Outdoor Research Sentinel Brim Hat

This is not your father's Sentinel Hat. I bought one of these hats a few years ago and was disappointed (sizing was off and it smelled). Heard that the hat had be redesigned and decided to try one again and this time I couldn't be more pleased. The sizing is right on and there is no detectable odor. The brim gives reasonable sun protection without being so huge that it gets in the way. The hat is lightweight and dries quickly. The vents keep my head cool and since they don't extend to the front of the hat, my chrome dome is still protected from the sun. Wore this hat on a hike up Mount Humphreys last weekend and wasn't bothered by insects. Hard to say for sure that the hat's insect protection was responsible, but I can't complain. My only complaint, and it's not a deal breaker, is that I wish the hat didn't have the big "OR" embroidered on the front.

Ok, I select "Fit as Expected" because I expected and hoped it would fit a little big. In all the reviews I've read, I saw that many said this brand ran a little big. I have a very large head (maybe like 7 5/8 size) and the large fit me good. Most every other hat brands, the large would be way to small.As for the hat itself... IT WAS AWESOME TO HAVE ON VACATION IN FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA. It kept the relentless sun off of me and this particular hat is extremely lightweight and has the venting on the side. It's the type of material you can "crush", and when I would go on rides, I would toss it off on the seat and sit on it, other times I could cram it in my backpack. Will buy again if I need to and I highly recommend this brand to everyone I can.

Sizing on the order page lists as individual sizes: S, M, L, XL. I ordered a XL and was delivered a L/XL. There is a difference between L/XL and just XL. I have a big head and need the XL. The L/XL is to tight. See image. The product tag in the hat shows L/XL, but the bar code tag shows XL.

I bought one of these years ago when I started going to Summer camp with my son's scout troop. It has held up fantastic and the insect shield still works great! My son did a trek at Philmont this year and I got him one and it work great for him to. No bugs and no sunburn. If either had every wears out I wouldn't hesitate to buy a new one. If you're wondering what size to but my hat size is around 7 ³/8 and a large for my just fine. My son is about a 7 and the large for him too just fine. There is an adjustment strap in it that works great.

This hat is lightweight, and keeps my face and neck from getting sunburned when I work out in the sun all day. The side vents help to keep it cool. The brim retains its shape very well thanks to its fairly thick foam core, however because of that core it can be a little uncomfortable if it fits you a bit tight. I probably should have ordered 1 size up from what I usually get, but over time its gotten more comfortable than it was originally. Either from the hat wearing into the shape of my head or my head getting modified to fit the hat better, probably a bit of both. There is a size adjustment band built in for helping it to fit your head if its fits a bit loose, but not really a way to make it get larger if it fits tight. So to sum it up, its a great hat, works well, but runs a bit small for a given size.

Hey, it's OR need I say more? I do! I am glad to have found an other than Amazon seller and got a great deal on an excellent sun hat. It is lightweight, well made and breathes well without letting too much sun in with a tight mesh only on the sides. It is accurate sized. I typically need a large (22 3/4") and this is slightly larger with a elastic cord at the headband. I have the option of leaving it loose or tightening the cord a bit to snug it up. The neck band is easy to slide but with enough tension to hold position quite well. It can be easily replaced as well. The brim also has a dark gray underside to keep reflected light form being a bother.

Really great hat. Nice vents, super light fabric. Breathable. Runs cool. Perfect size brim. Has a useful adjustable elastic headband that can be set to provide some resistance to light breezes so you don't have to use the chin strap all the time. Removable chin strap. No detectable odor to the bug repellant treatment. What's not to like? I love it. I have not given it the "gnats at sunset" test yet to see how well the repellant works but even without that, it seems well worth the few extra bucks cost over the standard OR hats, none of which had the combination of light synthetic fabric and crown side vents that I wanted.

OR Products are great. The inclusion of the mesh vent on this hat is a real step up from non vented hats. I realize insect shields are perfect but I had a California Mosquito bites around my forehead while using this hat on the second day. Seems like it should have repelled them a little better than that. Other than that it has been on swims and hikes, to camping and cabins and all sorts of adventures in between and it has been fantastic.