Outdoor Research Swift Cap Review

Editor rating: 9.6 / 10

User's rating: based on 0 user ratings

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By Brian Price

Outdoor Research is a company that is driven by its passion for getting out and experiencing nature. After a mishap on a glacier in Denali in 1981, founder Ron Gregg decided that he was going to devote his life and work to his passion for adventure. He started the company with the thought in mind that the best gear will make your outdoor experience more fun, and thus the brand was born.

They strive to not only create new equipment or something different but to make a superior product, something that is better than the rest. They wholeheartedly believe that life gets better as soon as you walk out the door, thinking that if they can get more people to appreciate the adventure of being outdoors than the world would be a better place.

The Swift Cap is just one of their many products that customers love. This hat is designed for anyone who loves to be outside, used a lot by runners, boaters, and beachgoers. If you are doing it outside, you can be wearing this product. It is super lightweight and allows for some fantastic airflow, keeping you cool and comfy throughout the day.

It wicks moisture so you can be sure to stay dry, no need to walk around with a soaked and smelly hat. The lid has an affordable price tag that sits about average with other similar products, but this one is highly durable, allowing it to stand out above the crowd. Coming in a plethora of colors and one size fits most (thanks to the adjustable backstrap) there is sure to be a cap that suits the style and personality of the everyone.

If you like to be outside and want a hat that will keep you cool and look great then look no further, the Outdoor Research Swift Cap might be just what you are looking for.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Long-lasting durability
Affordable price tag
Comfortable
One size fits most
Variety of color options

Cons

Light colors show dirt
Thin and flimsy materials

Activities

The Outdoor Research Swift Cap can be worn by just about anyone for a plethora of occasions. Many people have stated that this is their go-to cap for their outdoor activities such as hiking, running, or boating. It is highly breathable and lightweight, giving you excellent protection from the sun while still keeping you cool. It is more of a casual piece of headwear, so you are not going to want to wear it any kind of formal event or to the office, but it is terrific for those casual outdoor activities or any type of sporting event.

Breathability

When you are out in the sun and heat or when you are working out, you want to make that your hat will allow enough ventilation, so you do not overheat while you are out and about. The good thing about the Outdoor Research Swift Cap is that there is a mesh lining crown that helps allow air to flow into the hat and will enable the heat to escape your head and ensure you are staying as comfortable as possible while you are on the go.

The cap also features moisture-wicking technology in the way of the TransAction headband. This is going to help your sweat from your head roll off the hat and allow it to evaporate quickly, aiding in keeping you cool throughout the day.

Materials

The Swift Cap is made out of a combination of supplex, nylon plain weave, and nylon mesh, making up all of the parts of the lid. The front panel and bill are made out of a supplex which is a man-made fabric that offers a little bit of stretch, but more importantly, it is permeable to both water and air, it is a common material used for sports apparel. The nylon mesh is what makes up the side panels and the back of the cap, allowing some air to flow in naturally and keep you cool and refreshed for the duration of your activity. It is constructed with decent quality materials, although some reviewers mentioned that they would have liked to have seen some stronger materials used to make up the hat.

Comfort

Consumers praise the comfortability of the hat. It fits nicely and is super breathable, keeping you nice and cool all day long. It is going to keep the sun off your head and out of your eyes, while helping prevent overheating while you are outside, keeping you nice and comfy all day long. It is lightweight, so it is almost like you are not wearing anything on your head at all which is excellent. The moisture-wicking headband and mesh lining do not get sopping wet with sweat as the moisture beads up and evaporate quickly, keeping you dry and not weighed down. Everything about the cap is designed to ensure that you remain comfy the whole time you are wearing it.

Size

The Swift Cap is more of a one size fits all type (7 1/8-7 5/8) with an adjustable back strap with a quick release to give you a more customizable fit, ensuring that you get the best fit possible for optimal comfort. It has a circumference of 23 inches and a brim that measures in at 2 3/4 inches. Keep in mind that these measurements are an average and can vary from one product to another. It is, however, generally pretty consistent.

Durability

Of course, you are going to want to make sure that anything you buy is going to have a long lifespan. Who wants to spend their money on a product that is going to fall apart too quickly and need to be replaced? For the most part, customers have had no problems with the longevity of the hat stating that it is highly durable and high-quality construction. There are a few who mentioned they would have liked to have seen better quality and more robust materials, but if that happened, you would not get the great product that is the Outdoor Research Swift Cap.

There have been a couple of complaints from people stating that the lighter colors show dirt easily which can look messy. The hat can be washed, however, so this should not be too much of a problem.

Style

Consumer love all the fun color options they can choose from when purchasing the hat. You can pick baltic and light grey, dusk and dark grey, pewter and dark grey, raspberry and dark grey, sand and light grey, Diablo (orange) and dark grey, Bahama, black and dark grey, chartreuse, cobalt, desert sunrise and dark grey, evergreen and dark grey, fatigue and dark grey, fig, glacier and light grey, khaki and dark grey, lemongrass and light grey, multicam (camo), white and light grey, or lime and dark grey. There is a color out there for everyone, and you are sure to find something that you will love.

The hat itself has the Outdoor Research logo embroidered on the front panel in a thread that compliments the overall color of the cap. It has a shaped plastic-stiffened bill and an adjustable back strap with a quick release buckle to ensure you get a great fit. The sides and the back are made out of mesh materials and come in a different color than that of the front panel, made of nylon, and the bill. Each hat is dual colored for an aesthetically pleasing look.

Value

When you are purchasing your hats, you want to try to make sure that you are going to get your monies worth. You want to ensure that you are not going to get ripped off and spend a pretty penny on a product only to have it fall apart shortly after use. As mentioned above, this cap is pretty durable so that is not something that you will have to worry about. As for cost, it is right around the middle of the line. You are going to find other similar products that are a little cheaper, but they will not be as good of quality as this one is. When taking a look at the whole picture and taking longevity and cost into account, this is a very good product with a great looking price tag that your wallet can appreciate.

Weight

No one likes to run around all day with something substantial on their heads if they can help it. When you are out for a hike, or you are running the track you want to make sure that what you are wearing is not going to weigh you down, causing you unwanted fatigue. Customers can appreciate the fact that the Outdoor Research Swift Cap is ultra lightweight, weighing in at only 2.5 ounces. Even better, the hat is breathable and moisture-wicking, so you are not going to have any issues with it soaking your sweat and adding any additional weight to the lid as the day goes on. All and all it is a great hat that weighs barely anything.

Protection

The Outdoor Research Swift Cap may be highly breathable, as mentioned above, but it is still going to offer some decent weather protection. The nylon panels provide UPF 50+ sun protection to help keep your skin safe from the hazards of the suns UV rays. It is also going to help keep you relatively dry in the rain, protecting your head and keeping the moisture out of your eyes.

The Swift Cap has a shaped bill that will help shield the sun from your eyes, which can help keep you safe while you are running, or participating in a workout outdoors. It is going to ensure that you are able to see to the best of your ability so you can avoid any hazards that might pop up while you are outside.

Care

In order to ensure that you are getting the most out of your hat, you are going to want to make sure that you are taking proper care of it. This product is able to be thrown in the washing machine, on cold with no problems. You will, however, want to hang it up to dry and avoid the dryer, as that can have some negative consequences on the longevity of it.

Bottom Line

Whether you are an avid sports player or simply an outdoor enthusiast, you will love the Outdoor Research Swift Cap. It is designed to help keep you cool and protect you from the heat and the sun while doing anything outside. The breathable hat will allow the air to flow in, keeping your head nice and refreshed, while still protecting you from the suns harmful UV rays and keeping you dry if it starts to drizzle while you are out and about. It comes in a vast variety of colors so you are sure to find a lid that will work best for your style needs. It is one size fits most thanks to the adjustable back strap, ensuring that the product can reach as many consumers as possible. The average price tag combined with the high durability makes this hat an excellent investment that most customers love.