Cooling bucket hats are nice for summer because not only do they keep the sun off your face, they also provide a small cooling relief. I like the Mission Cooling Hat because once I activate it in water, I can feel the cooling effect in less than a minute. Mission also makes a cooling boonie hat if you prefer a wider brim.
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These are my choices for best cooling bucket hats:
- *My Favorite* Mission Classic Cooling Bucket Hat (click here to view)
- *Booney Style* Mission Wide Brim Cooling Booney Hat (click here to view)
- *Micro-Vented* Arctic Cool Cooling Vortex Vent Bucket Hat (click here to view)
- *Hi-Vis* Ergodyne Chill Its Hi-Vis Cooling Brim Hat (click here to view)
- *Cordless* Builtcool Cooling Vented Bucket Hat (click here to view)
To trigger the cooling effect in most cooling bucket hats, you will need to dowse the hat in water. Then, when you wear the hat in the hot summer sun, the water begins to evaporate. And during the process of evaporation, heat is naturally pulled away from your body, which creates this cooling effect.
No, don’t expect this cooling effect to be extreme, but, in my experience, it is enough to make a noticeable difference in the heat. Some of these bucket hats may also have breathable mesh panels to help increase air flow and the breathability of the hat.
As I mentioned at the top, I like the Mission Cooling Bucket Hat because not only does it have that traditional bucket style (no weird mesh panels), I’ve also found it to be extremely easy to use and effective. According to Mission, when you activate this hat by dowsing it in water it “cools to 30 degrees below average body temperature in under 30 seconds.”
Although Mission says it will stay cool for up to two hours in the heat, I prefer to re-activate mine about once an hour to help maximize the cooling effect. To re-activate, I just simply dowse it again with water, wring it out, wave it around a bit to shake off the loose water, and put it back on my head.
In this article let’s take a closer look at the best cooling bucket-style hats so you can find an option that fits your needs. I want to discuss this Mission hat in more detail, and also discuss other popular options, and how they differ.
My Favorite Cooling Bucket Hat
Mission Classic Cooling Bucket Hat
Mission makes my favorite cooling-style bucket hat. Here’s what mine looks like:
As I mentioned at the top, I like the Mission Bucket Hat because not only does it have that traditional bucket style (no weird mesh panels), I’ve also found it to be extremely easy to use and effective. According to Mission, when you activate this hat by dowsing it in water it “cools to 30 degrees below average body temperature in under 30 seconds.”
Although Mission says it will stay cool for up to two hours in the heat, I prefer to re-activate mine about once an hour to help maximize the cooling effect. To re-activate, I just simply dowse it again with water, wring it out, wave it around a bit to shake off the loose water, and put it back on my head.
Once I wring out the water, and give it a good shake, there isn’t water dripping off so it does not distract me. Here is what mine looks like soaked:
The material is very lightweight and breathable. Below, I took a close-up picture of the inside of the material where you can see just how breathable the fabric is. I also weighed mine, and it is extremely lightweight (mine weighs only 0.39 pounds even when soaked).
The brim on this hat is easy to maneuver, which helps on the job, and it does have side snaps so you can pin the brim up on the sides when needed:
This is a one size fits most hat, and the material is very stretch and comfortable to wear. I have a large head and the hat still fits comfortable on my head and doesn’t apply pressure.
To me, this is the best cooling bucket hat on the market today. When activated and soaked, I feel an instant cooling relief when I place it on my head.
Click here to buy this Mission summer bucket hat at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Mission also make a cooling boonie hat if you prefer a flatter, stiffer brim design. Click here to view the Mission cooling boonie hat available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com).
Other Cooling Bucket Hats to Consider
Arctic Cool Vortex Vent Cooling Bucket Hat
Arctic Cool is a company that specializes in making cooling gear, and they do make a bucket hat. The thing that is a bit different with this hat is Arctic Cool doesn’t advise you to dowse the hat in water, but instead, just relies on your own sweat to trigger the evaporation process, which helps create the cooling effect.
Another thing that is different about this hat compared to the Mission hat from earlier, is this Arctic Cool hat is made with micro-ventilation that helps increase air flow. I like how Arctic Cool does this because other types of bucket hats might have awkward mesh paneling in certain spots, but this micro-ventilation technique allows the bucket hat to have a uniform appearance without random paneling.
This hat is rated UPF 50+ for sun protection, is designed to be anti-microbial to fight odor, and is made with a stretchable material that is comfortable to wear. If you don’t want to dowse your hat in water to trigger the cooling effect, this might be the best option.
Click here to view this Arctic Cool summer bucket hat available at ArcticCool.com (paid affiliate link takes you to ArcticCool.com). This is a one size fits most bucket hat.
Ergodyne Chill Its Hi-Vis Cooling Brim Hat
Ergodyne is well known for making safety workwear, and, to my knowledge, this is the only hi-vis cooling bucket hat on the market today. This is another cooling hat that is activated with water to trigger evaporation and create the cooling effect.
This Ergodyne hat is constructed of lightweight ANSI certified polyester and reflective tape for increased visibility (1” reflective tape), and has a drawstring cord to make sure the hat is secured on your head. The wide brim design shades the head, face, and ears against sun damage.
This hat features 360-degree mesh venting for optimal airflow and breathability. The hyper-evaporative, advanced PVA cooling technology that lines the rim is (as we’ve discussed) activated with water, providing cooling relief on those hot days.
Click here to view this Ergodyne summer bucket hat available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This hat is offered in multiple sizes. I also like to use Ergodyne’s cooling neck bandana.
Builtcool Cooling Vented Bucket Hat
This Builtcool hat is worth mentioning because it is one of the few cooling bucket hats on the market that do not come with a chin cord. Although the chin cord can be useful, especially while working, some people find the chin cord annoying, and if you are one of those people, this might be your best option.
Just like most other cooling hats, you dowse this hat in water to help activate the cooling effect. It also has a breathable mesh panel in the back to help promote the needed airflow. This hat is designed to be moisture wicking, which helps move sweat away from your head.
Click here to view this Builtcool bucket hat available at Amazon (paid affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). This hat is offered in multiple sizes.
What to Consider When Buying a Cooling Bucket Hat
Moisture Wicking vs Cooling Hat
You will see both moisture wicking bucket hats and cooling bucket hats. The truth is, these types are hats are very similar.
Moisture wicking bucket hats are designed to pull sweat away from the body and disperse it across the fabric in a way that allows it to dry quickly. The evaporation process naturally pulls body heat away from the skin, and helps regulate your temperature.
But, to be clear, there are other types of bucket hats that are marketed as “cooling” hats that actually ask you to soak the hat (and ring it out) prior to use to help jump start the evaporation process. Yes, your sweat can also trigger evaporation when wicked away, but soaking a hat first gives you much quicker and stronger results.
Not all moisture wicking bucket hats are designed to be soaked. If you are looking for a bucket hat that helps regulate temperature, my advice is to buy one that asks you to first soak the hat. This will lead to greater results in temperature management.
Again, no, a cooling hat won’t feel like an ice pack on your head. The results are minor, but in my experience it does help.
There are also ways that some companies design fabric to help trap cooled air near the skin. Unfortunately, most of the science behind this is vaguely described by companies, and is often hard to understand.
In general, even though most all moisture wicking bucket hats can provide some relief, I tend to lean towards the products that specifically mention a cooling effect, and ask to be soaked to trigger that cooling effect. These, in my experience, produce the best results.
Other Ways to Stay Cool
If you are searching for summer gear that helps you stay cool in the heat, here are some other things to consider:
- Cooling Short Sleeve Shirts
- Cooling Long Sleeve Shirts
- Cooling Polo Shirts
- Cooling Collars
- Cooling Neck Wraps
- Ice Pack Cooling Vests
- Hot Weather Work Pants
- Vented Work Pants
- Breathable Cargo Pants
- Summer Flat Caps
- Breathable Hoodies
Cooling Bucket Hat Paneling
If you don’t want a cooling hat, another option you have is to simply buy a breathable bucket hat. These hats generally just have mesh paneling that allows heat to easily escape, but aren’t necessarily designed to trigger a cooling effect when wet.
This is a nice way to stay cool while also getting some sun protection and on top of that you don’t have to worry about soaking your hat to trigger a cooling effect. Although cooling bucket hats will provide relief, these vented types of hats also are lightweight, breathable and summer friendly.
As we discussed in the article, most cooling bucket hats also have breathable paneling that help promote needed airflow. Not only does this help release heat, it also helps trigger the evaporation process, which creates the cooling effect.
Some people don’t like the random mesh paneling that can make a hat look awkward. That is one thing I like about the Arctic Cool bucket hat that we discussed earlier – their micro-ventilation allows needed airflow, but doesn’t look awkward.
Sun Protection
Do you want a bucket hat with neck flap for additional sun protection down the backside of your neck? The positive is, yes, this does provide extra protection, but it can also trap extra heat.
Often times you can find bucket hats that also use a very breathable mesh for the neck flap, which lets heat escape. Another option you have is to use a cooling towel or cooling gaiter around your neck for extra sun protection.
Obviously, cooling bucket hats are very useful because they help keep the sun off your head, face, and (to some degree) your neck. The amount of protection can vary hat to hat (bucket hat vs sun hat).
UPF is the rating system used to detail the amount of protection a garment provides while in the sun. Even the strongest rating of UPF 50+ won’t protect you against 100% of harmful UV rays, but UPF-rated garments are useful in protecting against long term skin damage.