This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using them, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps to keep this site running – thank you!
There are two types of travelers in this world: the ones who wear a hat and the ones who don’t.
Hat people (as I call them) don’t need much reminder that a hat is essential when traveling. But non-hat people? They need a little reminder that some destinations downright require one!
I get it.
Hats, especially wide-brim choices, are hard to pack. However, they’re the best option when traveling to help protect your face, ears, and neck from sun damage, which can cause skin cancer (and a slew of other skin problems too like wrinkles!) from prolonged exposure.
If you’re planning to travel to really hot places like New Zealand, the Australian Outback, Africa, or the Amazon to name a few, then a wide-brim hat should be on your list of travel essentials.
I know it’s not easy to pack a wide-brim hat when you’re traveling with a backpack or a suitcase, which is why we made a list of these packable sun hats that are crushable and rollable so you don’t have to worry about damaging them when you travel.
Quick Tips When Buying Wide Brim Packable Hats
Not all sun hats are the same. Before we dive into the best packable wide brim hats list, here are some quick tips to help you decide which features are important for you and your trip.
Consider UPF ratings
Just like with the SPF rating on your sunscreen and lotions, UPF or UV Protection Factor rating helps you identify if your choice can protect you against the sun’s harmful UV rays. From a clinical standpoint, a UPF rating of 50 and above gives you 98 percent protection against harmful UV rays.
If you’ll be in direct sun for a lot of the trip, you’ll definitely want to look out for a hat with a higher UPF rating.
Choose a material to suit your travel style
There is an appropriate sun hat for every activity. If you’re going on a hike, choose a hat material that will wick or resist sweat and water. If you want more air movement, straw hats are the most breathable option.
Think about adjustable options
While heads don’t grow bigger than their original size, going for an adjustable hat with chin straps or elastics will make it easy for you to keep them in place – especially when the weather becomes too windy, or you find yourself spending time on a boat.
This is also great when looking for a hat to add to your beach travel packing list.
Now that you have a better idea of some features you might be looking for in your travel hat, let’s go through a list of packable options.
Our Top Sun Hat Picks
Columbia Global Adventure Packable Hat II
BEST BUDGET
Baggu Packable Sun Hat
BEST PACKABLE
Solbari Holiday Sun Hat
BEST VERSATILE
Wallaroo Scrunchie Hat
BEST STYLISH
Solbari Wanderer Sun Hat
BEST FOR HIKING/BOATING
Coolibar Shelby Shapeable Poolside Hat
BEST OVERALL
Continue on to read more about each of these packable sun hats, as well as see even more options that might suit you and your travels.
The Full List of Packable Sun Hats
Below are some of our favorite wide-brimmed packable sun hats that were designed for travel and won’t get crushed in the packing process!
Ribbon Braid Big Floppy Hat
Looking for hats is a total nightmare if you have a rather large head and thick hair (or play with a lot of hairstyles!).
If that’s the case, this ribbon braid floppy hat would be perfect. It’s a perfect combination of style and ease of use. It’s cute, very fashionable, super versatile, packs easily when folded, dries quickly, and also covers your shoulders from the sun.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 7 inches
- Crown height: 5 inches
- Material: Polyester
- Sizes: Medium to 4XLarge
Madewell Packable Braided Straw Hat
The Madewell packable straw hat is like the cuter version of the ribbon braid floppy hat. The hat is made from woven paper straw and comes with a banded headband and a drawstring closure. It’s a good hat to bring to the beach. However, since it’s a straw hat, you need to learn how to pack it correctly to keep its shape.
- Brim width: 3.5 inches
- Crown height: 3.5 inches
- Material: Straw
- Size: Small to Large
- Colors: Warm Nutmeg, Natural Multi
The North Face Class V Brimmer Hat
The Class V brimmer hat is a good choice for the outdoor adventurer. This would be a good fit if you like hiking or camping. It has a chin strap to help keep it in place and is made from quick-drying materials for wet weather conditions. The FlashDry soft sweatband helps you wick away sweat to enjoy the outdoors and feel cool.
- UPF rating: 40+
- Material: Nylon
- Size: Small to XLarge
- Colors: Blue, Purple, Khaki, Black, Navy/Green, Camo Print
San Diego Active Wired Sun Brim Hat
Similar to North Face, the San Diego active wired brim hat comes with an adjustable chin strap and is water-resistant thanks to its polyester material. It has a UPF rating of 50+ and a 4.5 inches brim to keep you protected from the harmful rays and heat of the sun.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 4.5 inches
- Material: Polyester
- Colors: Black, Tan, White
Holiday Sun Hat
The Holiday Sun hat is a versatile hat that is customizable thanks to its internal wire and drawstring at the back to fit your head. It’s also reversible so you get to enjoy two stylish colors and has the highest UPF rating for better sun protection.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 4 inches
- Material: Linen and cotton
- Size: Small to XLarge
- Colors: Navy/Beige, Blue/Beige, Pink/Beige, Green/Beige, Tan/Beige, Black/Beige
Coolibar Shelby Shapeable Poolside Hat
If you’re looking for a rollable hat that is lightweight and breathable, the Coolibar Shelby hat would be perfect. It has a sweeping 7-inch brim for ultimate sun protection. With a bendable brim, you can adjust the hat to cover your face – or not! – and enjoy the view of the beach or the outdoors.
Wearing this hat is like wearing your own personal beach umbrella. Too windy? Don’t worry, there’s a chin strap to keep the hat in place for you.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 7 inches
- Material: Polyester weave
- Size: One size
- Colors: Black, Tan
Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat
This Canadian-made company takes pride in their travel gear, particularly their hats. This Tilley Airflo hat uses organic cotton, which makes it more expensive but it comes with a lifetime guarantee. You have plenty of color choices and a variety of sizes to perfectly fit your head.
The breathable material allows for airflow and the fabric is also water resistant. The lightweight Airflo is UPF 50+ and has a 3.5-inch brim. The best part? It will bounce right back when folded so you can roll it and fold it without worrying about losing its shape.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 3.5 inches
- Material: Nylon and mesh polyester
- Size: 6 ⅞ to 8+
- Colors: Mauve, Stone, Khaki, Olive, Navy, Rockface, Taupe, Black
Columbia Global Adventure Packable Hat II
Columbia is a well-known brand in the outdoors industry. Their Global Adventure Packable Hat II doesn’t need any special packing since it’s one of those crushable hats you can bring on the go. Plus, you get a fashionable hat in different colors and a UPF rating of 30 for sun protection with an adjustable chin strap and a hook-and-loop closure.
- UPF rating: 30
- Brim width: 4 inches
- Material: Paper, polyester, and polyethylene
- Size: 6 ¾ to 7 ½
- Colors: Safari, Safari/Nocturnal, White/Peach, White/Purple
Wallaroo Scrunchie Hat
When you think of scrunchie, you probably think of hair. Just like how you can crush and roll a scrunchie without a problem, this fashionable wide-brim hat will not disappoint. The wavy design of this hat gives it a flirty vibe and it has an adjustable headstring to perfectly fit your head or just keep it in place.
- UPF rating: 50
- Brim width: 4.5 inches
- Material: Polyester
- Size: 6 ¾ to 7 ½
- Colors: Navy, White, Black, Natural, Gray, Coral, and more
Baggu Packable Hat
At first glance, the Baggu sun hat doesn’t look like a crushable or a rollable hat because of its stiff look when worn. BUT! This hat is quite amazing because it comes with a circular pouch with a zip closure.
Yes! You can pack the Baggu hat without worrying about losing its shape. In fact, all you need to do is take out the hat from its pouch and it’ll automatically burst into shape. The best part? It’s made of cotton so it’s washable and it comes in printed and plain designs to suit your taste.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 7.7 inches
- Material: Cotton
- Colors: Clouds, Rowena, Rhian Daisy, Lemon Tree, Pixel Gingham, and other plain colors
Wide-Brim Packable Straw Hat
If you’re not a fan of floppy wide-brim hats, then this packable straw hat would be a good alternative. This hat folds and unfolds without any lines (which is great!) and looks like a fedora. It’s also very comfortable to wear and can be customized with a dipped brim, curled sides, or a simple flat brim.
- Size: Small to XLarge
- Material: Straw
Solbari Wanderer Sun Hat
The Wanderer sun hat is a simple choice that gets the job done of protecting your face and neck from harmful UV rays thanks to its UPF 50+ rating. It’s available in two colors (mulberry and alpine green) and has a removable chin strap with a locking toggle. It also comes with a drawcord on the back to adjust the hat size and is stain- and water-resistant.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 4 inches
- Material: Polyamide and Elastane
- Size: Small to XLarge
- Colors: Mulberry, Alpine Green
Cotton Crusher Hat
As the name implies, this hat is made from breathable cotton which makes it easily crushable, rollable, and packable. While there are four colors to choose from (white, gray, sand, and green), this hat only comes in one size.
- UPF rating: 50+
- Brim width: 5 inches
- Material: Cotton
- Size: One size
- Colors: White, Gray, Green, Sand
Our Verdict
With so many options, I know how hard it is to take your pick. All the hats in this list are functional. Some are more fashionable than others. And there’s definitely every hat for every price range. So without further ado, here’s a round-up of the best packable sun hats to buy for your next travel:
Columbia Global Adventure Packable Hat II
BEST BUDGET
Baggu Packable Sun Hat
BEST PACKABLE
Solbari Holiday Sun Hat
BEST VERSATILE
Wallaroo Scrunchie Hat
BEST STYLISH
Solbari Wanderer Sun Hat
BEST FOR HIKING/BOATING
Coolibar Shelby Shapeable Poolside Hat
BEST OVERALL
- Best Budget: Columbia Global Adventure Packable Hat II
- Best Packable: Baggu Packable Sun Hat
- Best Versatile: Holiday Sun Hat
- Best Stylish: Wallaroo Scrunchie Hat
- Best for Hiking/Boating: Solbari Wanderer Sun Hat
- Best Overall: Coolibar Shelby Shapeable Poolside Hat
How about you? Have you used any of the packable hats mentioned above or do you have any other recommendations? Let me know in the comments!
This is a great story. I’m all about the hats, too.
Great post! I love me a good hat and one that be put in my suitcase makes me really happy!
i love my Tilley, it’s definitely an active outdoors hat not for all occasions but it’s so easy to pack, wear and clean. Thought the price was horrendous down here in Australia but I’ll get my wear out of it.
The UPF-50+ Cotton Hat on Travelsmith… This packable travel hat is so versatile. Depending on how you adjust the brim it can be anything from a cowboy hat to a Holly Golightly chapeau over a sheath dress. Ive never seen anything else like it.
I know I should wear a hat, as I am super pale and have freckles, which is a definite indicator of an increased risk of skin cancer. My problem is that I can’t find one that is both fashionable, breathable, and I can wear my hair up with. I always wear my hair up in climates in which I would need to wear a hat. Also, I tend to get a very sweaty head when I wear a hat, so it needs to be breathable. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I am definitely a hat person!!! As in, I can’t tell you how many hats I own. I used HPL 3 1/2 years ago to plan an 8 week trip to the UK and Europe, and it helped hugely. We are looking at 12 months in the UK to be near family and do some travelling in 2021, so I’m revisiting (Also looking at NZ next year for our 30th wedding anniversary.) My problem is going to be which hat (or two) do I take?! 😛 Always remembering that a new hat from … (insert newly visited country) is for me a wonderful souvenir.
I love Helen Kiminsky, Australian hat designer, but VERY expensive. Blue Illusion also carry stylish hats that squash. I have found cloth hats more long-term squashable than straw.
The main motivation for this reply (can’t help myself, I’m a science teacher in south west NSW, Australia), is that the ozone layer has recovered; all data from the last 2 – 3 years (so since this was written by a few years) shows this. A great example of the value of international agreement to effect change to look after the environment. The reason for emphasis on hat wear in our climate is the very high UV index that continues from early spring to late autumn – so do still have one!
Thanks HPL for all your great articles! Jane