Should I Wear A Hat When Running?

When running, runners vary significantly in what they wear. Should I wear a hat when running? Lots of runners wear hats, and lots of runners don’t. There are many variations to the hats runners wear when running.

Should I Wear A Hat When Running

Yes, I think that you should wear a hat when running as there are many advantages and disadvantages of wearing a hat. We will look at the advantages and disadvantages of wearing a hat. We will also look at the various types of hats that runners wear.

Advantages of a Running Hat

The benefits of a running hat are as follows.

– it keeps us cool or warm depending on the weather. The hat must be made from breathable and moisture-wicking material. During the summer, it wicks sweat away from our heads to keep us cool, and in the winter, it keeps the heat inside the hat to stop us from losing our body heat out through the top of our heads.

– it keeps sweat out of our eyes. Also, the hat will stop sweat from running down our faces into our eyes which is very annoying when we are running as our eyes start piercing from the salt in our sweat.

– offer protection from the elements. It will keep the sun off the top of our heads if it is very hot and shields our eyes from the sun. If raining, it may keep the rain off of our faces and heads, depending on the hat.

– keeps our hair tidy. For example, a hat will control our hair when we run.

– improves aerodynamics. If we have the right-shaped hat, it may even enhance our aerodynamics, especially if you have long hair, as the hair will be held in place by the hat.

Disadvantages of a Running Hat

Running hats have some disadvantages too.

– discomfort. Some runners find a hat uncomfortable to wear when they are running.

– head overheating. If the hat is not made from the correct materials, more than likely, your head will overheat as the hat is not breathable

– headaches. Sometimes when we start wearing a hat at the beginning of the run, it feels fine, but as we run for a while, we begin to get a headache as the hat starts to feel tight.

Different Types of Running Hats

There are many different types of hats that we can wear when running. For example, in the winter, I wear a running beanie; in the summer, I wear a running visor, but many other runners wear a running cap all year round.

Running Beanie

A beanie is a soft cap that hugs the head. Beanies may or may not have a folded cuff. They may be plain or decorated with embellishments like buttons, tassels, pom-poms, and other designs. Because there are so many types of beanies, they go by many different names; skull caps, knit caps, tossie caps, and ski hats are just a few alternative names for beanies.

If I ever wear a beanie running, I only wear it in the winter on really cold days to keep my head warm as I don’t like having my whole head covered as I get a very constricted feeling.

Running Cap

A running cap looks like a baseball cap but is made from breathable, moisture-wicking material. Many runners wear this type of hat when running as they protect the head from the sun’s rays. In addition, some people wear these hats when running to keep their hair tidy, as there is a place in the back of the cap to let a ponytail hang out. It is essential that these hats can be adjusted to fit your head.

Running Visor

A running visor looks like a running cap but is open at the top, so it lets your head breathe.

It shields your eyes and face from the sun and can also absorb sweat and prevent it from getting into your eyes. In addition, you may want to look for a visor with a moisture-wicking band.

This is my favorite type of hat when I run. Although, I probably look ridiculous out running in the rain with a sun visor on.

Final Thoughts

We have now looked at the advantages and disadvantages of wearing a hat when running. There are various types of running hats, and we have had a quick look at each of these hats. As I mentioned earlier, I believe all runners should wear hats, as the advantages far outway the disadvantages.

Please comment below if you have any other observations on wearing a hat while running.