Sizing Reference: Craig's Head Circumference = 23.5-inch
KUIU Hat Size: Large
Fit: Great and true to KUIU sizing guide
As a bald man, I treasure good hats during cold weather. In fact, I consider them a critical piece of gear and almost never leave home (Colorado mountains) without one. I have more hair on my face now than I think I ever did on my head, and in some strange anomaly of thought, somehow I think this compensates for my baldness. Don't get me wrong, I actually love being bald. Haircuts are always simple, quick, and free. I haven't paid for a haircut in almost 20 years.
For many years, my go-to cold weather head ware has been the First Lite brimmed merino beanie. It fits awesome and actually comes down pretty far in the back of my head to keep my neck warm. I have worn this thing in some absolutely frigid and windy weather (14ers, Alaska, etc.) and was glad I had it. Strangely, though, it seems to regulate my temperature extremely well. I move a lot when I hunt and it seems to keep me at nice, comfortable temperature whether I am on the move or static. I actually own two of the First Lite beanies for different hunting seasons: orange for rifle and "conifer" for archery (mostly worn at night when I camp).
Now black Friday comes along, and I find myself shopping the KUIU site. I have heard they make great gear and clothing, but have never purchased anything from them until now. I ordered two KUIU Kenai Beanies (again one green and one orange) and the StrongFleece 275 full zip hoodie (review coming soon). They were on sale for 50-percent off, so I figured I'd give them a shot for late season hunts and backcountry camping. Thanks, KUIU.
The Kenai Beanie seems very well made with good quality fabrics. The thing is damn warm thanks to its "sherpa fleece" and some kind of fancy 3DeFX synthetic insulation which claims better breathability. I have my skepticism there, because generally the warmer a garment is, the less it breathes. You can't really have both as it would defeat the purpose. I can confirm the hat is windproof and will keep your head toasty on very cold days.
I provided a sizing reference at the top of this page, but my head is 23.5 inches in circumference and a size large fit great (take a string and wrap it around your head, then unwrap string and measure with tape measure). This aligns with the KUIU sizing guide, so I think you can be confident their sizing recommendations are accurate.
Stitching and materials are top notch. It has a stretch 70 x 80D nylon outer shell, which contributes to it being resilient against the environments and treatable with your favorite Durable Water Repellent, if you so choose. Nylon is what we in the engineering world refer to as an engineering plastic. Nylon is ubiquitous, and for good reason, as it is strong, flexible, able to take a variety of forms (bars, disks, and even thread), is hydrophobic (naturally water repellant), and is resistant against a variety of environmental stressors, UV radiation for example. Some materials degrade under UV radiation, or become really brittle at moderately cold temperatures. Nylon is just a good all-around winner.
In short, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a warmer hat at just 2.4 oz. of weight. I think the hat will hold up very well against the elements and be great for glassing, cold night camping (which I do often), and chilly hunting or recreation days where you spend a lot of time being static. It is a freaking warm hat though, and will likely be too warm for periods spent on the move. Sweat is your enemy on cold days as it will rapidly cause you to lose too much body heat as it evaporates. Your head accounts for about 10-percent of normal heat loss, but can be much more if you remove a head covering and keep the rest of your body clothed. If there is evaporation on top of your noggin, it just accelerates the heat loss.
With all that said, I will be returning both of my Kenai Beanies. "But why, Craig? You just said the hat is great?!" Sure I did, but as soon as I put it on, I had a flashback to watching the movie Weird Science. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend. Great classic. Anyway, there is a scene in that movie when they are bringing Lisa to life and for some reason they are wearing bras on their heads.....I looked at myself in the mirror right after I put on the Kenai Beanie and just could not get that scene out of my head. Photo provided to demonstrate the similarity. That's me on the right, clearly unhappy about the fit, and our brilliant 1985 high school bra-wearing super-scientists on the left.
The Kenai Beanie and my favorite brimmed merino beanie both have four stitched panels at the top in an attempt to get the hat to conform to your dome. But notice the difference in the way the panels are constructed and stitched together.
The First Lite Brimmed Merino Beanie is the clear winner here. Notice how well it conforms to the top of my head, largely because of how well they thought out the panel construction. The way KUIU has stitched their hat together definitely contributes to the bra-head look. The warmth and good use of materials just don't outweigh that for me. I think the hat would be a real winner if they changed the panel construction.
But hey, maybe you think I'm being overly critical. "Who cares how you look in the woods, as long as you're warm. Geez, Craig...stop being such a quibbler." I'll concede I would rather be warm than look good, but how much competition there is in the space by folks like First Lite, KUIU, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, and others, I think you have plenty of other options to buy exactly what you want with your hard-earned money. I am not sure how the Kenai Beanie received 1036 reviews for an average rating of 4.7 stars on the KUIU website. Maybe you all know something I don't. I'll be sure to give you a chipper "Good morrow, Bra-head" when we cross paths in the woods.
Many blessings. Until next time.
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