REASONS TO BUY
Great protection
Very adjustable
Ventilates well
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
None
Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat Review
This is hands down our favorite hat for kids because it's comfortable, looks good, and is very protective
This hat keeps our kids safe, comfortable, and happy.
Credit: Chris McNamara
RELATED: Best Sun Hats of 2024
Our Verdict
The Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat is a full-brimmed hat with a 5.5-inch neck cape designed for young adventurers. All of our testers agree that this hat is extremely comfortable. It's very light and balanced in its snugness from the sides and top. It has a rigid brim that keeps it from drooping into your field of vision. It has mesh panels for venting, and the main hat material is also very breathable. While caped hats aren't the most stylish, this one comes in tons of color options and in different patterns. And that's pretty stylish if you ask us. Get the skinny on how it stacks up against other top products in our article on the best sun hats.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Sun Hat For Kids |  Best Bang for Your Buck | Best Straw Hat For The Beach | | |
| Price | $19.33 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | $29.99 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $30 List $23.99 at Amazon | $21.83 at REI Compare at 5 sellers | $22 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This hat is comfortable enough that kids won't take it off and comes in tons of colors | What it lacks in the style department, it makes up for in protection, versatility, and excellent value | Great for wearing at the beach or on the water, this hat is stylish and protective | One of the most comfortable, breathable, and affordable hats that we tested | This ultra-wide brimmed straw hat looks great for the beach but lacks the durability needed for many outdoor pursuits |
| Rating Categories | Sunday Afternoons K... | Outdoor Research Su... | Billabong Classic P... | The North Face Hori... | Quiksilver Pierside... |
| Protection (30%) | |||||
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Breathability (15%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Style (15%) | |||||
| Specs | Sunday Afternoons K... | Outdoor Research Su... | Billabong Classic P... | The North Face Hori... | Quiksilver Pierside... |
| UPF rating | 50+ | 40 | Not Specified | 40+ | Not Specified |
| Brim Size | 2.75", with 5.5" neck cape | 2.75 brim, 7.25" neck cape | 4.25" | 2.9" | 5" |
| Material | 100% Polyester | 100% nylon | 100% Seagrass straw | Nylon Ripstop, 97% recycled polyester mesh lined | 100% straw |
| Cinch Cord | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Packable/Compressible | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Weight | 2.2 oz | 2.8 oz | 4.8 oz | 2.9 oz | 4.3 oz |
| Size Tested | Medium | L | One Size | L/XL | One Size |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat is without question the best sun hat for kids. It has all the best qualities found in the best sun hats but shrunk to fit on smaller heads. It's comfortable, extremely breathable, and gives great sun protection for the little ones.
Performance Comparison
The Kids' Play Hat is as good as the best sun hats for adults made for smaller heads.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Protection
The Kids' Play Hat provides great overall protection from the sun. It has a full brim that transitions to a neck cape in the rear. This hat provides some of the best sun protection of any we tested.
It has a 2.75-inch brim on the front and sides. And it has a 5.5-inch neck cape to protect the back of the head and neck from low-angled sun. Overall, this hat hits the sweet spot of protection. Could the brim be bigger? Sure, but it would probably be less functional, and kids would be more likely to not want to wear it. The extra length of the neck cape is appreciated, too.
Testing the Kids' Play Hat in California.
Credit: Chris McNamara
While 2.75 inches isn't the biggest brim, keep in mind this hat is designed for smaller heads. So, that means what would be a medium-length brim for an adult sun hat is pretty big for a kids' hat.
Comfort
The Kids' Play Hat scored well in the comfort metric and is one of the most comfortable cape-style hats we tested. It's extremely lightweight, lined with soft materials, and is easy to forget you even have it on.
The Kids' Play Hat comfortably wraps around the head and is adjustable by a cinch-buckle and webbing on the back of the head. This allows you to get the perfect amount of tightness without it being too tight or uncomfortably loose.
The material used on the Kids' Play Hat is extremely soft and thin. It stretched around your head to stay comfortably in place, even in high wind. It has a comfortable sweatband and a small piece of elastic along the back. All of our testers loved how this hat squeezed the head in a way that felt secure but not too tight.
The Kids' Play Hat is made of light and breathable materials that make a super comfy sun hat.
Credit: Chris McNamara
The Kids' Play Hat does have a more rigid brim than some other hats we tested. And that rigidness carries inside to where the hat meets the head. This means this isn't the most comfortable hat of those tested, but it's still plenty comfortable.
Breathability
The Kids' Play Hat is one of the most breathable hats we tested. The lightweight materials and integrated mesh panels give this hat plenty of ventilation on hot days.
The Kids' Play Hat has a cape that allows for better airflow around the neck than other cape-style hats we've tested. Since the brim of this hat turns into the cape, we found it doesn't hang on your neck in the same way some capes do. All our testers wore this hat all day and never felt like they were overheating.
The mesh panels along the sides of the hat increased the breathability even more, too. This hat would be breathable enough without these mesh sections, but with them, this is one of the most breathable hats across the board.
The Sunday Afternoons Unisex Play Hat has huge mesh panels on the side of the hat for added breathability.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Durability
The Kids' Play Hat is a solidly durable hat overall. The brim is sturdy enough to withstand the rigorous testing that only kids can put a hat through.
You can pack this hat away in a fully stuffed duffle, and it will survive. When you stuff it, you should be careful not to crease the brim, but you don't have to be that careful. This hat is pretty resilient. We expect this hat to last a long time, like all Sunday Afternoons hats.
The Kids' Play Hat is durable enough to stand up to some serious durability testing.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Style
The Kids' Play Hat has a neck cape, and a hat with a neck cape can't be that stylish, by definition. However, we still think this hat looks pretty good overall. It does look way better on kids than adults, though.
It also comes in tons of fun colors, so you'll almost certainly find one that every kid will like. We love the wide variety of prints, from simple colors to floral and insect patterns.
No sun hat with a cape is that stylish, but this one comes in lots of fun colors and prints.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Should You Buy the Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat?
The Sunday Afternoons Kids' Play Hat is a great value for a kids' sun hat. This hat is comfortable enough that your kids will actually wear it all day. It's very protective from the sun and durable enough to withstand being thrown around from time to time. If you're looking for a sun hat for your kids, you can't go wrong with this hat.
The Kids' Play hat is fun and effective.
Credit: Chris McNamara
What Other Sun Hats Should You Consider?
If you're looking for another option for a sun hat for kids, check out the Patagonia Baby Block the Sun. If you're looking for a sun hat for a bigger kid or small adult, look to the Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat or the Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap for hats with neck capes. If you want a full-brim hat without the neck cape for bigger kids or adults, we recommend the Filson Summer Packer Hat or Billabong Classic Printed Straw Lifeguard Hat.
—
Sam Schild
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