Cold Weather Hat Ideas For Our Northland Winters (Pictures)

If you know me, you know I'm a "hothouse flower," I really don't do well in the cold weather. Recently, I ran across an article by Antonio Centeno in The Art of Manliness, and with the current arctic blast, I wanted to share it with you.

How many times have you been told to wear a hat because 80-90% of your body heat escapes through your head. As it turns out, this is not true You don't in fact lose more heat from your head than other parts of the body. Studies conducted by the US Army cold weather research labs clearly show we lose heat evenly across the surface of the body (with some variation in the neck and head when you start to exercise, although this regulates itself within minutes). But hats still play an important role at least during the winter months.

According to an article in The Art of Manliness, most men own at least two options: a thick, practical cap for day-to-day use outside in the winter, and a more formal  hat should the occasion call for it.Take a quick look at some of your hat options:

1. The Watch Cap (Stocking Cap) the stocking cap is defined by a few basic features: knit material (usually wool, cotton, or synthetic) usually round, The fit can vary from completely snug against the scalp to loose and piled atop the head.

2. The Trapper trapper hat usually included: thick, furred lining flexible ear flaps on each side of the head three default positions: open (flaps tied at the crown of the head), closed (flaps tied beneath the chin), and loose (flaps down but untied) Most are brimless, but some styles include a visor that keeps the forehead warm and shades against the sun.

3.Stormy Kromer Hat

The Stormy Kromer hat originated from a train engineer of the same name. Kromer needed a hat that would keep his head warm and wouldn't blow off when he stuck it out the train window. In 1903, he asked his wife to modify a ball cap to fit more snugly, and she came up with a design intended to keep the hat in place in even the fiercest of winds. The hat took off with other railroad workers and an American company was born. Today, Stormy Kromer hats are still hand-sewn in the US, and make for distinct and classic casual headwear.

4.The Chullo

A variation of the watch cap is the Chullo. Traditionally made from alpaca wool, this watch cap has ear flaps and a string to tie around the chin. It is often decorated with intricate designs or patterns.