Surf hats protect your eyes and skin from the sun while you’re out catching waves. Surf hats must be secured to your head to handle wipeouts and duck dives.
A lot of people wear surf hats. There are companies that manufacture hats specifically for surfing, but many surfers will DIY their own surf hat.
Surf hats come in several different styles. Some styles are better for certain conditions and provide varying levels of sun protection. Surf hats are just one of the ways to protect your eyes while surfing.
Why wear a surf hat?
Surf hats protect your eyes and skin from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays which can damage your eyes and skin after prolonged exposure. People that surf often are at the most risk.
Problems with wearing a surf hat
Unlike land activities, wearing a hat while surfing poses new and unique challenges. These problems include:
- The turbulence of the water makes it hard to keep the hat in place
- Surf hats can get lost if they are knocked off your head
- Hats can drip water into your eyes
- Surf hats can make duck diving more difficult
While these issues can be problematic, they can also be overcome by proper construction and a bit of ingenuity.
Do surfers actually wear a surf hat?
The answer is yes. I personally have worn a hat while surfing many times. I have seen many other surfers wearing hats.
Hats do get knocked off by the water, so it is easier to wear them in smaller waves. As the waves get larger, it gets less feasible to wear a surf hat.
I mostly see other surfers wearing hats in smaller conditions, but the right surf hat will stay secure in head high surf. Some surf hats are better than others in different cases.
What to look for in a surf hat
A surf hat should check several important boxes to solve the problems listed above.
Secured to your head
A surf hat should not fall off of your head during a duck dive or a wipeout. Ideally, they don’t shift at all. Even a slight shift overtime can lead to chafing.
Eyes and skin coverage
A surf hat should cover your eyes and skin. That is its primary job! Of course, different hats have different amounts of coverage.
Not hold water
The surf hat should not hold a lot of water. If the hat is soaking up water, it is going to drip into your eyes and be heavier.
Comfortable
A surf hat should be comfortable and ideally have some padding for your noggin. If it is not sufficiently comfortable you won’t wear it!
Float
Should the hat get knocked away from you during a duck dive or a wipeout, you may be able to recover it if it can float.
Best surf hats
There are many great surf hat options out there to buy. Main brand companies have put time and effort into testing, designing, and improving their surf hat products. First, let’s review the different surf hat styles.
Different surf hat styles
Surf hats come in three main styles: bucket hats, ball cap/trucker hats, and caps. Each one provides a different level of protection and has a different profile. Lower profile hats are better for bigger waves but offer less sun protection.
| Bucket Hat | Ball Cap/Trucker Hat | Surf Cap | |
| Sun protection | High (all sides) | Medium (front only) | Low (front only) |
| Profile | High | Medium | Low |
| Ideal wave size | 2 – 4 ft | 2 – 5 ft | 2 – 6+ ft |
Best bucket hat style surf hats
A bucket style surf hat offers the most amount of protection, but also has the largest profile. This makes it the best for your skin and eyes, but the most in the way during duck dives and wipeouts.
Dakine – Indo Surf Hat
The Dakine Indo Surf Hat is made of synthetic materials, which helps prevent water from dripping into your eyes. It has a firm brim in the front, so it won’t flop into your face. It also floats. The brim is a good balance between sun protection and a lower profile.
A solid and comfortable strap system secures it to your head. The chin strap has a net like material over the ear that offers sun protection and lets you hear. It also has a neck flap that can be tucked into the hat when not in use. Dakine makes solid products with great construction.
Patagonia – Surf Brim Hat
The Patagonia Surf Brim Hat goes above and beyond in comfort. It has a neoprene headband and chin strap that keeps the hat secured to your head. The brim is a bit small, and therefore does not have the best sun protection.
However, the smaller brim does give it a lower profile, so it is more feasible to use in larger waves. Needless to say, Patagonia makes quality products and prioritizes sustainability, so you know you are supporting a great company.
Kaiola – Surf Bucket Hat
The Kaiola Surf Bucket hat has a large brim that is firm but bendable. The underside of the brim is black to reduce glare. The padded headband is comfortable on your noggin during long sessions. The hat is secured to your head via a thin, non-chafing chin strap that has a low profile. The strap is secure and will keep the hat in place during duck dives and wipeouts.
Kaiola is mostly known for their trucker style hat, which is mentioned below. However, they recently started producing their bucket hat, which has been well received by customers.
Best ball cap/trucker style surf hats
Ball caps or trucker style surf hats are a popular style. This style offers a good blend of sun protection and a lower profile. Don’t forget to put sunscreen on your neck!
Kaiola – Surf Hat
The Kaiola Surf Hat is a popular option for a ball cap/trucker style surf hat. It has many of the same awesome features as the Kaiola Bucket Hat including the chin strap, lightweight materials, and adjustable headband. The underside of the brim is black to reduce glare.
The Kaiola Surf Hat has received praise from many happy customers and has over 175 five start reviews. It is one of the most popular ball cap/trucker style surf hats.
Dakine – Surf Trucker Hat
Dakine’s Surf Trucker Hat has a normal size bill that protects your eyes and face from the sun. There is a comfortable and secure chin strap system that will keep it on your noggin.
The strap has a net material to protect your ears from the sun and still hear out of. You can tuck the chin straps and ear flaps into the hat when not in use or clip them on the top of the hat. Just like with their bucket hat, you get Dakine’s reputable construction.
Best surf cap style surf hats
A surf cap is a hat with a short brim. It offers less sun protection than a bucket hat and ball cap/trucker style, but in exchange has a lower profile. This means it will be more secure and not be in the way as much as a bucket hat.
Some surf caps are made from neoprene and offer warmth as well as a bit of sun protection. This makes them a great option for wetsuits without a hood.
Dakine – Surf Cap
The Dakine Surf Cap is similar to their Indo Bucket Hat and Surf Trucker Hat but with a smaller brim. Thin strap secures the hat to your head and covers your ears with a net material that offers protection from the sun but still lets you hear. The smaller brim means you can use it in larger waves, but it does have less sun protection.
Tips for wearing surf hats with a wetsuit hood
Wearing a hat while surfing with a wetsuit hood can be tricky. Wearing a hood can add a centimeter or more to the total circumference of your head. Therefore, a hat that might fit perfectly without a hood would be too tight with one.
To get the best sizing, measure the circumference of your head with your wetsuit hood. Then use that measurement to choose the hat size. Most hats should provide the circumference of the hat size.
As far as the best surf hat style with a wetsuit hood goes, a hat with a front brim is probably the best option because you don’t need sun protection on your neck and the sides of your face. Therefore, go for a ball cap/trucker hat or a surf cap.
Be aware that many hoods have a very short brim. This is primarily to prevent water from dripping into your eyes. This mini-brim may cause the surf hat to not fit right. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to this.
One option is to wear a low profile surf cap underneath your wetsuit hood. You can even try a normal, lightweight ball cap. Alternatively, you can try to wear the hat on the outside of your hood.
DIY surf hats
Any normal hat can be turned into a surf hat with the right strap system. The most common strap is a chin strap. There are a wide variety of materials that you can use for a chin strap.
Start by making the chin strap. Think about using a comfortable material. Get creative with what you have lying around. You can also just use a leash rather than a chin strap. You can use a necklace style leash, or just tie the hat directly to your wetsuit if you have a secure spot.
Tips for wearing surf hats
Try out your surf hat in smaller waves first. Test how it performs in a duck dive and during a wipeout. If it stays secure, try it out in larger waves.
Be wary of using a chin strap and getting the hat knocked backward. This can result in the chin strap wrapped around your neck with the hat on your back. If you need to make a duck dive, you could get slightly choked!
A better solution might be to skip the chin strap but add a leash to connect your hat to your wetsuit. This way, the hat will just be knocked off your head for duck diving, but still attached to you when you get out to the break.
Other ways to protect your eyes while surfing
Surf hats are probably the most popular option to protect your eyes while surfing. However, surf sunglasses are another option. Surf sunglasses don’t protect your skin, but they do protect your eyes better than a hat, especially when the sun is low and reflects off the water. If you’re curious, read more in depth about surf sunglasses.
Some surfers use special contacts for UV protection. You can use contacts while surfing, and many surfers do. However, contacts irritate some people’s eyes too much to warrant wearing them. While UV blocking contacts are better than nothing, the whites of your eyes are still exposed.
Of course, the simplest answer is to not surf when the sun is in front of you. Surf when the sun is at your back or high in the sky to avoid looking into the sun. This is easier said than done when the waves are good.
Learn more about how to protect your eyes while surfing. Don’t neglect to protect your eyes. They are the only ones you will ever get!
Heads up! Surfing is awesome but it can be dangerous! Learn more about how to stay safe and avoid dangers while surfing. If you are a beginner surfer, check out my other articles about surfing and my ultimate guide to learning how to surf.
