Best Hats for Trail Riding
Hats? Or…helmets? Cowboy hats have been the top choice for trail riding to protect a rider from sun and rain, but they obviously don’t help in a fall or protect your head from a kick. Head injuries used to be the leading cause of death in horse-related accidents until ASTM/SEI-certfied protective helmets became more popular with riders. Companies have tried to combine the two, but most who regularly ride with helmets are happy with their comfort, styles and colors available to chose from.
Karen’s favorite hat ever. She never wears a hat any other time than when she’s not with horses, but she likes this hat so well she says she almost completely forgets she has it on. It’s light and breathable, the visor is just right, and it fits securely. She likes brown best, but Troxel makes other colors, too.
Similar to the version on the left, this hat is light and breathable but with a rustic leather flair.
The Resistol Ridesafe is the only helmet on the market with the fit, feel and look of a felted fur cowboy hat coupled with the safety and protection of an equestrian riding helmet.
It can be shaped just like a cowboy hat because it’s made of felt, but it’s also ASTM certified.
You’ll be seeing a lot more of this one around because it is now the official protective headwear of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
Western: Straw or Felt?
There are plenty of times when you’re not riding that you want to protect yourself from the sun or just to look good. Traditionally it’s been straw hats in the summer and felt hats in the winter. But you all know someone who makes no distinctions, so why should you? Of course there is another hats perfectly good for hanging out at camp: the baseball cap. If you want either of them, we’re sure you’ve already got a favorite at home.
Charlie 1 Horse Hats
Charlie 1 Horse Hat Company designs usable western wear for those who are looking for more variety and spice to their headwear options, with wide brims, funky fedoras, traditional and unique styles in both felt and straw.
Don't Forget the Aussies!
Akubra is an Australian hat company which has been creating quality hats since the early 1900s, designed to suit the Australian way of life these hats hold up in the wild American West just the same. Akubra is the maker of Peyton’s beloved hat. Her style of choice is the Cattleman or Avalon, both felt styles which she says keep her cool and the sun off her face.
Baseball Caps
Mesh or cotton duck? Snapback or clip? Ponytail hole or solid? Round crown or square? Choices, choices… (Actually, that’s about it.)
You already know the truth is everyone chooses a baseball hat based on what it says. Our favorites are usually stone-washed denim with understated logos.
This is the cap to keep on your head every moment you don’t have your helmet on. We call it the Helmet Head Hair Protector.
Find one with a Montana logo at The Montana Way.
Custom Made Hats
Sometimes manufactured styles just don’t cut it, and if you’re looking for something special or more specific – why not try a custom hat? Surely unique as the person who wears it, a custom hat can fit and feel better during a long hot summer day.
Quality hat makers based out of Greeley, Colorado since 1909, Greeley Hat Works offers shape-able standard styles as well as custom-made and fit options. The Hatters at Greeley Hat Works are highly experienced in shaping, re-shaping, creating, and renovating.
This local hat company out of Darby, MT, offers both Guatemalan Palm straw hats and felted beaver fur hats shaped to your preference. Hatter, Jimmy, understands which styles compliment different face shapes and ensures that the fit is perfect.
Established in 1990, this father and son endeavor presents customers an extensive array of customizable styles as well as intricately woven hat bands. After measurement, a wooden hat block is made for each customer – this pattern is what the hat is shaped and formed from ensures the hat fits true.