JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Quick-Dry Sun Hat Review

This hat came to us as a hand-me-down. My sister had run it through three kids before she passed it along. Oren (almost 2) has now worn it, which makes four children across two families and at least two countries. The brim has a little wobble to it at this point. The drawstring still adjusts, the neck flap still covers, the breakaway chin closure still releases. At $20–$22, the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Quick-Dry Sun Hat is the best budget kids’ sun hat we’ve tested, and the best argument for it isn’t the specs — it’s the four-kid track record sitting right in front of us.

Sizes: S–XL adjustable (fits approx. ages 0–5+) | UPF: 50+ | Material: 100% Polyester, DWR finish | Chin strap: Toggle with breakaway safety clip

Is the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat UPF 50+?

Yes. The 100% polyester fabric with DWR finish is rated UPF 50+, which blocks 98% of UV radiation on covered areas. One thing worth knowing — from Reima’s packaging on a similar hat, and applicable here too: UPF ratings decrease when fabric is wet or stretched. A soaked hat on a wet toddler is doing less than 98% of the work. We still apply sunscreen on any exposed areas regardless of hat.

Where we tested the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat

The testing history on this hat goes back further than ours. It spent years with my sister’s family across three kids before it came to us. When we got it, Oren wore it at Gulf Shores — five days, full sun, Gulf wind, beach and ocean every day. We also used it on Colorado park days and school days through the spring. The hat arrived already well-worn, which made it a useful durability test: we could see exactly where years of use had left a mark (brim wobble) and what had held up (everything else).

Gulf Shores specifically: in moderate Gulf wind, the hat stayed on Oren without issue. In the harder gusts, there was more movement than with the Sunday Afternoons cordlock hats — the drawstring closure is functional but not as locked-in. For most conditions, it was fine.

JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat features — what actually stood out

The GRO-with-Me name refers to the drawstring in the back of the hat that adjusts the head circumference — a real range, not just a little elastic variation. You tighten it until the hat fits snug, then you’re done. The same hat that fit Oren at almost two has been worn by kids up to five and six in my sister’s family. One purchase, multiple seasons, multiple kids. At $20–$22, that math works out very well.

The coverage is what you want in a beach hat: wide brim, full neck flap, solid face and ear coverage. The brim doesn’t have the structure of a nylon hat — it’s softer polyester — but it does the job. The neck flap covers the back of the neck completely, which meant we weren’t chasing sunscreen application on Oren’s neck during beach days. The chin closure is a pull-toggle with a breakaway safety clip, which releases if the hat gets snagged on something rather than pulling back on the kid’s neck. That’s a real feature, not a marketing phrase.

DWR finish means water beads off rather than soaking straight in. After the rogue wave that hit all eight hats simultaneously at Gulf Shores, the JAN & JUL dried at a moderate pace — slower than the nylon hats, faster than cotton. Wearable again within a reasonable time.

What doesn’t work on the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat

The drawstring is less precise than a cordlock. There’s a learning curve to finding the right tension per kid — too tight and it digs in uncomfortably, too loose and the hat shifts in wind. Once you find the right setting, write it down or mark the cord. The hat doesn’t drift on its own, but you’ll need to recalibrate if a different kid wears it or if the hat gets washed and the cord resets.

With heavy use over time, the brim loses some of its structure. Ours has a wobble from four kids of use that a new hat wouldn’t have. It still functions — the brim still shades, the coverage is still there — but it doesn’t sit as crisply as a new hat. This is a fair trade for the longevity and price. Know going in that this is what extended use looks like.

How to care for the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat

Machine wash. That’s it — the Amazon listing confirms machine wash, no additional instructions specified. We’d suggest cold or warm on gentle and line dry to preserve the DWR finish and extend the hat’s life, but the polyester construction handles machine washing without issue. We’ve washed ours multiple times. The drawstring still adjusts. The brim still holds its basic shape. The chin closure still functions.

Does the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat pack down?

It folds flat — wide brim and all. Softer than the Sunday Afternoons hats with their semi-structured brims, which means it packs more compactly and doesn’t require laying completely flat. You can fold it and put it in a beach bag without worrying about crease damage. It won’t crush into a ball like the Flap Happy, but it travels without complaint.

JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat sizing guide

We tested the L (fits ages 2–5 approximately) on Oren at almost two, and it was a good fit with the drawstring cinched appropriately. The GRO-with-Me system gives you real adjustment range within each size — buy the size that fits your kid now and let the drawstring handle the next year or two of growth. Jan & Jul sizes in S (0–2 years), M (1–4 years), L (2–5 years), and XL (3–6 years+), with overlap between sizes for a reason. When in doubt, go up a size and cinch the drawstring down. Do not go up too far — if the drawstring has to do all the work, it will dig in and be uncomfortable.

Who is the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat best for?

The budget-conscious first-time buyer who isn’t sure their kid will tolerate a hat. The family that wants a hat to outlast the kid and reach the next sibling or cousin. Anyone who’s lost a $40 hat and doesn’t want to do that again. Oren’s proof of concept on this hat came after three other kids had worn it. It still worked. That’s the endorsement.

Pro tip: Calibrate the drawstring tension at home before your first beach day, not on the sand in the wind. Once you find the right tension for your kid’s head, it won’t need adjusting again until a different kid wears it.

How the JAN & JUL GRO-with-Me Sun Hat compares to other kids’ sun hats