"interior Coolmax® sweatband"

[irfan.wayang]

Looking through hat vendors' websites, I see occasional references to an "interior Coolmax® sweatband", usually on products intended specifically for sports use or in very hot climates. I wiki-ed "coolmax" to discover that it's one of these magical, new fangled pyroplastic materials. I remember thinking that t-shirts similarly advertised stunk, literally and metaphorically, so I'm not necessarily convinced.

But I am into the idea of finding the perfect hot weather hat. I want to use this hat for long walks through a very hot, humid, equatorial Asian city, and I want it to be comfortable. Has anyone had any experience with hats using this technology? Or any other suggestions for the heat? (disclosure: I wear a hearing aid. When I walk in the climates I mention, the sweat runs down and into my ears. It's a curiously unpleasant sensation.)

I should say I've written to Panama Bob to see what he suggests in the way of a panama with maximum concentration given to heat management. I'm hoping he'll have a good suggestion.

Oh, in the meantime, I enjoy wearing my Akubra Capricorn, although I need to wear a sweatband or bandana under it, for reasons related to the disclosure above. Ditto with the so-so Panama that I picked up somewhere. I've ordered the Akubra Straw Range (a wide brimmed hemp straw ventilated hat, irresistible at around $80 from AustralianGear.com)

http://www.australiangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_94&products_id=309

I hope this is also a good, hot weather, out walking hat.

Still, I won't be happy until I have a good Panama hat that I can use for my walks ....

 

[alanfgag]

Coolmax is a DuPont branded polyester fabric. I've had coolmax t-shirts that I wore until they had holes... cotton like comfort and a hand that doesn't catch on skin or pill after washing. I've bought other coolmax garments that were less appealing too. I would suspect that a coolmax sweatband could be great or not so great depending on how it is made and where the perspiration goes once it is wicked away from your forehead. Leather sweatbands in straw hats are also all across the board in performance with sweat. I have some that shrug off a little moisture and others that get hard and crackly after a short time with a damp forehead.

Talking to Panama Bob or one of the other straw purveyors sounds like a good idea. Here is a page with Brent Black's opinions on sweatbands.

good luck!