Kaiola Surf Hat - FAQs

There is nothing more annoying than losing your hat or having to hold on to your hat, rather than being able to fully concentrate on your surfing. Our Kaiola hats are meticulously designed to ensure they stay on, even in the craziest wipe-outs. It all comes down to how the hat sits on your head (we’ve worked with an 80 year old hatmaker who has spent her life making hats), our non-stretch materials, our signature chinstrap and lastly the bendable peak/visor which prevents resistance. See our Product Details for more information

We have been there - suddenly you can’t see well during take-off, or you don’t see the lip when going for that turn, because your surf hat is in the way. Lots of trial and error has allowed us to make the largest possible peak at the best angle to protect you from the sun, without impairing your vision. No soft collapsing peaks/visors please!

We've tried them all and we think it’s perfectly in-between. It bends underwater to avoid resistance, but always jumps back into shape so it never hangs down into your face or obstructs your vision. The interior material is a high-quality closed cell foam. This means it never absorbs water, it floats, and hits the perfect balance between stiff and soft.

Look inside your hat. In the centre of the crown there is a little loop. Open the chin strap, push one side through the loop and close the chin strap. Voila - your streetwear hat is ready.

Yes! Some say they’ve never worn a more comfortable hat. It’s super lightweight, soft and breathable on your head. As the peak/visor is not stiff, there is no pain on the forehead, as is often the case when wearing a baseball hat. Furthermore, the chinstrap is incredibly comfortable. The high-quality round cord is non-stretch and soft on the skin, and the tiny buckle below your chin is super small (but strong) and therefore never jams into your throat or jawbone. 

Ear covers do serve a purpose, but we feel so much better without them! After all, we wanted to develop a stylish product. But also we generally don’t like the feeling of having our ears covered, inhibiting our hearing and feeling disconnected from what’s around you. When we’re in the water, we want to be 100% there in the moment and hear those waves approaching or chat with our friends in the line-up.  

The proportion of long haired people is generally higher amongst surfers with lots of guys rocking that style as well. If that's you, you will most likely have had one or more of the following problems: a. Hair in your face during your take-off so not seeing where you’re going, b. Losing your balance and wiping out whilst pulling your hair out of your face to see better, c. Coming up for air and instead of breathing in oxygen swallowing your own hair d. Ridiculously tangled hair after each session starting to rock unintentional dreads e. Hair damage due to too much sun exposure. And the list goes on. I (Barbara) personally have had all of them. So yes, wearing our hat will prevent all of the above. Problem solved! 

See a comparison table here.

The Surf Hat is our flagship product with the best fit for any wave conditions. It stays put no matter what.

The Bucket Hat is very similar in performance to the Surf Hat but provides a lot more sun protection due to the all-around, wide brim. Due to the full brim there is in a bit more resistance in the water, so it's not meant for huge waves. The Bucket hat does not have a ponytail hole in the back, so it cannot be widened like the Surf Hat, but can be tightened. Due to the more limited adjustability in the back strap, the Bucket hat comes in three sizes to allow the perfect fit, while the Surf Hat only needs two sizes to fit all head shapes. 

The Visor Surf Hat is a stylish addition with a wider brim adding even more shade to the face than the Surf Hat, but the crown is not protected from the sun. The open crown allows for any hair style. It is only suitable for smaller waves. The Visor hat comes in one size fits all

They are 100% identical when it comes to materials, fit and sizing. The only difference is the visual logo. 

UPF is for clothing what SPF is for skincare. It is a method of testing the level of UV protection. UPF 80 provides amazingly high UV protection. And the added benefit compared to sunblock, is that it does not wash off and neither does it contaminate the ocean. Generally speaking, using UPF clothing is longer lasting, environmentally friendly, skin friendly and, in the long run, money saving. It’s common sense! 

Sun Protection is so important to us. And if you put a hat on your head, it better serves its purpose. So we decided to go for the best fabrics and tested them according to the strictest testing method available today. It’s a European testing method, initiated by the Hohenstein Institute in Germany and rolled out to a handful of expert testing centres across Europe. The testing method is called UV Standard 801. We have achieved the highest possible rating and have been issued our own certificate, which we have to renew every year. If you want to see the certificate for yourself, here it is.

You cannot get better sun protection from a hat than from our Kaiola surf hat, with UPF 80 and its large peak/visor. However, you are only covered fully where the hat covers your skin (the crown of your head). The peak/visor provides shade to the face, but that is not enough to fully protect the face. Your ears and neck will not be covered. So using a high quality, mineral natural sunblock to supplement your surf hat coverage is always advisable. 

We all love the sun, but we prefer to enjoy it with our head in the shade. So if you share your Kaiola hat with friends, you “share the shade”. But there is more to it. We strive to develop a product that is very long lasting. And to maximise its life cycle, we encourage you to think about giving it a second life, once you’re ready to replace it with a brand new one. We ask you to not throw the old one away, but give it to someone else who might still be super stoked to have it. Many of you have been to tropical surf destinations where locals don’t have access to cool surf gear. So giving your used surf hat to a local ripper is such a win-win. 

There are men with small heads and women with large heads. It really doesn’t matter. We got you all covered! Check out our illustration here for help in choosing the right size for you.

Yes you can wash your Kaiola surf hat in the washing machine at up to 40°C. But for daily use, a quick rinse in clean water is all you need.

Yes you can, but why would you? It’s super quick dry, so best to line dry your hat and protect the environment.

Kaiola ships worldwide. You can check out detailed cost and delivery times in our Shipping Policy here

You have 30 days to return or exchange an order. Just contact us at hello@kaiola.co to request a return or exchange and wait for feedback. After receiving an email from our Customer Service you can choose the carrier of your choice and send it to the address given to you. Please use the original shipping envelope to return the item(s), it’s a simple step to save resources.

We accept all major credit cards and ApplePay.

Our main fabric is 100% recycled polyamide (nylon). Please see our Sustainability section for more details

Sustainable and ethical practices have been part of our DNA from the beginning. After all, we swim in the ocean most days. We have a full page on Sustainability so please find the full story there.

At this stage we only sell online via our website

We would love to hear from you. Please email us on hello@kaiola.co

We would love to hear from you. Please email us on hello@kaiola.co

We're all ears. Please email us on hello@kaiola.co