I Hate Hats. But I Love Wearing This $20 Sun Visor All Summer Long. (2024)

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, clothing—including hats—is the “most effective form of sun protection.” In fact, hats are especially critical because they protect the parts of your body that are most likely to experience the types of cancerous growths commonly caused by sun exposure. “Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas account for 90 percent of all skin cancers,” the SCF states, “and often appear on the head and neck.”

To make sure your sun hat delivers adequate protection, the SCF recommends a brim that’s at least 3 inches in length—which is enough protection “to shade the face, scalp, neck, shoulders, and upper back, along with easily overlooked places like the tops of the ears and back of the neck.”

The Simplicity visor features a 5-inch brim almost all the way around; towards the very back, where it’s fastened with a Velcro tab closure, the brim tapers off to 3 inches.

One drawback is that, depending on the size of your head, there may be a gap in coverage where the two ends of the visor don’t quite overlap, so you still need to apply adequate sunscreen on the back of your neck—and if you have thinning hair or a part that’s exposed through the top of the visor, you need to apply some kind of sunscreen to that area as well.

Another drawback is that the Simplicity visor does not come with a designated UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating, which would offer more assurance against ultraviolet exposure. Personally, though, if I’m not wearing this visor, then I’m probably not wearing any sun protection on my head at all, so the shade it does offer is nothing but a net benefit for me.

Perhaps what I like most of all about the Simplicity visor is that its straw brim doesn’t go limp when it gets wet. I wouldn’t suggest swimming laps or body surfing in this thing, but if you’re just bobbing around in a pool, a lake, or the ocean, I’ve found that the visor keeps my upper body encircled in shade for hours without ever feeling like a burden to wear, even when it gets pretty soaked. I know this because I often fling it into the water like a frisbee and then dive in after it just for fun. (Caveat: It doesn’t float!)

I hate any piece of headwear that relies on elastic (as many visors do) to ensure a tight-enough fit. In comparison, the Simplicity visor’s Velcro closure is easy for me to adjust for the most ideal sizing without ever feeling like it’s pinching my head. A strip of fabric stitched along the interior of the hat also prevents the straw material from scratching against your skin.

With a circumference of about 23.5 inches, my noggin typically fits a L/XL size hat. The visor accommodates me with room to spare—even though, according to its Amazon listing, the hat’s circumference maxes out at just over 23 inches. (Some Amazon reviewers with larger heads have said that they find it difficult to get a good fit because the hat’s too small for them.)

A Velcro tab is concealed behind a straw bow that complements the Simplicity visor’s slightly vintage style. It’s available in 12 colors and patterns (besides a few classic straw shades, you can also choose from a navy and a very subtle black-and-white stripe motif).

However, my good friend Erik—a die-hard Seinfeld fan, like me—gets a big kick out of saying, “And then there’s Maude!” every time he sees me in my hat, a reference to an infamously frumpy “Elaine Benes by way of Bea Arthur” look, for which I cannot fault him.

The hat also comes with a thin, black cord that can be hooked in as an adjustable chin strap. It can look obtrusive and kind of ugly, which is why I only use it on blustery days when I’m gardening or walking my dog and don’t care what I look like.

Come summertime, I consciously try to live more spontaneously: Eat lunch outside! Meet a friend at the pool instead of making dinner! Go for a stroll just because it’s gorgeous out! But that’s hard to do when you’re supposed to apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before leaving the house. In these situations, my visor works like a cheat code, instantly protecting my face, ears, neck, and shoulders. It cuts down on my sun exposure whenever I decide to impulsively run out the door.

Even better, the hat is designed to be rolled up for space-saving storage and carry when not in use; an elastic loop sewn into the hat’s underside can be wrapped around it to help keep it rolled up. This reduces the hat’s overall size to roughly that of a small water bottle, making it easy to pack in an overnight bag, tuck into a purse, or stash in a car’s cup holder. I’ve even smushed it into my jeans pocket when needed, and it always unfurls to its original shape, even after years of use.

I’m still wearing the Simplicity visor I bought six summers ago, so its price-per-wear is probably pennies. Its color has faded from so much time in the sun, and the Velcro closure has started to fray, but the hat still stays reliably in place and does its job. For me, it’s made summertime—a time when you want to be cool and carefree, but you also need to be cautious—that much more fun.

This article was edited by Alexander Aciman and Catherine Kast.