# Fishing Sun Hats (2026): Brim Width, Neck Flaps and UPF > Seven fishing sun hats compared on stated UPF, brim width, neck capes and chin straps, measured against the Skin Cancer Foundation's three-inch brim guidance. - Source: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats - Publisher: SaltProofLab (https://saltprooflab.com) - Published: 2026-09-29 - Category: sun-protection - Tags: fishing sun hats, boonie hat, neck flap hat, UPF hat, wide brim hat, Sunday Afternoons, Columbia PFG, Tilley - Method: picks chosen from Amazon listings and brand specs; not hands-on tested; current Amazon prices are on the page; content checked 2026-09-29. - Quick answer: For all-day sun on open water, buy the Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure: UPF 50+, a brim over three inches, a 6 in neck cape and a chin strap for wind. For a lighter hat with a cape, the Columbia Schooner Bank II Cachalot pairs Omni-Shade fabric with a UPF 50 neck cape. ## Key takeaways - The Skin Cancer Foundation says the best sun hats have a brim of at least three inches; most listings here don't give a brim width, so measure or ask. - A brim shades the face but not the back of the neck when you face away from the sun; a cape or neck flap covers it. - Run a chin strap or cord on the water: at speed or in wind a hat without one goes overboard. ## Products (chosen from listings, not tested) 1. **Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat, UPF 50+** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0BQMHYK8W) — Buy it if you want brim, cape and chin strap in one hat. - Pros: UPF 50+ fabric, including the mesh, per Sunday Afternoons; Brim over three inches (3.25 in per the listing, 3½ in per the maker's page) and a 6 in neck cape; Adjustable chin strap, internal sizing and a sunglass lock, per the listing - Cons: Sized hat (S/M, L/XL): measure your head before ordering 2. **Columbia Schooner Bank II Cachalot** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0D4F97HD7) — Buy it if you want a cape-back hat that packs light. - Pros: Omni-Shade fabric that Columbia says carries the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation; Neck cape with UPF 50 sun protection, per the listing; Omni-Shield finish that repels light rain and dries quickly, per Columbia - Cons: The listing gives no brim width and mentions no chin strap 3. **Columbia Bora Bora Booney** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0CLQ71RN7) — Buy it if you want a light boonie and wear a gaiter for your neck. - Pros: Omni-Shade UPF 50 and an extra-wide brim, per the listing; Mesh venting and an Omni-Wick sweatband; Adjustable drawcord and packable, one size - Cons: No neck cape, and no brim measurement on the listing 4. **KastKing Sol Armis Boonie Hat with Removable Neck Flap** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B097D2T757) — Buy it if you want a boonie with a flap you can take off at midday. - Pros: Rated UPF 50, per the listing; Removable, vented neck shield for the neck and upper back; Adjustable chin strap and a drawcord inside the headband - Cons: One size only; no brim width given 5. **Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B01849MB1Y) — Buy it if you lose hats over the side and want one that floats. - Pros: Rated UPF 50+ and buoyant, per the listing; DWR water-repellent finish, recycled nylon and a hidden pocket; Guaranteed for life, per Tilley - Cons: Sized by hat size (7, 7 1/4 and so on); no neck cape 6. **Sunday Afternoons Sun Guide Cap** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B00B8IFQDE) — Buy it if you prefer a cap brim and want a long face and neck cape. - Pros: 8 in wide, 3¼ in long folding brim, per the listing; Detachable 9½ in neck and face cape with vents; Flip-up crown panels for airflow - Cons: The listing states no UPF for this cap 7. **Huk Boonie Hat** (details: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0C6W8HX61) — Buy it if a chin strap matters most and you trust shade over a rating. - Pros: Adjustable chin strap that Huk says keeps the hat on when you're underway; Wide brim and quick-drying fabric, per the listing - Cons: No UPF rating and no brim width on the listing Fishing sun hats come in three shapes: the boonie or bucket with a brim all the way round, the cape-back hat with a flap over the neck, and the cap with a long bill and a detachable cape. The decision comes down to three questions. Is the brim wide enough? What covers the back of your neck? Will the hat stay on in the wind? **How we chose:** we did not test these hats. UPF, brim and cape figures come from the listings and makers' pages, and we link a hat only when Amazon.com or the brand's own store sells it and it was in stock when we checked on September 29, 2026. ## Seven fishing hats side by side | Hat | UPF (as stated) | Brim (as stated) | Neck cover | Chin strap | Sold by | Amazon price | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | [Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0BQMHYK8W) | UPF 50+ | 3.25 in (listing), 3½ in (maker) | 6 in cape | Yes | Sunday Afternoons | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Columbia Schooner Bank II Cachalot](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0D4F97HD7) | Omni-Shade; cape UPF 50 | Not given | Cape | Not listed | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Columbia Bora Bora Booney](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0CLQ71RN7) | UPF 50 | "Extra wide" | None | Drawcord | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [KastKing Sol Armis Boonie](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B097D2T757) | UPF 50 | Not given | Removable flap | Yes | KastKing USA | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Tilley LTM6 Airflo](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B01849MB1Y) | UPF 50+ | Not given | None | Not listed | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Sunday Afternoons Sun Guide Cap](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B00B8IFQDE) | Not given | 3¼ in bill | 9½ in cape | Not listed | Sunday Afternoons | see the current Amazon price on the page | | [Huk Boonie](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats#product-B0C6W8HX61) | Not given | "Wide" | None | Yes | Amazon.com | see the current Amazon price on the page | ## How wide a brim the Skin Cancer Foundation wants The [Skin Cancer Foundation](https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing/) is specific: "The best hats for sun protection have a brim of at least three inches to shade the face, scalp, neck, shoulders and upper back." The same page says a UPF 50 fabric "blocks 98 percent of the sun's rays." Only the two Sunday Afternoons hats publish a brim measurement, and both clear three inches. The Ultra Adventure listing says 3.25 in, and [Sunday Afternoons' own page](https://www.sundayafternoons.com/products/ultra-adventure-hat) says 3½ in. Columbia calls the Bora Bora brim "extra wide" and Huk calls its boonie's "wide." Neither gives a number, so hold a tape to the brim when it arrives. ## Brim, flap or cape: who each shape suits **Boonie or bucket (Bora Bora, KastKing, Tilley, Huk).** A brim all the way round shades the face, ears and some of the neck. It is the easiest to wear under a hood and the easiest to pack. On its own it leaves the back of the neck in the sun when you face away from it, which on a drift is half the day. **Cape-back (Ultra Adventure, Schooner Bank II).** A fabric flap hangs over the back of the neck. Sunday Afternoons says the Ultra Adventure's brim and 6 in cape "shield your face, ears, and neck," and Columbia says the Schooner Bank II cape "with built-in UPF 50 sun protection provides critical coverage." **Cap with a cape (Sun Guide Cap, or the KastKing with its flap on).** A long bill for sight-fishing plus a cape that wraps the sides. The Sun Guide's cape is 9½ in and detachable, per the listing. It is the most coverage here, with no stated UPF. **Key point:** a hat that covers the neck lets you skip a gaiter on hot days. If you already wear one, a boonie is enough; see our [face masks and neck gaiters guide](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-face-masks-and-neck-gaiters). ## Keeping a hat on in wind and at speed A hat on a center console at cruising speed is a hat in the wake unless something holds it. Huk says its boonie's chin strap is there "to secure the hat when you're underway or in windy conditions." The Ultra Adventure and the KastKing boonie also have adjustable chin straps, and the Bora Bora has a drawcord. Tilley's answer is different: the LTM6 is listed as buoyant, so a hat that blows off should float until you circle back. The listing doesn't mention a chin cord. ## UPF: what the labels say, and don't Four listings give a UPF: 50+ for the Ultra Adventure and the Tilley, 50 for the Bora Bora and the KastKing. Columbia says the Schooner Bank II's Omni-Shade fabric comes "with the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation," which, per the foundation, requires a UPF of at least 50. That is Columbia's claim; the listing doesn't print the number for the crown. The Sun Guide Cap and the Huk Boonie give no UPF. Without a rating there is no way to compare the fabric, so we list them for the cape and the chin strap. None of these listings names the ASTM D6603 labeling standard or an AATCC TM183 test. The UPF figures here are the makers' statements. ## Hats we left out **Simms** sun hats, including the Superlight Sunshield Cap, were sold on Amazon only by third-party stores when we checked, and the Simms caps sold by Amazon.com were baseball caps with no cape or brim. Neck-flap hats from Home Prefer, Einskey and Outrip are sold by their own stores too; we kept this list to the brands above and did not compare them. We found no CPSC recalls of hats from these brands in our [recall tracker](https://saltprooflab.com/recalls). Related: [UPF fishing shirts](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/best-upf-fishing-shirts), [fishing sun gloves](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-gloves), [polarized fishing sunglasses](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/polarized-fishing-sunglasses) and [reef-safe sunscreen](https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/reef-safe-sunscreen-for-fishing). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does a mesh panel let sun through? It can, which is why the maker's wording matters. Sunday Afternoons says the Ultra Adventure's UPF 50+ rating "includes mesh" on its [product page](https://www.sundayafternoons.com/products/ultra-adventure-hat). The Bora Bora and KastKing listings describe mesh venting but do not say whether the UPF covers it. ### How do I size a hat like the Tilley or the Ultra Adventure? Measure around your head just above the ears and eyebrows. Tilley sells the LTM6 in hat sizes (7, 7 1/4 and up), and Sunday Afternoons sells the Ultra Adventure in S/M and L/XL with an internal sizing system to fine-tune it. ### Should I wear a cap or a wide brim for sight-fishing? Either works if something covers your neck. A cap shades less of the ears and neck than a full brim, and the Sun Guide Cap gets around that with a 3¼ in bill and a 9½ in detachable cape, per its listing, so you keep the bill and cover the sides. --- *SaltProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Specs are the makers' own, from their product pages and Amazon listings.* ## Sources - Skin Cancer Foundation: [Sun protective clothing](https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-prevention/sun-protection/sun-protective-clothing) - sundayafternoons.com: [Sunday Afternoons' own page](https://www.sundayafternoons.com/products/ultra-adventure-hat) --- Last updated: 2026-09-29 Canonical URL: https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats How to cite: "Fishing Sun Hats (2026): Brim Width, Neck Flaps and UPF", SaltProofLab, https://saltprooflab.com/sun-protection/fishing-sun-hats (checked 2026-09-29). Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate SaltProofLab earns from qualifying purchases. Safety information summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.