Smartwool Merino Cuffed Beanie
Merino, cuffed, packs flat
4.7 on Amazon
Merino stays warm when it is damp with sweat, which a cotton beanie does not — it is thin enough that in real wind you still want a hood over it.
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Do not buy this if: Sub-zero summit mornings on its own. Layer it under a hood.
Not every route needs it. These are the ones where our guides would put it on your list.
Everything else we recommend in hats, caps & buffs, including the ones we think suit a different trekker.
Best sun protectionOutdoor Research Sun Runner Cap
The cape covers the ears and neck that burn first and that no sunscreen ever gets reapplied to; you will look faintly ridiculous, and everyone who has burnt their ears at 4,000 m stops caring.
Most useful single itemBuff Original Multifunctional Headwear
The best value item in this entire catalogue — it does five jobs badly enough to be worth carrying two, and none of them well enough to replace a real hat.
