This guide to Hilltop Packs hiking hats answers which current hat to buy for hiking: the Cool Fit packable cap or the Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat. Moon Picke used each official product page independently. This is not a wear test. See how we evaluate, our editorial standards, and the published best Hilltop Packs apparel guide.
The live Swag collection currently lists two hat SKUs—no wide-brim sun hat, no beanie, no third technical cap. Exact names: Cool Fit Packable Hilltop Packs Cap UPF 50+ Hat and Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat.
Moon Picke’s Quick Take
Choose the Cool Fit cap if you want the only listed UPF 50+ hat, a six-panel pre-curved visor, a moisture-wicking sweatband, and official “packable” copy, at $21.95 (compare-at $39). Choose the Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat if you want a 5-panel flat-bill cap with documented side mesh, recycled nylon, and a water-repellent finish, at $18.95. Biggest difference: listed UPF plus packable six-panel construction versus mesh-panel camper design with no UPF number. Price difference: $3. Best documented sun-coverage spec inside this pair: Cool Fit. Best documented mesh/open-side design: Nylon Mesh. “Cool Fit” is a product name, not a temperature test. Pricing checked October 4, 2026.
Disclosure: Moon Picke may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. Shop buttons use the Hilltop Packs Swag collection affiliate URL. See our affiliate disclosure.
Prices and availability may change.
Head-to-head
| Feature | Cool Fit Packable Cap | Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat |
|---|---|---|
| Current price | $21.95 (sale; $39 compare-at) | $18.95 |
| Hat type | Unstructured six-panel, low-profile; pre-curved visor | Unstructured low-profile 5-panel camper; flat bill |
| Material | 50/50 recycled polyester/polyester, Cool Fit Performance fabric | 100% recycled nylon (specs); body copy also says 100% nylon |
| Weight | Not listed | Not listed |
| UPF | Hilltop lists UPF 50+ | Not listed |
| Mesh | Not listed | Side mesh panels (Hilltop) |
| Brim | Pre-curved visor; length not listed | Flat bill, 4 rows of stitching; length not listed |
| Sweatband | Moisture-wicking sweatband | 100% polyester sweatband |
| Closure | D-ring micro hook-and-loop | Feature list: plastic snapback; specs: adjustable flat buckle |
| Size / adjustment | Hat size 6 5/8–7 3/8; adjustable | 58 cm (adjustable) |
| Ventilation claim | Not listed as a spec (name is Cool Fit) | Marketing: mesh “enhance airflow and ventilation” |
| Quick-dry claim | Not listed | Not listed |
| Packability | Listed packable | Not listed |
| Best for | Listed UPF 50+ cap | 5-panel mesh-side design |
What hats does Hilltop Packs currently sell?
On October 4, 2026, the Swag collection contained these two hats only. Colors differ; construction does not split into more technical models. This page is the hat comparison, not another full apparel roundup.
What’s the biggest difference?
On paper it is not a gram war (weights are not listed). It is construction plus claims: a Legacy-built six-panel, pre-curved, packable cap with listed UPF 50+ and a moisture-wicking sweatband, versus a 5-panel flat-bill nylon cap with side mesh, a water-repellent finish, and no numerical UPF. Closures, size systems, and brim shapes also differ. Do not assume “Cool Fit” means cooler or that “mesh” means a measured airflow win.
Materials and construction
Cool Fit: 50/50 recycled polyester/polyester, Cool Fit Performance fabric (Hilltop). Built by Legacy. Unstructured, six-panel, low-profile. DTF printed. Fabric weight of the cloth: NOT LISTED. Country of manufacture: NOT LISTED on the product details.
Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat: specifications list 100% recycled nylon; a key-feature paragraph also says durable 100% nylon with a water-repellent finish. Mesh material fiber beyond “mesh panels”: NOT LISTED separately. 5 panel. Unstructured, low profile. Hilltop also uses outdoor-plus-streetwear language on that page.
Do not infer UPF, drying speed, or cooling from polyester versus nylon. Interlock, denier, and GSM: NOT LISTED on either hat page.
Check Current Hat Availability
Sun coverage and UPF
Hilltop Packs lists the Cool Fit cap as UPF 50+. Test standard: NOT LISTED. The Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat does not list a numerical UPF rating. Do not copy 50+ onto the mesh hat. Do not write that both offer UPF 50+.
UPF and physical coverage are different. A listed UPF 50+ applies to the documented garment/material, not to uncovered ears, neck, or face beyond the visor. Neither hat is a wide brim or legionnaire cape. A high-UPF baseball-style cap still only covers what the crown and visor actually shade. This is not medical advice and not 100% UV blocking.
For torso and arm coverage, that is a shirt problem. The published Hilltop Packs UltraShade Sun Hoodie review covers the current listed UPF 50 hoodie—not these hats.
Mesh and ventilation design
Cool Fit: mesh panels are NOT LISTED. Official photos show a solid six-panel crown, not an open-side trucker mesh.
Nylon Mesh: Hilltop documents side mesh panels and marketing that they “enhance airflow and ventilation,” “keeping your head cool.” That is brand copy. Moon Picke did not measure CFM. Editorial note, labeled as such: the mesh hat has visible open-area side panels; the Cool Fit does not list mesh. That is a design difference, not a ranked breathability score. Mesh does not automatically beat UPF 50+ for sun; open mesh also means those panels are not a listed UPF fabric.
Weight, brim, sweatband, moisture, water
Total hat weight: NOT LISTED for either. Weight difference: not comparable. Do not estimate from photos. Backpackers cannot use a manufacturer gram figure here. Hilltop calls the mesh hat’s nylon “lightweight” in marketing; that is not a published ounce.
Brim: Cool Fit pre-curved visor; length NOT LISTED. Mesh flat bill with 4 rows of stitching; length NOT LISTED. Do not measure brim from photography. Flexibility/crush: Cool Fit is listed packable; crushable/foldable as extra words: NOT LISTED. Mesh packable/crushable: NOT LISTED. Do not claim either brim survives repeated stuffing.
Sweatband: Cool Fit lists a moisture-wicking sweatband. Mesh lists a 100% polyester sweatband—wicking/cooling sweatband language: NOT LISTED.
Moisture-wicking (hat-level): Cool Fit (sweatband). Mesh: NOT LISTED as wicking. Quick-dry: NOT LISTED on either. Cooling as a tested outcome: NOT LISTED on Cool Fit beyond the product name and “Cool Fit Performance fabric.” Mesh marketing claims cooling via mesh—attributed, not tested.
Water: Mesh lists a water-repellent finish for light rain/mist. Cool Fit: water-resistance NOT LISTED. Neither is documented as waterproof. Do not call either a rain hat.
Fit, sizing, closure, packability, colors, care
Cool Fit: adjustable; hat size 6 5/8–7 3/8; D-ring micro hook-and-loop (official photos of the back show a strap closure consistent with that). Unisex / S-M / L-XL splits: NOT LISTED. “Fits most”: NOT LISTED as that phrase on the spec bullets.
Nylon Mesh: 58 cm (adjustable). Feature text says plastic snapback; specifications say adjustable flat buckle. Both phrases are on the same official page—treat closure type as mixed documentation. “Most head sizes” appears in marketing; that is not a measured range beyond 58 cm adjustable.
Moon Picke did not fit-test. Do not claim either stays put on trail or fits every head. Confirm live selectors.
Packability: Cool Fit—yes, listed. Useful on paper if you stuff a cap in a pack; Hilltop does not publish a crush cycle rating. Mesh—NOT LISTED. A Hilltop pack is a separate buy; see the published best Hilltop Packs backpacks guide if you need a pack, not a hat.
Colors — Cool Fit, all listed available: Black, Performance Gray, Shark Gray, Dark Blue, Orange, Forest, Scarlet. Nylon Mesh, all listed available: Grey/Green, Navy/Yellow, Green/Black, Purple/Black, Blue/Yellow, Red/Yellow, Olive, Black, Black/Pink, Wine.
Care: NOT LISTED on either page. Warranty/returns: shop-wide unused-return language on Hilltop describes 60 days, buyer pays shipping—confirm live. Per-hat warranty: NOT LISTED. Apparel is not the Waynesburg pack-shop build.
Hiking, backpacking, heat, humidity, off trail
Hiking: Cool Fit if you want listed UPF 50+, a moisture-wicking sweatband, and a conventional pre-curved cap. Nylon Mesh if you want documented side mesh, a flat 5-panel, and water-repellent nylon copy. Both are adjustable. Neither is a full-brim hiking sun hat. No trail test here.
Backpacking: Cool Fit has the packable claim and the UPF number. Mesh has the water-repellent finish listed. Weights unknown, so neither wins “lightest.” Drying specs: neither lists quick-dry.
Hot, sunny trails: Do not crown mesh as the heat winner. Trade-off: Cool Fit’s listed UPF 50+ and solid six-panel versus Mesh’s open side panels and no UPF number. Coverage of neck/ears is limited on both. No safe temperature range.
Humid conditions: only documented hooks are wicking sweatband (Cool Fit) and water-repellent nylon plus mesh marketing (Mesh). Do not claim one stays dry or prevents overheating.
Off trail: editorial, not a lab: Cool Fit reads as a standard six-panel branded cap (Legacy hangtag in official photos). Mesh reads as a 5-panel camper with color-blocked mesh—Hilltop also calls out streetwear. A more technical-looking mesh hat is not automatically better for every buyer.
Price, extra dollars, value
Cool Fit: $21.95 (compare-at $39). Nylon Mesh: $18.95. Moon Picke editorial calculation: Cool Fit costs $3.00 more at current list. Pricing checked October 4, 2026.
What $3 buys on the verified sheets: listed UPF 50+, packable copy, moisture-wicking sweatband, six-panel pre-curved Legacy cap, 6 5/8–7 3/8 size callout. It does not buy listed mesh or a water-repellent nylon finish. The mesh hat’s extras at the lower price are side mesh, 5-panel flat bill, recycled-nylon spec, and water-repellent finish—without a UPF number.
Better value is not “cheapest.” Cool Fit is better value if listed UPF 50+ is why you are shopping. Mesh is better value if you wanted the 5-panel mesh design and would not use a UPF number. Paying $3 extra without needing UPF or packable copy is optional, not mandatory.
Shop Hilltop Packs Trail Apparel
Cool Fit pros and cons
Pros: listed UPF 50+; packable listed; moisture-wicking sweatband; 6 5/8–7 3/8 range; seven colors in stock when checked.
Cons: no listed mesh; hat weight NOT LISTED; visor length NOT LISTED; “Cool Fit” is not a temperature rating; $3 more than the mesh hat.
Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat pros and cons
Pros: documented side mesh; 5-panel flat bill; water-repellent finish listed; $18.95; ten colorways in stock.
Cons: UPF NOT LISTED; packable NOT LISTED; closure text conflicts (snapback vs flat buckle); weight NOT LISTED; marketing cooling/ventilation is not a lab number.
Choose the Cool Fit cap if…
Listed UPF 50+ is the priority; you want a six-panel pre-curved packable cap with a moisture-wicking sweatband and hook-and-loop adjustment in the published hat-size range.
Choose the Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat if…
You want the 5-panel mesh-side design, recycled nylon / water-repellent copy, a flat bill, and the lower current price—and you accept no listed UPF number.
Choose neither if…
You need a wide brim, neck cape, boonie, or legionnaire hat; a specific UPF on a mesh hat (not listed); a size outside 6 5/8–7 3/8 or 58 cm adjustable; a published gram weight; or a waterproof rain hat.
FAQ
What hiking hats does Hilltop Packs make?
Currently two in Swag: Cool Fit Packable Cap UPF 50+ Hat and Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat.
What is the difference between the Cool Fit and Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat?
Six-panel pre-curved packable cap with listed UPF 50+ versus 5-panel flat-bill nylon with side mesh and no listed UPF. Closures and size systems also differ.
Which Hilltop Packs hat has UPF protection?
Cool Fit lists UPF 50+. Mesh does not list a numerical UPF rating.
Which Hilltop Packs hat is lighter?
Not comparable. Weights are not listed.
Which has more mesh?
The Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat documents side mesh. Cool Fit does not list mesh.
Which is better for hot-weather hiking?
No tested winner. UPF/coverage vs open mesh is a trade-off. No temperature range.
Which is better for backpacking?
Cool Fit if you want listed packable + UPF. Mesh if you want water-repellent nylon and mesh design. Weights unknown.
Are Hilltop Packs hats adjustable?
Yes, both are listed adjustable, with different hardware and size callouts.
Which Hilltop Packs hat should I buy?
Cool Fit for listed UPF 50+. Mesh for 5-panel mesh-side design. Neither if you needed a wide brim.
Final verdict
Among current Hilltop Packs hiking hats, there is no universal winner. Specs split UPF/packable six-panel versus mesh 5-panel nylon.
Choose the Cool Fit Packable Cap if:
You are buying the listed UPF 50+ and packable six-panel cap.
Choose the Nylon Mesh Hiker Hat if:
You are buying side mesh, a flat 5-panel, and water-repellent nylon copy at $18.95.
Choose neither if:
You need neck/ear-wrapping brim coverage or a hat type Hilltop does not sell right now.
Best for sun coverage (documented UPF): Cool Fit.
Best documented UPF: Cool Fit (mesh not comparable).
Best ventilation design (open mesh panels, not a lab test): Nylon Mesh.
Lightest: not comparable.
Most adjustable: both listed adjustable; different systems—no ranked winner.
Lowest price: Nylon Mesh.
Best value: the hat whose verified job you need.
Best for backpacking: Cool Fit if packable + UPF matter; otherwise it depends.