The Best Men’s Winter Hats To Wear That Aren’t Beanies

Winter is creeping up on us, and that means it’s time to consider a hat that can provide more warmth and coverage. Considering store employees won’t let you go and test any of their hats outside of their boutique, we’ve made a guide to serve as the closest experience you can get to that, as it is filled with a variety of trustworthy picks for men’s winter hats (that aren’t beanies) that are viable in all sorts of cold-weather circumstances.

Why should you wear a winter hat (that’s not a beanie)?

Choosing a hat to wear this time of year almost seems like a chore. While window shopping around town and scrolling through retailers is nice and all, when it comes down to knowing what will withstand the harshest climate, it can’t be tested until that storm hits. Of course, beanies tend to be the garment that comes to mind in instances like these, but a winter hat constitutes so much more than something that only keeps the top of your head warm. Although a nice wool beanie can tend to your needs in a warmer climate, not everyone is living in sunny Southern California — be that as it may, countless other styles manage to make for the ideal winter hat. On top of that, other styles can offer better coverage with additions like ear covers, or a more unique look.

What to look for

Style: The only hats you’ll find missing here are beanies; besides that, we’ve tried to include a variety of styles. Between classic aviator and trapper hats, to modern redesigns of classics like the baseball cap, as long as the hat keeps your head warm (and your ears if you live in the snow), then it’s a good winter hat.

Material: Since the main purpose of these hats is to keep you warm, the material you choose is important. Wool, fleece, down, and synthetic insulation are all great choices, and you should go with something thicker if you live in an especially cold climate.

Resistance: Speaking of climates, you’ll want enough insulation to keep you safe if you live somewhere that gets below freezing, and some sort of water resistance if it gets rainy.

Fit: Hats should be snug enough to not fall off without constricting your head, and there are options with drawstrings or elastic bands if you want a more custom fit.

Carhartt Rain Defender Canvas Earflap Cap

Best Starter Hat: This earflap cap from Carhartt serves as a great place to kick things off. As part of the heritage brand’s signature Rain Defender series, it ensures that you will have nothing to worry about when heading into the rain, whether it be damage to your hair or your cozy new hat. Thanks to its trademark water-resistant finish, a FastDry sweatband, and removable sherpa flaps, Carhartt delivers an ideal cap to parade around all year round considering you are left with a pretty standard summertime hat upon removing the aforementioned flaps.

Topo Designs Fleece Cap

Best Fleece Hat: While a baseball cap is rarely the piece you would consider suitable for the winter, this fleece-crafted take on a timeless design provides a classic look fit to go with any outfit you have on, be it the plushest coat or a lightweight windbreaker. Topo Designs’s name carries over to the fashion in which the brand manufactures its garments, and this five-panel is a direct example of how they manage to make the basics as well as anyone can.

Outdoor Research Cold Front Down Beanie

Best Unique Hat: Anything made with down is rare to find at a price this low, but Outdoor Research’s beanie is sure to surprise many. Yes, it is as light as you’d imagine, all while ensuring optimum heat retention as a result of its 650-fill-power-goose-down insulation. While that may be a mouthful, few words exude the warming capabilities of down-crafted garments, and this beanie checks each box that it needs to in that category. On top of all that, it even features a small pocket to hold any gear you may have on hand when meandering through the snow.

Patagonia Range Earflap Cap

Best Earflap Hat: Built for the standard outdoorsman or the common commuter, Patagonia’s stylish take on an earflap hat will work well with practically any outfit you put together all year round. Crafted from recycled nylon (and available in denim, fleece, or flannel exterior-crown fabrics), the hat’s flannel lining and inner headband utilize the same eco-friendly cotton to ensure the best for all parties involved. Available in four colors, this hat is certain to tailor to your liking and keep you toasty every step of the way.

Pendleton Wool Trapper Hat

Best Trapper Hat: Made up of the quality wool that this company is known for, Pendleton implements this top-tier quality into a far more unique look. This retro hat is made with a blanket-weight wool and cotton blend, and features warm ear flaps to keep your head protected in the cold. While this hat looks like it was intended to be worn in the Arctic, it was made with fabric sourced from and woven in the States and will surely make a statement any time you step out.

Fjallraven Expedition Down Heater Hat

Best Down Hat: This Nordic label is one of the go-to brands when it comes to ski and winter gear, and this down hat demonstrates exactly why that is. Not only is it incredibly warm, thanks to the down insulation and ear covers, but it’s sustainably made as well, using recycled polyamide and ethically sourced down in its construction. You also get brushed tricot lining in the crown for added comfort, and a buckle closure on the ear flaps to keep everything secure.

Filson Mackinaw Wool Cap

Best Wool Hat: Filson’s Mackinaw Cap hones its durability like no other, akin to many of the other Seattle brand’s items. Thanks to the brand’s signature Mackinaw Wool composition, their humble cap is capable of retaining up to 30% water, ensuring evasion from any rainy occasion. On the topic of retainment, warmth is further guaranteed as a result of the Mackinaw Cap’s nylon lining and insulated crown. Additionally, the cap features a set of hidden earflaps that provide warmth while remaining a very subtle choice.

Arc’Teryx Wool Cranbrook Hat

Best Bucket Hat: Equipped with an adjustable drawcord, this buttery smooth bucket hat from the outdoor experts at Arc’Teryx serves as an ideal hat to throw on when heading out on the trails. Ideal with a pair of selvedge jeans and anything else to finish it off, this wool bucket hat provides a different take on what to don this winter. And it’s insulated with Octa Loft, a warm and breathable fabric that’ll keep the cold at bay.

Montbell Down Balaclava

Best Balaclava: Balaclavas are a branch of headwear that falls on an odd spectrum when it isn’t too cold outside. Some are too suffocating, and others are too thin; all the while, you have to refrain from either looking too gaudy or too much like a vigilante. Luckily, Montbell is a brand that knows the cold like the back of its hand, and they crafted this entirely nylon-shelled balaclava as a result of that. Equipped with 800 fill power down insulation and an adjustable drawcord, this practical balaclava seeks to retain all the heat it can without letting a touch out.

Snow Peak FR Flight Cap

Best Flight Cap: Fleece is one of the most coveted materials around this time of year, often serving as the parent to its spawn in Sherpa. While the latter is capable of accenting countless garments and providing a bit of extra warmth, fleece is capable of crafting a piece on its own, which is why Snow Peak decided to deliver a warm yet stylish hat you can don through the winter. The eco-cognizant brand fuses recycled polyester and a bit of aramid to make for a stylish cap that is one of the softest pieces of headgear on the market.

AND WANDER Black Primaloft Aviator Hat

Best Primaloft Hat: And Wander is a brand that has been honing its fashion-forward subtleties for decades, and they don’t refrain from their archetypal looks just because the temperatures start to drop. At this point, a pair of earflaps should be expected to be equipped on most caps you find on this list, and this minimalist piece from the Japanese fashion house marks both of its boxes on that front. Lined with faux fur and taffeta and insulated with PrimaLoft, this particular cap would surely complement your summer clothes with no issue.

Cableami Boa Aviator Hat

Best Japanese-Made Hat: With a fit and incredibly soft fleece, the Japanese label surely had their harsh winters in mind upon crafting this iconic hat. Available in a trio of colors, we believe their subtle deep green offering serves as the most ideal choice to combat frigid temperatures this year, and they’re all made with care in Japan. Tthis hat is built to acclimate to wherever you may find yourself, but this gorgeous garment is geared for the snow.

The Best Winter Boots for Men

Considering a sturdy pair of shoes to accompany the cozy new hat you just bought? Look no further, because our guide full of a wide selection of great winter boots is built to complement any choice of headgear you’ll find on our list.