I love my Tilley. Mine has a mesh around the top inch or so of it. It’s SPF 50. Don’t no if it keeps me cooler, but I like it for keeping the sun out of my eyes.
What is the SPF of a normal cotton T-shirt?
According to skincancer.org
“A white T-shirt provides only moderate sun protection, with a UPF of about 7. When that T-shirt gets wet, it provides a UPF of only 3!
A dark, long-sleeved denim shirt can provide a UPF of about 1,700; in essence, complete sun protection.”
I’m not sure how UPF compares to SPF
Has anyone tried a bandana + hat? I have a mop of curly hair and the ONLY thing that keeps me cool when I’m sweating a ton is to wear a bandana “do-rag” that keeps my hair off my neck, and sops up all the sweat coming from my scalp and forehead. Of course that gives you no neck or face sun protection, so you’d have to wear something with a brim over it.
YMMV on the effectiveness of a bandana, based on what’s already on your scalp.
My Tilley is worth every penny I spent on it. The key is having a hat that properly fits. Too tight and blood flow to the scalp is reduced. Too loose and you lose airspace above your head.
Finally found my sun hat. The only brand on it is “Sun Protection Zone.”
That would seem to be a whole range of hats:
https://www.sunprotectionzone.com/sun-protective-hats-s/148.htm
Have you ever tried a Brock-a-brella
Lou Brock, a Cardinals Ball player made it famous
Just out of curiosity- do you guys have have hair?
I shave my head, which is why I wear a Tilley whenever I’m outside.
I knew a guy for 5 years. Hung out with him and others at a bar one night a week. Never saw him without a ball cap. He wore several different ball caps, but always had one on.
The first time I saw him take it off I did a real-life spit take. Everything under the ball cap was bald! With it on he looked totally different than with it off.
I do.
I wear an Outdoor Research sun hat since I’m out so much and I’m not great about putting on sunscreen unless I’m cycling. I have yet to find a wide-brimmed helmet worth a shit. 
Someone in our household had one – probably from a ballpark giveaway day. I liked the concept of a hands-free umbrella, but in practice it was too small for good rain protection, it was not comfortable (at least not the freebie version), and I’m guessing it wasn’t wind resistant (no chin strap).
So, I tossed it. Would it work better as a sun hat than an umbrella? I dunno, but like I said, it was not comfortable – kinda jagged and pokey with an unpadded band.
My hair is definitely thin, but my big interest in hats is UV protection. I’ve had several crusty patches frozen off my forehead (on my doctor’s recommendation), and a nodule dug out of my chin. I plan to be an honorary albino from here on out.
Yeah, not the most comfortable.The headband seemed a little small for me.
I wore it in the sun, never considered it in the rain as it’s usually accompanied by wind.
Just a bit of a warning from one voluntary albino to another…ask your doctor if you should be taking vitamin D supplements. According to my doctor, my mad sun exposure avoidance skillz stop me from being able to soak up enough vitamin D to fill my needs.
Ditto from me. Over the counter Vitamin D with calcium supplements daily. Maintains good bones.
I wear hats made by Sunday Afternoon. They have a 50 SP rating, are lightweight, washable, come in a variety of styles, and are really popular here in southern Arizona.
I have many experiences with skin cancer, and wear one of my several Sunday Afternoon hats any time I am in the sun. Highly recommended.
OP here, and FWIW I ordered a summer hat — a Patagonia Baggies Brimmer. It was more than I wanted to spend ($55), there’s a chance it will be too small, and boonie hats can look shapeless, but it checked my most important boxes.
I mostly relied on the comparative review at Outdoor Gear Lab. They liked the style, comfort, and construction, said the brim wouldn’t flap in the wind, and (money quote): “this hat made our heads feel cooler in the sun than when we weren’t wearing it.”
Patagonia says it will fit heads up to 24”, and my dome is 23-7/8”. We shall see. If it’s too small I’ll offer it to my brother.
Maybe invest in a hat stretcher. I like to buy a hat that fits just a bit too snug, then stretch it just a bit.