CTR Headwall Spire: Brimming with Good Design
Bring on the snow, the sleet, the sun! CTR’s Headwall Spire hat thwarts nature’s attempts to blind me and protects my ears from the most frigid blasts of air.
Weather Resistant
Made out of a very water-, wind-, and snow-resistant nylon outer layer, with a cleverly designed visor and protective ear flaps, the CTR Headwall Spire hat solves a major winter problem for me. A significant snowfall used to make me pause at the door, where I had to choose between beanie and baseball cap. Either way, I was going to make a sacrifice; my glasses would get coated with precipitaion or my ears would get cold. Now, with the all-around protection that the CTR Headwall Spire hat provides, I brave the frozen precipitation with impunity. I love being outside during a snowstorm.
Warm in Freezing Temps
I live in Minnesota, where sub-zero temperatures and wind chill factors are pretty intimidating and where we go outside and have our fun anyway. It’s critical to have outdoor gear that works as advertised. The CTR Headwall Spire hat’s fleece-like Thinsulate lining does a great job of keeping my head, and more important, my ears, warm. For hours. I found this out when I took my family tubing one night to celebrate the opening of a new trailhead at a local park. The temperature hovered at around 5º F (not factoring in wind chill). Normally my ears are the canary in the coal mine that tell me it’s time to get inside, but I was wearing the Headwall Spire. Miraculously, I lasted as long as my kids, who are oblivious to the cold when having fun.
Packable, Adjustable Hat
In addition to the effective protection the hat offers, it has several nifty features that make it my go-to head gear when venturing out of the house on foot. First, the clever split visor allows me to fold the whole hat into a little package that easily fits in my pocket when I warm up or go inside. Second, there’s a built-in draw cord that makes minor on-the-go size adjustments easier than tying my shoes—especially convenient for curly-headed lads like myself whose hat size varies depending on hair length. (True fact!) And third, if the conversation I’m having merits extra attention, I can fold up the ear flaps and look like I’m really listening.
Sizes, Colors
The unisex Headspire is available in three sizes (S/M, M/L, L/XL) and three colors (Black, Black Camo and Snow Camo).
Bottom Line: A smart combination of high tech materials and creative design makes me want to keep the lid on.
Manufacturer’s Site: chaoshats.com
$44.99 at chaoshats.com
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