Some people have a glove fetish. Me, I’m more of a hat guy. Here are a few different flavors of hat you might consider for your next climb.

Sun hat with a visor (and neck protection)

If you’re in open snow terrain (especially on a south facing NW volcano route) you’re in a giant solar reflector oven. Heading downhill back to the trailhead you’re going to want some shade on your eyes and very possibly coverage for your neck. I’ve noticed a lot of the guides on Mt. Rain-here have the Outdoor Research Sun Runner hat. It is a little spendy, but it’s quality gear.

Balaclava

“Baklava” is a tasty middle eastern dessert that goes in your mouth, not on your head.

“Balaclava” is a hat that tastes terrible. But should always be in your pack, as it’s pretty much the best bang for your buck when it comes to warmth and weight. This should be standard emergency gear for just about anyone, and generally part of your 10 essentials kit of extra clothing. Get one that’s thin to medium weight so it fits underneath your helmet. It does not need to be name brand from the outdoor store. Costco, of all places, has a terrific one on sale at this writing (Jan 2019) for just 10 bucks. It’s made by Bula, from soft stretchy fleece, and can be worn in lots of different configurations. Recommended.

Online these appear to be $20, they are $10 each at Costco.

Ear warmer

This is just a band of stretchy fleece that covers your ears and keeps the top of your head exposed. On cold windy approaches, it’s nice to vent some heat from the top of your head, but still have your ears covered so you don’t get an earache. For me, this seems to be especially true in early mornings on Mt. Hood.

There are loads of Inexpensive ones at the online retailer that starts with “A”. Search for “ear warmer headband”, you’ll find a bunch. Here’s a photo and a link to one I have that works great. Also good for cold bicycle rides, as it fits nicely under my helmet. Get one in a fun color.

Neck warmer

Having just a bit of coverage on your neck can make a surprising difference in staying warm. It’s a tube, so you can clip it to a carabiner. For chilly morning or routes in the shade when a balaclava may be too much and a buff not quite enough.

A balaclava does pretty much the same thing, but is a bit heavier and bulkier.

Buff

OK, this is not really a hat, but it can have a place on outdoor trips, especially high altitude treks and climbs. A friend of mine recently returned from a climbing expedition to Nepal. A very common problem with high altitude climbers is known as the “Khumbu cough”, a hacking awful cough that usually starts with sucking a lot of cold dry air. She told me their expedition leader was adamant that people breathe with a buff over their mouth pretty much all of the time, and a balaclava covering their mouth at night. This creates a higher humidity environment right around your nose and mouth, which can dramatically cut down on dry cough and hack attacks. And she said it worked great. Simple solution for a common problem.

A buff can also be worn combined with a balaclava in super cold conditions, And it can replace a balaclava in mild conditions.