Hat or no hat?

That is the question. So I've been wondering if my white mesh running hat has been helping or hindering me. I have dark, thick hair so I figured covering my noodle with something white would keep me cooler, but I don't know if it is or not. Maybe the hat is insulating me, ya know like how momma wants you to wear a toque in the winter months to help keep your body heat in?

Thoughts?

What's a toque?

Hahahaha, please tell me you aren't serious!! It's a knit or woollen hat us Canadians have to wear when it's -30C (-22F) out. It gets pretty cold here but we sure look cute with our toques on.

Mrs. Schuey wrote:What's a toque?

I wear a warm hat in the winter but in the summer it's too windy to keep a baseball-style cap on.

Haha! I was serious I've never heard of a toque...

You ask a good question though...

Are those Red Stripes in their hands? I know, leave it to me to notice the beer

Matt's response with those Hosers is exactly what I was thinking when I saw the toque question! And I think that a Labatt's.

I always wear a baseball style running cap for daytime runs, and even for an awful lot of night ones.

I need it during the day to keep the sun off my balding head, and the visor keeps it off my face, and I'm tired of them whittling basal cell off of me, so I'm pretty good about it...

Michael Enright wrote: I'm tired of them whittling basal cell off of me, so I'm pretty good about it...

Yikes, Michael, that's a pretty good reason to wear a hat! It's good you're staying smart out there!

Stephanie O wrote:That is the question. So I've been wondering if my white mesh running hat has been helping or hindering me. I have dark, thick hair so I figured covering my noodle with something white would keep me cooler, but I don't know if it is or not. Maybe the hat is insulating me, ya know like how momma wants you to wear a toque in the winter months to help keep your body heat in?

Thoughts?

I always wear a white brooks running hat. It is pretty hot down here, but I still prefer to have it. As per keeping you cooler, I don't know, but I don't think it could be a negative...

I almost always wear a white mesh Nike hat, but I started doing that moreso to keep the sweat out of my face than anything else. Then, after gashing my head wide open last summer and being told to keep the sun off of it so the scar would heal better, I kept making sure I wore one. Hal has also commented in the past that he wishes he had worn one more regularly during his running days to keep the sun off his face and reduce the weathering.

As for heat buildup, I notice it when I'm running on a mill more than when I'm running outside, but I think the benefits greatly outweigh any minor amount of heat retention there might be.

mul21 wrote:I almost always wear a white mesh Nike hat, but I started doing that moreso to keep the sweat out of my face than anything else. Then, after gashing my head wide open last summer and being told to keep the sun off of it so the scar would heal better, I kept making sure I wore one. Hal has also commented in the past that he wishes he had worn one more regularly during his running days to keep the sun off his face and reduce the weathering.

As for heat buildup, I notice it when I'm running on a mill more than when I'm running outside, but I think the benefits greatly outweigh any minor amount of heat retention there might be.

Mr MattM wrote:

Take Off, Hoser!

I always wear a hat too. The sun block and sweat protection helps. Its also good to soak in cold water and then put back on

Mrs. Schuey wrote:Haha! I was serious I've never heard of a toque...

I'm jealous - I wish I didn't have to know what a toque is.

mul21 wrote:As for heat buildup, I notice it when I'm running on a mill more than when I'm running outside, but I think the benefits greatly outweigh any minor amount of heat retention there might be.

Well said!!!

Michael Enright wrote: need it during the day to keep the sun off my balding head, and the visor keeps it off my face, and I'm tired of them whittling basal cell off of me, so I'm pretty good about it...

Keep wearing that hat for sure! And keep an eye out for marks/skin damage that appear and then go away. My dad just had a mark removed that was diagnosed as positive regressing melanoma. It's an especially bad one. A mark appears. You make an appointment with a doc. A little while later the mark gets better and disappears, so you cancel the appointment thinking it's better. But the cancer has gone 'underground' and starts spreading.

P.S. Nice pic MrMattM!!

[quote="Stephanie O"][quote="Mrs. Schuey"]

Michael Enright wrote: A mark appears. You make an appointment with a doc. A little while later the mark gets better and disappears, so you cancel the appointment thinking it's better. But the cancer has gone 'underground' and starts spreading.

P.S. Nice pic MrMattM!!

Ok that is scary!

I don't usually wear a hat at all on long runs or speed work. I don't want the wind resistance. Seriously, if it rains always I wear a hat but in the summer I do find a headband to work best for me letting my head breath. For sun protection a hat would seem to make great sense! Although I do have full set of hair!

Was is the SPF of Hair?

[quote="Kenny B."][quote="Stephanie O"]

Mrs. Schuey wrote:

Michael Enright wrote: A mark appears. You make an appointment with a doc. A little while later the mark gets better and disappears, so you cancel the appointment thinking it's better. But the cancer has gone 'underground' and starts spreading.

P.S. Nice pic MrMattM!!

Ok that is scary!

I don't usually wear a hat at all on long runs or speed work. I don't want the wind resistance. Seriously, if it rains always I wear a hat but in the summer I do find a headband to work best for me letting my head breath. For sun protection a hat would seem to make great sense! Although I do have full set of hair!

Was is the SPF of Hair?

The SPF of the hair on my head seems to go down every day!

[quote="Kenny B."][quote="Stephanie O"]

Mrs. Schuey wrote:

Michael Enright wrote: A mark appears. You make an appointment with a doc. A little while later the mark gets better and disappears, so you cancel the appointment thinking it's better. But the cancer has gone 'underground' and starts spreading.

P.S. Nice pic MrMattM!!

Ok that is scary!

I don't usually wear a hat at all on long runs or speed work. I don't want the wind resistance. Seriously, if it rains always I wear a hat but in the summer I do find a headband to work best for me letting my head breath. For sun protection a hat would seem to make great sense! Although I do have full set of hair!

Was is the SPF of Hair?

That made me smile--never heard of a "set" of hair!!

I used to use a product by Redken called UV Rescue Sun Milk. It was a spray and worked really good, but it's discontinued now that a newer product line has come out. I have yet to try the new product, but it's called: Redken Solar Screen SPF 12. http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/color-extend-sun

No hat. When I wear sunscreen (runs longer than 1:30), I rub it onto my head, too.

I wear a hat for 95% of my runs including races unless I'm doing a short one like a 5K. It keeps the sweat out of my eyes and the sun off my nose.

Mrs. Schuey wrote:What's a toque?

Must be a Canadian thing...

Stephanie O wrote:Hahahaha, please tell me you aren't serious!! It's a knit or woollen hat us Canadians have to wear when it's -30C (-22F) out. It gets pretty cold here but we sure look cute with our toques on.

Mrs. Schuey wrote:What's a toque?

You mean a stocking hat??

But in all seriousness, I do not wear a hat, sunglasses, or even sunscreen for that matter (although I probably should). I would think that the hat would help keep you cooler by reflecting the sun from your head.

Depends on the day. Rainy days definitely a hat to keep the rain off the glasses as much as possible. Clear warm days, prefer not to wear a hat so that I can feel the wind in the hair. Problem is that sunscreen on the forehead on hot days ends up being sunscreen in the eyes which is no fun.