Smartwool Cuffed Beanie

A super smooth all wool double layer beanie. The quality of the merino wool here is outstanding — you won't find a smoother and more comfortably finished wool fabric. The hat is double layered 250 weight merino, so it is fairly warm. Very stretchy, so fit will not be an issue. The double layered design means that it takes a fair bit longer to dry than single layer hats, and rolling the cuff up occasionally makes the inner and outer layers bumpy relative to each other

I have been wearing this beanie for about a year. It is in great shape and has been one of my favorites.

In that this is a Smartwool product, it is of course made out of merino wool. The hat is a double layer of Smartwool's mid-weight "250" fabric. The bottom can be cuffed so you have better ear coverage. 

What I like a lot about this hat is the fabric. The inner and outer layers are identical and are extremely soft and stretchy. It just feels good wearing this one, and it fits great.  The only caveat is that occasionally, if this is stuffed in a pocket or pack, the two layers can become confusingly jumbled. If that happens, I grab the top of the hat where the layers are sewn together, shake it, and the layers then lie uniformly next to each other. Though I have not experienced any durability issues, wool this thin might be prone to snags. 

In the field, this hat feels pretty warm. It is very low-bulk, so it will fit under any hood; it does not stop wind. In that it's wool, it will absorb a reasonable amount of moisture if you are sweating, and it does not dry as quickly as a fleece/artificial beanie. As with any wool cap, the fabric does an excellent job transporting moisture out. Many cold days, I end up with a nice layer of rime on the outside of it after a long walk. Because it is double-layered, it does not dry out as quickly as a single layer hat. 

This hat has been washed numerous times, and that has not impacted the fabric or the sizing. I do not, however, put it in a hot dryer, preferring to let it hang dry. 

If you like wool, this is an outstanding option. Even if you don't necessarily care, try one on, because it might be the most instantly comfortable beanie I own.