REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Breathable materials
REASONS TO AVOID
Brim warps and creases easily
Floppy in the wind
Low visibility
Outdoor Research Ferrosi Wide-Brim Review
The Ferrosi Wide Brim Hat does not stand up to competition as well as the other hats in Outdoor Research's line
Credit: Outdoor Research
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Our Verdict
We were excited with Outdoor Research expanded their super-popular Ferrosi line to include this new sun hat. Unfortunately, this product did not perform up to our expectations. It is a floppier, less capable version of the Sombriolet and left us wondering what the purpose was of this model. The Ferrosi is a very breathable hat that fits true to size, but gets creased out of shape and limits the wearer's visibility.
Our Analysis and Test Results
We had high hopes for the high-performance materials of this hat, but it did not meet our expectations.
Performance Comparison
The Ferrosi has a chin strap to keep it on your head when it's windy.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Protection
The Ferrosi Wide Brim Hat does indeed have a wide brim! It provides ample protection from the sun with 3" of brim around the front and sides and 4" back. We didn't score it as high in this category as the very similar OR Sombriolet because the brim is very soft and floppy and can easily be blown up by the wind, exposing your face to the sun.
Comfort
This product is quite comfortable. It is a lightweight hat made from airy materials and sits lightly on your head. We tested the S/M size (21 ½ -22 ⅞), and it is true to size, feeling roomy on our tester's 21.5" head, and snug on our 23" tester's head.
The size S/M was a little tight on our 23" head-sized tester.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Breathability
One advantage the Ferrosi has over the Outdoor Research Women's Oasis Sun Sombrero and the Sombriolet is that it is more breathable. The Sun Sombrero and Sombriolet's crown materials are thicker and the lightweight Ferrosi material, which OR also make many other products out of like jackets and pants, is very breathable and airy feeling.
Our favorite feature of the Ferrosi is its crown that's made of lightweight, breathable Ferrosi material.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Durability
The Ferrosi materials are thinner and lighter than the other OR hats we've tested, and so we suspect it's slightly less durable. This hat is also not crushable, which was disappointing. We stuffed this product in our luggage, hoping it would bounce back. However, it now has permanent creases in several spots on the brim and is not the same shape as it was when we received it. The Sun Bucket is very crushable and packable.
Style
The Ferrosi is slightly less stylish and more floppy looking than the Sombriolet. Our favorite products in this category are the Arc'teryx Sinsola and the Tilley LTM6 Airflo We don't think the Ferrosi very stylish.
We do not like the brim on the Ferrosi, it warps and has very low visibility because it dips in front of your eyes.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Best Applications
We're not sure where the Ferrosi Wide Brim falls in with the other hats in Outdoor Research's line. It's slightly heavier than the Sombriolet and does not provide as much protection. It is slightly more breathable and possibly quicker to try out. It would be a decent choice for activities you're not wearing a backpack for like day hikes or boating. It does not do well in high winds.
Value
Retailing for $39 we would spend the extra $3 for the Sombriolet or the Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hats. Its price is right in the middle of the bunch.
The Ferrosi's brim is very long at the back which is great for sun protection, but not great because it bumps into the back of your neck or your backpack.
Credit: Ian McEleney
Conclusion
This super popular Ferrosi product line had our expectations high for this hat, but we think that OR was off the mark with this Wide Brim Hat and think it is an unnecessary addition to their great line of hats. We would reach for OR's Sombriolet over this one ever time.
—
Jessica Haist
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