Expert Tips on How To Pack Hats for Travel

Hats are perfect for shading you from the sun and keeping you stylish when you’re traveling. However, the last thing you want is for your hat to get wrinkled and worn out when traveling. Learn how to avoid this issue with expert tips on how to pack hats for travel.

Reasons To Pack a Hat

If you're usually a light packer or have simply never considered adding a hat to your travel wardrobe, there are plenty of great reasons to start today. Headwear can be convenient and stylish accessories that can be the perfect complement for your attire whenever you're making your way to your next destination. Some of the benefits of bringing a hat with you when you go include the following.

Protection From the Sun

The most significant benefit to bringing a hat with you is that they are perfect for protecting you from the sun. Countries with hot and tropical climates can suddenly feel overwhelming when you're under the intense glare of the sun's rays. Hats with the right brims can offer cool, heat-relieving shade to your face, and more importantly, protect you from the sun's harmful UV rays. If you're looking to hit up the beach or head out in nature, be aware of the climate, season, and average temperatures. If it's going to be nice and toasty, a hat that can offer you the proper protection is a necessity.

Perfect for Bad Hair Days

Whether you're on the road for a prolonged period or spending the day flying, long-distance traveling can wreak havoc on your appearance. The biggest offender is the messy bed head and greasy hair that follows everyone when they're more worried about making their connecting flight on time. Popping a hat on top of your head can put those worries behind you. You won't have to worry about an unruly mane in photos or finding a moment to wash your hair until you're back at home or the hotel.

Shield Yourself From the Elements

The sun isn't the only force of nature you'll have to contend with on many different travels. Having a nice wide-brimmed sun hat can work wonders as an umbrella in instances when you get caught in the rain. If you find yourself sweating, specific hats come with sweat-wicking and breathable fabrics that can help cool you down and prevent you from getting sticky. When it is freezing outside, the right winter hat can help keep your head nice and warm.

Quick Storage Container

You're undoubtedly going to be on the move a ton when you're traveling. Hats can double as storage in a pinch. If you're hiking trails or finding the perfect cenote to dive into, you can throw your valuables inside your hat to keep them off the ground or hot stones or carry multiple objects while you're walking. You can also lay your hat out on a dresser or beside your bed and fill it with your keys, wallet, phone, passport, and any other valuables you don't want to lose or forget the next day.

Best Hats for Traveling

Here are a few of the best types of hats you can bring while traveling.

Beanies

You can avoid virtually all the hassle of packing with a good-quality beanie. Beanies are perfect when you're on the go because they can safely be stored virtually anywhere, even in your pocket, without damaging them. Beanies can help keep you warm and cozy in wintery weather and look stylish with all kinds of outfit choices.

Baseball Caps and Flat Brims

Baseball and flat brim hats are incredibly convenient to travel within your luggage. While they may not be the best for protection from extreme weather, they can still provide a fair bit of shade on your face and are a stylish headpiece for relaxed afternoon strolls and evening events. Some caps, like NxTSTOP’s Liftoff Baseball Cap, also come with a soft fabric sweatband inside the hat that absorbs moisture. Our baseball cap also has a lightweight and flexible hat body, allowing for a personalized fit.

Wide-Brim

For the ultimate protection from the sun, you can't beat a wide-brimmed hat like NxTSTOPS Reversible Bucket Hat with Travleisure® construction. Our bucket hat not only protects you from the sun’s harmful rays, but it is also lightweight, stretchy, and breathable. These types of hats will have at least a three-inch brim to cover your face, ears, and neck. When searching for a wide-brim, as a rule of thumb, it's best to avoid them if you're able to see through the hat.

Crushable

Crushable hats, also known as foldable or packable hats, are convenient for traveling and have a cool name to boot. Crushable isn't a specific type of hat per se, but a catch-all word for headwear made of flexible, resilient material that maintains its shape after being squeezed or folded. That makes them perfect for packing inside a stuffed backpack, folding them in a suitcase, or tucking them inside your handbag. When you remove them, they should plop right back to their original form. Many different types of hats feature this material, including outback, straw, wool, duckbill, and dad hats.

Best Ways To Store Your Hat

It can be incredibly annoying and inconvenient to get to your destination and pull out your hat from your bag or suitcase, only to find it's been crushed and crumpled. You can ensure your hat remains perfectly wearable while you're on the go with some of these expert tips on how to pack hats for travel.

Use Beanies as Shields

Beanies can act as a one-two punch when traveling. You can slip them over tablets or other sensitive devices to protect them from getting roughed up during travel. Beanies have the added benefit of safely storing and retaining your beanie's shape.

Pack It In

You can surround your hat with the strategical placement of your clothes. Begin from the bottom of your luggage and work your way up. Your hat should be the first item you put inside. You can then fill it to the brim with balled-up socks, hand towels, scarves, or anything else that can help it retain its shape. When you have filled the hat in, you can pack everything else around it. Packing around the hat helps safeguard it while removing excess weight.

When Your Hat Is Already Crumpled

It can happen to even the best planners. You suddenly find yourself having to move quickly through terminals or get on the road fast, and you hastily throw your hat into your suitcase. When things have finally settled down, you're ready to take your sunhat out to the beach, but it's completely wrinkled. Typically, when you have a hat made from high-quality material, you can use steam or hot water to bring it back to life. The specific material will dictate what to do. For example, you can place a wool-fitted cap on your head, run it under hot water, smooth out the creases, and let it dry to bring back its shape.

NxTSTOP is an expert on the best materials for traveling. Our lightweight baseball hats are designed to provide you with the versatility that traveling demands.