66°North Surtsey Hat

I've never worn a toque / beanie more adept at stopping the wind. Keeps ears and back of neck very warm is the top is knit without the liner to allow great breathability. Excellent performance piece and my go-to synthetic piece when I'm not wearing wool / cashmere.

Quick Take

I generally prefer wool or cashmere beanies but the single exception has been the 66 North Surtsey hat, which has been my go-to beanie the past 3 winters.

Construction

The bottom half of this polyester and acrylic beanie has a Goretex Infinium liner which wraps around the ears, forehead, and top of the neck. This liner must have been made with some black magic, because I've never experienced a beanie that kills biting cold wind like this one does. It's occasionally a double edged sword because the Goretex liner is so adept at keeping the environment out that it also dampens sound and can affect peripheral senses. But when the primary concern is staying warm, it really excels.

Size

I find the beanie ample in size and I can pull it down so that it protects my entire forehead and nearly half of the back of my neck.

Warmth / Breathability / Moisture Wicking

And as one would expect with a polyester and acrylic knit hat the moisture wicking and breathability properties are excellent and it dries fast. It's too warm for some high output activities. Cross country skiing on a 20° day I ended up taking it off after about an hour because I was burning up. But it's excellent for hiking, alpine skiing, climbing, and general winter wear.

Durability

It also seems very durable and after 3 years of consistent winter use there's evidence of some minor pilling but nothing bad or unexpected. The bright color is as bright as the day I bought it.

Background

I've had this hat for 3 years. Of the 25ish beanies that I own this is the only one that hangs next to the door. It's been used hundreds of times.

Nice hat, but not as tough as the vikings that designed it. Internal wind barrier is a nice plus.

I initially liked this hat when I first got it, but several weaknesses are evident. The internal wind barrier is VERY crinkly when new, but that worked (stretched) its way out shortly. The material is not super stretchy, and the hat is not large enough to cover my ears. If its very cold, I must wear my polartec beanie underneath it to stay warm. 

After one simple bump into a tree branch, this knit grabbed on and pulled my hat off, leaving a nice hole. Within a week, the hole tripled in size, fortunately I had a small patch laying around the house. I'm sad to say, this is not my daily wear anymore.  

Love this hat. Warm, windproof, looks good, fits. Kind of pricey.

I was given this hat while in Stockholm. Wore it through a Swedish winter with no complaints.