So we spend a fortune on high tech cycling gear but cycling caps are cotton. What's up with that? Other than Pearl and Walz I can't find other caps that are made of something that won't just get wet and hold on to sweat.
I have a non-cotton one (high tech wicking fabric even)... But the cotton ones end up working like a swamp cooler in AZ. Well, at least if you haven't super saturated them.
pulser955-that's a good observation. Seems like if someone began making them with a wicking material it would be a winner in the market.
I always wondered why pros wore them under their helmets in the cold, wet spring classics. Forget the benefit of the bill to protect from road spray (other than tradition, you'd think mountain bike style removable visors would work well here)-a soaked, cotton cap on my head in cold weather is not my idea of fun.
pulser955-that's a good observation. Seems like if someone began making them with a wicking material it would be a winner in the market.
I always wondered why pros wore them under their helmets in the cold, wet spring classics. Forget the benefit of the bill to protect from road spray (other than tradition, you'd think mountain bike style removable visors would work well here)-a soaked, cotton cap on my head in cold weather is not my idea of fun.
In my expeience the cotton ones work well. Protects from light chill and keeps water away from the inside of my glasses in the rain.
If you sweat a lot the bill-less Assos Robofoil might be worth trying.
All three of mine are merino wool, the Giro one is the heaviest with ear flaps, then an Ibex and locally made one without; both these work very well all year round.
None of mine are.
I have about a dozen Headsweat caps, some with bills and some without.
Never ride without one, except in cold weather I usually wear my Smartwool cap that covers my ears.
They exist, but aren't readily available, other than the wool ones.
I have 5, I think. (also have lots of cotton ones, not a fan).
Pactimo makes one, Showers Pass makes one out of eVent fabric, I believe Gore makes one, Rothera Cycling offers some neat ones.
It used to be that we didn't wear them under helmets, so you didn't sweat in them as much. In the summer you might soak it in water to cool yourself off - the cotton would take longer than one of the wicking fabrics to dry, so the cooling effect would last longer. A long time ago the pros used to put a cabbage leaf under the cap on hot days to help keep the cap moist even longer.
Voler, Rothera and Walz all make moisture wicking cycling caps.
Personally I prefer a cotton blend cap. I wear them year round. But a lot of people like the moisture wicking ones. They work fine but they are not as structured, IMO.
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