The Price of “Outdoor Research Wind Warrior Hat” varies, so check the latest price at
Things You Need to Consider While Buying the Best Ski Hat
Below are some key factors to keep in mind before choosing your ski hats.
Types of Hats
There are 4 types of the best ski hats for you to choose from!
The first is the skullcap or, as it is better known, the underhelmet. These hats are super thin and comfortable and are supposed to be worn underneath your ski helmet for extra insulation and maximum protection against wind and cold.
They feel more like a second skin, and at times you won’t even feel any pressure, friction, or discomfort from having them on. A mix of polyester or any other synthetic material plus elastane is used to manufacture these ski hats.
That ensures that the beanie is moisture-wicking by nature and stretchy enough not to feel tight and suffocating for you. Not just that, but they provide great warmth!
Next is the headband, a choice for primarily keeping your ears warm. It is not full coverage but looks more like the headband that tennis players wear. These hats can’t be considered winter hats as they do not provide any major type of thermal protection, so they are not to be worn during winter months.
Instead, you can wear them during the spring months when the temperatures are mild and tolerable.
A traditional winter ski hat is another selection you can make as they come in a variety of different thickness, shapes, colors, materials, designs, and thermal protection ranges.
If you are looking for a good beanie to wear underneath your ski helmet, then remember to select a thin material with no additional detail, like pom poms.
However, if you decide to switch between helmet and no helmet mode, then a thick good ski hat makes a wonderful choice. But you may need to buckle your helmet loosely to ensure breathability and avoid an itchy head.
Buff is the last type that you can purchase for your days on the ski slopes. It is not so much of a classic beanie style as the others but instead looks more like a little tube. These buffs can be either worn with a traditional ski hat or on their own.
As they are versatile and customizable, you can wear them on your head, neck and even as a face mask that covers the lower half of your face.
Weather Conditions
All the best ski hats have their limits and conditions to be worn. For example, you can’t possibly wear a hat meant for the cold weather in December during April or May. In the same way, a lightweight and thin hat can never keep your head warm in the coldest months of the year.
It is important to first research where you are headed for your skiing expeditions, then make your selection for the right ski hat. Of course, if it is winter vacation and you’re off to a really cold region, remember to choose a highly-insulated hat, preferably with a soft fleece lining.
Helmet Compatibility
When wearing a helmet during your ski sessions, you must ensure that your cap is thin enough to fit below it and still give you the same mobility and comfort you would have without even wearing a cap.
Helmet-compatible ski hats are always thin, with good thermal protection, and keep your head warm. However, if you’re looking for thicker and more bulky hats, you might need to increase your ski helmets’ size.
Wind
Just like moisture is bound to be prevalent in sub-zero temperatures, in the same way, the wind is unavoidable and impacts our skiing performance more than we know.
Being exposed to constant and strong winds blowing at us at all times up in the mountains, we pull on layers and layers of clothes, and our body heat begins to diminish.
That’s why keeping your body heat trapped around your figure is important to ensure you don’t catch a cold or, worse…pneumonia.
For that purpose, get yourself a windproof, durable beanie and a buff (a wonderful choice) to keep the lower part of your face covered. The buff is optional but ensures the wind doesn’t hit your nose, neck, and lips too hard.
Material
Acrylic, polyester, elastane, and fleece are the most common fabrics and stuff you can find in the market for ski hats. There isn’t much variation in this category, as only a few materials incorporate all the necessary functions needed during snowy weather.
When delving a bit more in detail, merino wool blend hats are comfortable, breathable, warm, and cozy with naturally antibacterial properties. On the other hand, elastane mixed materials are great at stretching to accommodate your head and keep you comfy and strapped in.
Polyester and nylon hats are known for their high durability and quick drying feature while still maintaining a considerate level of breathability.
Comfort
Comfort is the most important part of your skiing ventures. Because if you’re not feeling cozy and comfy in your ski gear…how will you execute the best performance? Especially on areas like your head, ears, neck, and face, the good hat you choose should feel incredibly soft and almost invisible.
Because, after a little while of wearing any sort of item that covers your head and ears, you’re bound to get annoyed or get a bit of a headache. Not just that, but if you opt for a low-quality item, you could cause yourself a skin rash or, due to the lack of circulation on your scalp…dandruff.
So this is a sign that you should absolutely splurge on a high-quality worthy model, don’t cheapen out, and always try on the hats you’re unsure of.
Size
For the most part, a size that fits all is what is popular in the markets. Those models usually have elasticity in them, so they can adapt to most head sizes. Unless or until you have an extraordinarily large or small head, then you should probably check with other brands that assort their hats in order of S, M, L.
And in every case, check the size chart of that company and take your measurements properly.
Extra Protection
I’ve mentioned this before, and I’ll say it again because it is crucial to a great extent. Winter hats are not the only protection you need when skiing. Sometimes it helps a lot to have an additional protective layer around to keep your neck and head warm.
For a compact and hassle-free option, you can opt for a buff, as that would least get in the way of your skiing. But if you are relaxing a bit at the ski resort and not exactly engaged in skiing, a scarf can also do the same job.
Or, if you want something more fancy, then go for a beanie with ear flaps or separate standalone ear muffs.
Final Thoughts
Take your time in deciding and choosing the clothing and beanies for your outdoor activities in the winter. It is an investment that you will keep with yourself for at least a couple of years.
The above list includes some of the best models and name brands you will find in the market.
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