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Patagonia Block-the-Sun Hat Review
Quincy wore it, then passed it to Oren. Good ethics, good build, good coverage. The catch: at $39, the Sunday Afternoons Play Hat has better retention for nearly the same price.
Flap Happy Kids’ UPF 50+ Swim Hat Review
The fastest-drying hat we tested and the only one made from swimsuit fabric. The catch: no chin strap, and Oren removed it every time he noticed it was on his head.
addie & tate Kids’ Animal Sun Hat Review
We felt silly buying a shark hat for a gear review. Then Cypress chose it over seven other hats and wore it to school. Catch: low neck coverage.
Reima Rantsu Sun Hat Review
We ordered a 3–4 year size. Our nine-year-old niece wore it all week at Gulf Shores without being reminded. Catch: it's direct-buy only — no Amazon, no REI.
Sunday Afternoons Kids’ Ultra Adventure Hat Review
Same gold-standard retention as the Play Hat, plus a wicking sweatband for trail use. The catch: it's $4 more, and those extra features matter most on the trail — not at the beach.
JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Quick-Dry Sun Hat Review
This hat arrived to us already used — three kids before Oren, multiple countries, brim a little wonky. Everything else still works. That's the case for buying it.
Turtle Fur Way Out 5 Panel Hat — Kids’ Sun Hat Review
Technically an adult hat. Our four-year-old stole it, wore it to Mexico, and hasn't given it back. The catch: no neck coverage, so sunscreen on the ears and neck is non-negotiable.
Columbia Arcadia II Rain Jacket — Girls’ Review
A no-frills girls' waterproof jacket tested at Great Sand Dunes and Steamboat Springs — lightweight, genuinely waterproof, and the hood fits over a bike helmet. Rowyn put it on without a fight because it matched her helmet.
L.L. Bean Kids’ Trail Model Rain Jacket Review
The L.L. Bean Trail Model is our runner-up for kids' rain jackets — tested on a rainy Cincinnati park day where Cypress, 4, found the chest pocket in ninety seconds and never stopped using it.
Eddie Bauer Kids Rainfoil Jacket Review
The Eddie Bauer Rainfoil is the most breathable kids' rain jacket we tested and the only one with elastic at the hem — tested on multiple rainy mornings in Cincinnati.
