UKC

I know its hardly a trendy bit of kit, but am considering getting a Lowe Alpine Mountain Cap or similar by another manufacturer and wondered what the consensus is.....?
One of the things I'm thinking about is use for winter mountaineering etc, but I've heard they are no good under a helmet, but I can't see why?
Also, if it gets used in the rain, surely it all ends up running down the back of your neck?

In reply to Phil J Booth:
I love mine. Very robust and warm. If it's *really* wet, you will get wet anyway. However, if you zip your collar up rain rolling down your neck is minimal unless it's torrential.

Not tried mine under a helmet. However, I think you would struggle. It's quite thick and has a peak. You can fold the peak up, but that would just make it more difficult to get under a helmet.

In reply to Phil J Booth:
I was looking for a hat that would reliably cover my ears and neck. Eventually got a paramo one:
http://www.paramo.co.uk/en-gb/garments/detail/index.php?pgc=NIKWAXANALOGYCA...

You can leave the neck flap to hang over your collar. I find it usable in spring & summer (just) too. Bigger peak and less stiff than the Mountain Cap.

In reply to Phil J Booth:

I find the Mountain Cap to be too warm, and prefer the similar design, but thinner fleece (micropile) of the Trek Mates DryTech hat.

In reply to Phil J Booth:

There is a press-stud fastening in the middle of the front that would cause a bit of discomfort under a helmet. I love mine but I only ever wear it with the neck flap folded up and pull the hood over if it is raining hard. Unfortunately it does tend to look like a WWII German cap, especially as mine has faded to a greeny-grey (a perfect match for feldgrau).

In reply to Phil J Booth: Ive got the berghaus AQ2 version of it, and its brilliant, how every uncomphy and far to warm under a helmet! I find it too warm on its own, but it keeps you toasted!

In reply to Phil J Booth:


That's why your winter shell should have a hood. Preferably one that can be adjusted to go over a helmet. The Mountain Cap is primarily for insulation and keeping the wind off, both of which jobs it does very well IMO. A close-fitting hat isn't much good as a sole means of keeping the rain out.

I've had a Mountain Cap for years. I love it, and use it for walking, climbing and skiing in winter (for skiing I loop a cord through the wee loops on the ear flaps to stop it flying of at speed, also useful in a hoolie). I can imagine that it might be a bit too insulating if you tend to run hot, but my ears and neck love being toasty!

I lost my first one soon after buying it and replaced it as soon as I could. I've been paranoid about losing that one too, since they changed the design to use Gore-Tex instead of Triple Point Ceramic and I didn't fancy a Gore-Tex hat (this was over ten years ago, when Gore-Tex wasn't as technologically advanced as it can be now). Unless my quick peek at one in Tisos recently was completely misleading, it seems that they've gone back to using Triple Point again so I might be in the market for a new one myself soon.