HealthYour BodyDermatology
Best sun hat for 2025 to keep your face and skin protected from UV rays
Save your scalp, ears and neck with these expert-guided and tested picks.
Hats — especially those with integrated UPF — offer an added layer of sun protection for your face and scalp. (Getty Images)
With beach stays and pool days calling your name, it’s time to stock up on all your summer faves — stylish sundresses, killer shades and the best sun hat to throw in your vacation luggage. But as you grab the gear that will support your outdoor adventures, it’s important to remember that soaking up every last minute of summer fun shouldn’t mean soaking up every last ray of summer sun.
Quick Overview
Best overall sun hat
Wallaroo Hat Company Palm Beach Fedora
$65 at Amazon
Best for women
Solbari Ultra Wide Brim Sun Hat
$67 at Amazon
Best for men
Panama Jack Original Mesh Safari Hat
$49 at Amazon
Best for kids
SwimZip Kids Wide Brim Sun Hat
$20 at Amazon
Best for hiking
Solbari Traveller Broad Brim Sun Hat
$55 at Solbari
See 3 more
For one thing, avoiding sunburns is just smart living — they hurt! But more to the point, prolonged sun exposure on any of your skin, including your ears, the back of your neck and your scalp, can lead to serious and long-term health concerns, including premature skin aging, eye damage and skin cancer — the most common form of cancer in the United States. And while regular sunscreen application is one of the best ways to stave off the dangerous UV rays that are a significant contributor to the cellular damage that leads to melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers, according to some studies, hats and other sun protective clothing may be even more effective.
“Skin cancer is more likely to develop on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun, such as the ears, nose, scalp, forehead and neck,” explains Dr. Susan Taylor, a board-certified dermatologist and president of the American Academy of Dermatology. The vast majority of skin cancer is what’s known as basal cell carcinoma, she says, and 85% of basal cell carcinomas occur on the head and neck region.
The best way to lower your risk is to be proactive by applying sunscreen daily, using sunglasses and wearing sun protective clothing like hats. However, not all sun hats are created equally. “To get the most protection from the sun’s harmful rays, be sure to choose a hat with a wide brim that shades your face, ears and neck,” Taylor says. “These are the areas on your body that are most exposed to the sun.” Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a board-certified dermatologist, concurs, adding that “the tighter the fabric weave, the better.”
With those tips in mind, you won’t find any traditional baseball caps or beanies on this list (although in a pinch, some protection is always better than none!), and you’ll also find we’ve prioritized options with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) ratings that indicate a product has been verified to block out UV rays. With guidance from dermatologists and a lot of research and hands-on (heads-on) testing, we rounded up the best sun protection hats around for every preference and need.
Table of contents
Best overall sun hat
More sun hats we like for 2025
Factors to consider when purchasing a sun hat
How we chose
Other products we tested
Meet the experts
Best overall sun hat
Wallaroo Hat Company
Best overall sun hat
Wallaroo Hat Company Palm Beach Fedora
UPF rating: 50+ | Style: Fedora | Additional benefits: Wide brim, breathable material
Finding a sun hat that offers strong UPF protection, comfort and style and that works for both men and women is no easy feat. That’s why the Palm Beach Fedora from Wallaroo Hat Company is our top overall pick. It’s a unisex hat that comes in two different sizes and has an almost 3-inch brim, aligning with our experts’ advice about looking for sun hats. “A breathable, wide-brimmed, tightly woven hat with a UPF label provides the most effective sun protection,” says Taylor. The Palm Beach Fedora checks off every box. It’s made from the brand’s signature Flexi-Weave fabric, which in testing we found to be lightweight and breathable, even on the warmest days. Plus, with a UPF rating of 50+, it blocks at least 98% of ultraviolet rays. Stylewise, the classic fedora silhouette gives it a timeless elegance that works well with any outfit. The Palm Beach Fedora comes in five colors: ivory, beige, camel, black and olive.
Pros
Lightweight