Cold weather Blaze orange hat

[TonySoprano]

I have a blaze orange Sitka Jetstream Insulated Beanie that's awesome and warm , However I don't like that it doesn't have a bill. I do wear a blaze orange ball cap underneath so I have a bill to keep the sun out of my eyes but it looks stupid and doesn't keep me as warm,

Just seeing if anyone here has a Stormy Kromer rancher or KUIU Kenai and how they rate. I'd also consider a blaze orange mad Bomber hat, however I can't seem to find any with blaze orange "fur" like I remember seeing back im the 80's.

I'm in Virginia and most of the time I really don't need a super warm hat...EXCEPT for those frosty mornings or windy days in a treestand....

 

[Foggy47]

I’ve had a Stormy Kromer style cap for several years….but mine is block. Love it. I’ve not seen one in orange or I may buy it. But actually these days I have been wearing a camo baseball cap and pull an orange stocking cap over the top when going to and from my blinds. Once in my blind the orange stocking cap and my orange vest come off untill I am ready to leave. Stealthy fog.

 

[TonySoprano]

I’ve had a Stormy Kromer style cap for several years….but mine is block. Love it. I’ve not seen one in orange or I may buy it. But actually these days I have been wearing a camo baseball cap and pull an orange stocking cap over the top when going to and from my blinds. Once in my blind the orange stocking cap and my orange vest come off untill I am ready to leave. Stealthy fog.

You'll probably have to order the blaze orange directly from them. I also have a old HEAVY orange nit cap that I got from the now defunct Hermans World of Sports in the 80's that I use to wear Ice Fising and can wear over a blaze orange ball cap. It's warm and fits over the ballcap better than the Sitka....but does let some wind through. If the sitka had a bill it would be the perfect cold weather hat. I only have one enclosed blind , the rest of my stands are ladder stands and a quad pod with no roof.

The Rancher Cap

Our fleece, wool and Thinsulate-lined Rancher Cap is made for seriously cold winter conditions. Four times warmer than the Original Stormy Kromer Cap.

www.stormykromer.com

 

[Smokegobbler]

I have a blaze orange Sitka Jetstream Insulated Beanie that's awesome and warm , However I don't like that it doesn't have a bill. I do wear a blaze orange ball cap underneath so I have a bill to keep the sun out of my eyes but it looks stupid and doesn't keep me as warm,

Just seeing if anyone here has a Stormy Kromer rancher or KUIU Kenai and how they rate. I'd also consider a blaze orange mad Bomber hat, however I can't seem to find any with blaze orange "fur" like I remember seeing back im the 80's.

I'm in Virginia and most of the time I really don't need a super warm hat...EXCEPT for those frosty mornings or windy days in a treestand....View attachment 84690View attachment 84691

Columbia used to make a blazer orange bill cap with the fake fur ear covers. I picked one up on ebay earlier this Fall. Looks like there's another listed (medium). Below is a link.

Columbia Trapper Hat Mens Size M Blaze Orange Insulated Bemidji Hunting Cap NEW | eBay

Columbia Blaze Orange Bemidji Trapper Hat. Hunting Safety Thinsulate Insulated Hat. See pictures for colors and style.

www.ebay.com

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I’ve had a Stormy Kromer style cap for several years….but mine is block. Love it. I’ve not seen one in orange or I may buy it. But actually these days I have been wearing a camo baseball cap and pull an orange stocking cap over the top when going to and from my blinds. Once in my blind the orange stocking cap and my orange vest come off untill I am ready to leave. Stealthy fog.

I do the same thing - I have a blaze orange baseball hat and a blaze orange stocking cap with me at all times during gun season in MN and WI. The baseball cap is for the walk in and out and the stocking cap gets added once I cool down. I wear both on a cold sunny day, but more often than not it is just one or the other.

In my experience, a neck gaiter is just as important for cold weather hunting as the right stocking hat. Your head can be warm, but you will still freeze if a cold breeze blows down your neck.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I know stylistically they are from a bygone era, but I've worn a blaze orange Jones style hat since 1987. The same one actually. Made in the USA by Cabelas...it has a light Thinsulate layer and ear flaps that fold down or can be worn up. The full brim can be folded up as typically worn, or folded down if it's raining or snowing. Not sure if anybody makes a quality cap anymore. I've kept mine alive with many repairs and alterations over the years.

 

[Foggy47]

I know stylistically they are from a bygone era, but I've worn a blaze orange Jones style hat since 1987. The same one actually. Made in the USA by Cabelas...it has a light Thinsulate layer and ear flaps that fold down or can be worn up. The full brim can be folded up as typically worn, or folded down if it's raining or snowing. Not sure if anybody makes a quality cap anymore. I've kept mine alive with many repairs and alterations over the years.

Red Green wears one of those on his TV show. Back in the day.....I wore those all the time.....fishing / hunting birds / deer hunting. Had plain tan for fishing, camo for duck hunting (and it was pretty waterproof) and I had an orange one for deer hunting. Today? not a chance I would wear one in public.....but I still have my blaze orange "jones cap" (as I think they were called) somewhere in my extra bag. Mine was vinyl coated for extra nerdy points).

Not sure I would wear one in public these days.....they may lock you up. grin.

 

[Angus 1895]

I think i bought these bad boys at fleet farm?

 

[Feelslikefar.]

I'm a "belt and suspenders" kind of guy. Or a "gear queer" if you prefer. lol
I usually have FOUR hats with me when I hunt (at times five). And two, sometimes three pair of gloves.

(I have a rain proof crusher/short boonie hat that lives in my pack year round. I used to keep an orange knit hat in there as well in the winter, thought not any more)

I used to wear camo hats, and an orange mesh vest in gun season. When NY mandated safety orange, I ditched the PIA vest for an orange hat.

I traded my camo FirstLite brimmed beanie for an orange one.



I have a ridiculously priced Alpaca wool hat that looks equally ridiculous (like you're wearing a helmet), but it's so oversized I can wear it over the beanie, and do when I start to get cold on long sits.





The problem I ran into pretty quick and hadn't thought about was that gloves/hat have always been my thermostat in the woods. How I keep from getting too hot and sweaty at times. But if I can't take my hat off???


The answer to that was buying a really cheap, super light weight boonie/fishing hat off Amazon. I cut the brim down short. It takes up no space in my pocket, and when I need to cool down I take off the beanie and put it on. Stay cool, safe and legal.





And then to top it all off, last year I went FULL GQ (lol) and bought one of these in orange to leave in my pack.
And I will say, silly as it looks, I used it in the rain and wet snow last winter and it was wonderful.

 

[Foggy47]

^ A gear queer? lol...kinda like that term. I too have had redundant stuff with me.....but after doing more box blind hunting and able to carry a pack into the blind....I have cut back some on duplicating too many times....as it becomes hard to find the piece you are looking for when you gotta wade through all that crap in your pack.

I do keep a pair of heavyweight gloves for extreme cold....but normally get along with some lightweight gloves. These days (with a blind and heat) I feel that "less is more". I also do not need two dozen candy bars and two thermos' of coffee these days. Grin. I do keep a neck gaiter and a few odd times and spare parts in a Diddy pouch just in case. Also, you can leave some of the gear in our blinds for the next sit.

 

[Feelslikefar.]

I am over prepared. I could spend the night in the woods without issue if needed. But for various reasons, I don't think I've been more than 1/4 mile from camp in two years. Especially since buying my property. "This is probably the worst place I could hunt, but it's mine and by God I'm going to hunt on it!" The days of 10-15 mile walks seem to be behind me. lol

"Too soon old, too late smart." I don't need to walk 8 miles to see no deer, I can just as easily see none near the cabin.

 

[RGrizzzz]

@TonySoprano, I went through this same decision-making process two-ish seasons ago. I had an old school Elmer Fudd style flip down ear hat from Cabelas. It was gortex/Thinsulate, but the only issue was it was camo and not orange. Cabelas hasn't sold these in years.

First, I had and love the FirstLite brimmed merino cap @Feelslikefar. shared. It's a great hat, but not super warm. I think every hunter should have one of these. It was the only orange model they offered at the time.

Brimmed Merino Beanie

Keep your head and ears warm on frigid mornings with our 350g Merino-X Brimmed Beanie. Built with the perfect size brim, this hat will keep the sun out of your eyes without interfering with your line of sight or the draw of your bow.

firstlite.com

I bought the Filson first. I didn't love it. It's a bit rigid and the chin strap wasn't for me.

Big Game/upland Hat | Filson

Buy Filson's Big Game/upland Hat. An adjustable-strap hunting hat lined with warm, breathable wool. Made with 7.8-oz. polyester + wool lining.

www.filson.com

Then I got the Kuiu. Overall it's pretty warm and I like it more than the Stormy. My only gripe is that it's a bit noisy. The orange material makes that woosh noise that can come from certain materials. Overall, it's good, but I don't love it as, much as my OG Cabelas hat.

Kenai Hat | Blaze Orange

Perfect for cold weather mountain hunting applications, the Kenai Hat features nylon face fabric that's extremely durable and coated to make it windproof and water resistant. Shop now.

www.kuiu.com

Finally, FirstLite released the Catalyst and the Tundra brimmed "beanie". I have one of these, but I forget which one. It was a gift, so I can't check my purchase history, but this is DEFINITELY THE ONE TO BUY!

Catalyst Brim Beanie

Created to be the answer when the clouds roll in, the Catalyst Brim Beanie should always be stashed away in your pack. The three layer laminate construction blocks wind and water, while mapped ear panels retain critical hearing. A flip-away brim blocks sun when hiking, glassing, or watching the...

firstlite.com

Tundra Brim Beanie

Purpose built to be a rock in your kit during the late season, the Tundra Brim Beanie’s three-layer construction combats wind and precipitation, while actively insulating and trapping IR heat in the plush 37.5 sherpa lining. Whether you’re in an early morning blind, sitting the stand, or up high...

firstlite.com

They also offer a stormy croner version.

The Midway Cap

Meet the Stormy Kromer Midway Cap in Blaze Orange, crafted in collaboration with First Lite. Designed for those crisp, cold days when staying warm and staying seen are equally important, this cap pairs our time-honored craftsmanship with First Lite’s cutting-edge Kiln Merino-X lining for...

firstlite.com

 

[Feelslikefar.]

Finally, FirstLite released the Catalyst and the Tundra brimmed "beanie". I have one of these, but I forget which one.

And you'd be hard pressed to figure it out which one it is either. I swear all these "high end" hunting clothes companies keep their product lines and models and discriptions intentionally vague just to keep you guessing/buying. I had that happen two weeks ago, I ordered something, thinking I was getting a lightweight wool "base layer" thermal top. And what showed up had zip pockets and a hood? WTF? A light weight "mid layer" garment. Which as it turns out I really liked and kept anyway. Now I still need to buy what I was trying to buy. "Gotcha!"

 

[RGrizzzz]

And you'd be hard pressed to figure it out which one it is either. I swear all these "high end" hunting clothes companies keep their product lines and models and discriptions intentionally vague just to keep you guessing/buying. I had that happen two weeks ago, I ordered something, thinking I was getting a lightweight wool "base layer" thermal top. And what showed up had zip pockets and a hood? WTF? A light weight "mid layer" garment. Which as it turns out I really liked and kept anyway. Now I still need to buy what I was trying to buy. "Gotcha!"

It's a tundra. There's a tag inside the hat that said so. All I had to do was actually look!

 

[TonySoprano]

I know stylistically they are from a bygone era, but I've worn a blaze orange Jones style hat since 1987. The same one actually. Made in the USA by Cabelas...it has a light Thinsulate layer and ear flaps that fold down or can be worn up. The full brim can be folded up as typically worn, or folded down if it's raining or snowing. Not sure if anybody makes a quality cap anymore. I've kept mine alive with many repairs and alterations over the years.

Cool , They use to be quite common years ago. I had 2 , My favorite one was stolen from my Fathers truck when the truck was stolen from a mall. It was a SafTBack brand hat and sold at a local sporting goods store and my first hunting coat was also the same brand, I wonder if that company still exists ?. . . I still wear the other hat (might be a Cabelas) when it's not that cold sometimes for Nostalgia's sake , but it's shrunk after washing or my heads gotten bigger lol.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Cool , They use to be quite common years ago. I had 2 , My favorite one was stolen from my Fathers truck when the truck was stolen from a mall. It was a SafTBack brand hat and sold at a local sporting goods store and my first hunting coat was also the same brand, I wonder if that company still exists ?. . . I still wear the other hat (might be a Cabelas) when it's not that cold sometimes for Nostalgia's sake , but it's shrunk after washing or my heads gotten bigger lol.

I pestered Cabela's about who made it. I figured out the company, but they were special order in big quantities only. They did send me one they had in a stash, but it was a less quality, and a bit small for my head. It's in my hat and gloves bin.

 

[TonySoprano]

I do the same thing - I have a blaze orange baseball hat and a blaze orange stocking cap with me at all times during gun season in MN and WI. The baseball cap is for the walk in and out and the stocking cap gets added once I cool down. I wear both on a cold sunny day, but more often than not it is just one or the other.

In my experience, a neck gaiter is just as important for cold weather hunting as the right stocking hat. Your head can be warm, but you will still freeze if a cold breeze blows down your neck.

Right on . I don't have a gaiter But I have a camo nit Cabelas face mask with a neck covering that'll tuck into my jacket probably from the early 90's

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Not sure I would wear one in public these days.....they may lock you up. grin.

Ah, they're not that bad. A blaze orange Jones cap, a green and black checkered wool jacket, and a Remington pump in .30-06....timeless.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Cool , They use to be quite common years ago. I had 2 , My favorite one was stolen from my Fathers truck when the truck was stolen from a mall. It was a SafTBack brand hat and sold at a local sporting goods store and my first hunting coat was also the same brand, I wonder if that company still exists ?. . . I still wear the other hat (might be a Cabelas) when it's not that cold sometimes for Nostalgia's sake , but it's shrunk after washing or my heads gotten bigger lol.

Ah that's too bad it was stolen.

Mine has shrunk too in the nearly 40 years I've had it. I like my hat so much that I bought a hat stretcher and every few years I soak it in water and then stretch it before the season so it fits again.

 

[TonySoprano]

Thanks Folks for all the great suggestions. While on Facebook I saw a ad for bassdash...never heard of them before, and didn't see any reviews.
However I decided to take a chance and order this hat that came to $26 (and change) total with shipping and Promo code discount . I like the long bill and supposedly fleece lined. If so I'm thinking it'll probably work for all but the coldest mornings I hunt. A review to follow and If it doesn't pan out I'll try some of the more pricer recommended hats.

Ear flap baseball hats Fleece baseball hat

Designed for the outdoors, the fleece ear flap hats features soft fleece lining and a water-resistant, windproof shell for reliable warmth and dryness. Available in solid colors and functional camouflages for effective concealment. Ideal for hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and more.

www.bassdash.com