Certain types of clothing mark the type of person you are. Blue jeans and T-shirts give the wearer a cavalier look of relaxed appearance, even if they are $200 jeans and a $50 T-shirt. Sweaters look preppy on most guys. I assume what I wear is thought of as trying to evoke a certain image and I suppose subconsciously, it is. The thing I wear that brings more comment and yet it’s worn solely for utility is a hat.

I can trace the time I decided to wear a hat down to a specific year and week. I was fishing Nag’s Head. There were small blues stealing my bait and I resolved to catch them. I learned how to catch small blues that day and I learned I need to wear a hat. It was a cool day with a brisk wind. The sun was bright and, since it was late November, shining from the south.

I absolutely toasted my right ear that day. It was sore for weeks, it blistered up and got downright crispy. It didn’t get straightened out until almost Christmas. Up to that time, I was a cap man. When I was riding motorcycles, I wore stroker caps. These were little English caps with a Bell Helmet logo on the face of the cap. When I started shooting competitively, I started wearing ball caps with various shooting logos on the face. Both were functional and kept the sun out of my eyes, but afforded no protection for the sides of my face and my ears.

When I decided to try a hat, I put a fedora type hat on and thought I looked pompous. I’d always prided myself on not being prissy and I guess the hat just made me feel prissy. I tried a boonie hat, (a floppy hat kind of like a sailor's hat that has a short, floppy brim all around). It served the purpose but I decided it looked too sloppy. Once again, I was aware that apparently, I did care about how I looked. I think it may be “reverse vanity.”

Finally, I bit the bullet and started wearing the fedora. The first one was canvas. It worked but it was too hot. Then I tried a Lite Felt hat from Eddie Bauer, (this was back when Eddie Bauer made men’s clothes). I was a little self conscious, but I soon realized the wonderful benefits of wearing a hat. I’ve been wearing felt fedoras and straw panama hats ever since and can’t imagine life outdoors without one.

I’ve noticed since I’ve been wearing a hat that I get comments from both women and men. I got an occasional “cowboy” or “Tex” comment when I was younger but now I suppose I look more natural in a hat or maybe I just look grumpy. Guys often tell me they’d like to wear a hat but they don’t have the nerve. It’s that “reverse vanity” thing.

The shade benefits of fedoras and straw hats are obvious. The 360 degree brim protects your neck and ears as well as your face. It keeps the sun out of your eyes, too. If given the choice between a hat and sunglasses, I’ll take the hat every time. True, the wind can blow it off your head but it’s premium protection.

A felt hat keeps you dry by shedding rain. A decent straw hat will keep you drier than a waterproof ball cap. I spray my hats with Scotchguard to keep them from wilting in the heavy rain. The fact that a good felt hat holds water comes in handy when I need to water my lab, Larry; I just pour the water from the bottle into it and let him drink. In hot weather, the damp hat really feels good when you put it back on your head.

I wear straw in summer for coolness and felt in winter. I don’t like stiff hats, they must be soft and pliable for me to wear in either straw or felt. The Lite Felt labled hats work best for me. They’re also the cheapest. I’ve tried quality Stetson hats and don’t like the stiffness. They get knocked off by limbs, stuff on the boat, or the doorframe on the truck. Give me a cheap, soft hat every time. I like about a three and a half inch brim. Under three inches and there’s not enough protection, over four inches and the hat won’t stay on in the wind. On a boat, I keep a cap for when we’re running and switch to the hat when we anchor or drift. I probably have about a dozen hats in my closet and I have a hard time passing up a nice one in a store.

I was reminded of another positive aspect of wearing a hat this week. Cherie and I were cutting a shooting lane for a deer stand and she was constantly getting slapped in the face by branches. My hat protected me and I was able to cut small trees with immunity from being scratched by falling limbs and briars. I tried to convince her to wear my hat, but she’d have nothing of it. It’s probably that vanity thing for her, too, though maybe the “reverse vanity” thing isn’t the cause.

There was a reason why folks used to wear hats; they make life outdoors in the elements easier. OK, so they aren’t trendy and it does take some getting used to. The fact is, I’m up for something that makes me more comfortable. I’ll admit a fedora on a woman isn’t flattering. Of course squinty eyes, crispy ears, and facial scratches aren’t either.

Dick and Cherie Jones are outdoor writers living in High Point. They do public speaking for clubs and organizations, host outdoor events, are NRA Shooting Instructors, and help church and youth groups raise money with outdoor events. You can visit their website at offtheporchmedia.com and contact them at offtheporch52@yahoo.com.