HILLTREK MOUNTAIN HATS,

£80/£90

Hilltrek make four ‘mountain hats’. All are the same design but the fabrics, and what they’re good for, differ. Three are for ‘cold and wet’; one is for ‘very cold’. I chose the Fluich Double Organic Ventile version to review. At £90 this is the most expensive, but as the Ventile is organic, it has the best environmental credentials.

Fluich is Scottish Gaelic for wet – this hat is for cold and wet conditions. I live on the edge of the fens where Cranes are commoner than mountains – don’t be misled by the Mountain Hat label – these hats also work at lower altitudes and during wild weather seawatching. This Fluich is made from two layers of organic Ventile® cotton and is “waterproof and windproof with excellent breathability”. I went out as Storm Eunice was fading, with the wind gusting at up to 47mph. The hat stayed on – that was impressive – and my head was comfortably warm. If you want to feel even more secure there are loops for attaching a chin cord, though a cord isn’t provided. Is it waterproof? I emptied the contents of a watering can over it, through a sprinkler rose. The water beaded and rolled off. The hat kept the water out.

As I would expect from Hilltrek, and at this price, it’s well made – handmade in fact. Mine was made by Maria. There’s a modestly- sized wired peak which can be folded up against the hat, and ear flaps – these can be folded up as well – on the outside or the inside. The latter makes the hat more like a baseball cap. It comes in two sizes, S/M and L/XL, has an adjustable elastic cord at the rear for tweaking the fit, and is available in three standard colours – olive, black or navy. An extra £15 gives you access to some ‘premium’ colours. If you want to wash it, Nikwax Tech Wash® or dry cleaning is recommended, and should you need to top- up its water repellency Nikwax TX.Direct® is the product of choice.

As for the rest of the range, the Fuar Ventile Pile Mountain Hat is “warm, showerproof and windproof” – it’s a layer of Ventile® with a fibre pile fleece inner for very cold adventures – Fuar means cold. The Uisge (Ventile® with a Nikwax Analogy inner) is for the cold and wet – Uisge means water and rain. There’s also a non- organic version of the Fluich.

L/XL Organic Fluich weighs 85g. hilltrek.co.uk