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In this guide
Sun caps come in two shapes: a full-brim hat that shades everything and catches every gust, or a ball cap with a cloth cape hanging off the back. The Sun Runner Cap is the second kind, with one adjustment that matters: the cape snaps off. Outdoor Research sells it for $44 in sizes S through XL, and the whole assembly, cape and chin cord included, weighs 3.0 ounces by the maker's figure.
The fabric is a bluesign-approved 60% recycled nylon rated UPF 40, with a dark underside on the 2.75-inch brim to cut glare and mesh panels on the sides to let heat out. Read as a spec list it is a sensible piece of kit. Read as a shipping note it has a problem, because the page states the item contains PFAS and cannot be sent to three states.
Our verdict
A well-thought-out $44 sun cap: 3 ounces, UPF 40, a real brim, mesh where the heat builds and a cape that detaches instead of dangling all day. The lifetime guarantee is generous, the PFAS shipping restriction is the catch.
- A good fit for
- Runners, hikers and paddlers who spend whole days under high sun and would rather carry a cape they can remove than a full-brim hat they cannot.
- We would skip it if
- You live in California, New York or Colorado, where Outdoor Research will not ship it, or you want a hat with no synthetic treatment at all.
Reasons to consider it
- 3.0 oz for a cap, cape and chin cord together, with UPF 40 fabric and external mesh side panels
- Cape and chin cord are both removable, so the cap works as a plain running hat on cooler days
- Lifetime Infinite Guarantee against defects, honored even on hats bought from a dealer
The compromises
- Outdoor Research states the item contains PFAS and cannot be shipped to California, New York or Colorado
- Four sizes with hook-and-loop adjustment, but the smallest size starts at a 21-inch head and there is no kids' size
- Only three of eleven listed colors were in stock at full price; the discounted colors were all sold out
What we have not verified: The cap was not worn for this review, so brim stiffness, how the cape behaves in wind and how the mesh panels hold up to sunscreen were not assessed. Outdoor Research publishes no washing instructions for the cap, and the UPF figure applies to the shell fabric, not the mesh panels.
The things in this guide
A closer look at the products, who they may suit, and what to check before buying.
Sun Runner Cap, Khaki
A 3-ounce UPF 40 cap with a 2.75-inch brim, external mesh panels, a wicking headband and a 10.75-inch cape that snaps off, backed by a lifetime defect guarantee.
Before you buy: Outdoor Research will not ship it to California, New York or Colorado because the fabric contains PFAS, and no washing guidance is published.
Price checked September 11, 2026. Retailer prices can change.A brim, a cape and two mesh panels
The Sun Runner Cap has three parts. The brim is 2.75 inches wide, which is wider than a baseball cap and narrower than a boonie, and the fabric under it is dark to reduce reflected glare from water or snow. The sides carry external mesh panels, and behind the brim sits a TransAction headband that Outdoor Research describes as wicking. Inside the crown the fabric is rated UPF 40.
The cape is what separates this cap from a plain visor. It measures 10.75 inches long, covers the back and sides of the neck, and detaches so the hat becomes an ordinary running cap on a cloudy morning. A chin cord is also removable, and the back closes with a hook-and-loop strap. Outdoor Research lists water resistance, breathability and quick drying among the fabric properties, all standard claims for a thin nylon.
Recycled nylon, 3 ounces, four sizes
The shell is a bluesign-approved blend of 60% recycled nylon and 40% nylon, made in Vietnam, and every size is listed at 85 grams, or 3.0 ounces. For reference, that is about the weight of a deck of cards, and it includes the cape and cord. The cap comes in four sizes instead of one adjustable fit: S covers a 21 to 21.75 inch head, M runs to 22.5, L to 23.25 and XL to 24 inches. The hook-and-loop strap fine-tunes within each band.
Eleven colors appear on the US site at a list price of $44, but stock tells a different story. Khaki, Titanium and White/Dark Grey were available in all four sizes at full price. Ranger Green was sold out. Seven older colors were cut to $22 or $17.60 and all of them were sold out too, so the sale prices are historical rather than a live option. Plan on paying $44.
The PFAS notice and where it cannot go
Above the buy button Outdoor Research prints a one-line statement that the item contains PFAS and cannot be shipped to California, New York or Colorado. Outdoor Research does not say which component carries the treatment, though a durable water repellent finish on the nylon is the usual reason. The statement is factual, not a warning about use; it reflects state laws restricting sale of PFAS-treated apparel. If you live in one of those states, the cap cannot be ordered from Outdoor Research directly.
Outside that list, orders of $125 or more get free ground shipping, which a $44 hat will not reach alone. New, tagged items can be returned within 60 days of the order date; exchanges are US-only and are shipped after the original item is received and checked. Final-sale items are excluded from both, which matters for the marked-down colors if they ever come back into stock.
A lifetime guarantee with the usual carve-outs
Outdoor Research calls its warranty the Infinite Guarantee and says gear is guaranteed to perform throughout the lifetime of the product. The exclusions are specific: normal wear, fit and size complaints, rips and snags from use, alterations such as embroidery, products bought from unauthorized dealers, and gifts. There is no repair service; approved claims are handled by replacement, and the company will not refund a replacement you bought yourself while a claim was pending.
Two points are worth noting for a hat. Purchases from any authorized dealer are covered, not only orders placed on outdoorresearch.com, so a cap bought at a local shop carries the same guarantee. And issues about warmth or fit must be raised within the 60 days allowed for returns, since Outdoor Research does not treat them as manufacturing defects. Faded fabric after a season of sun would fall under normal wear.
Skip it in three states, or if you want untreated fabric
The clearest reason to pass is geographic. Outdoor Research will not ship the Sun Runner Cap to California, New York or Colorado, and a buyer in those states would need a dealer that still has stock and is willing to sell it. Beyond that, the PFAS content is a reason to look for a cap with an untreated shell if that matters to you, since the maker gives no PFAS-free version of this model.
The design itself is hard to fault at $44 and 3 ounces. Consider a full-brim hat instead only if you want shade on the ears and face from every angle and do not mind the wind catching it. And if your head measures under 21 inches, none of the four sizes will fit without the strap fully closed.
How we put this together
Built from the product pages and listings below, without test scores or results we have not measured. Specifications and prices change, so check the original page for the exact model, current price, delivery, and returns.
- Outdoor Research: Sun Runner Cap product page (opens in a new tab)
- Outdoor Research: Warranty (Infinite Guarantee) (opens in a new tab)
- Outdoor Research: Returns and exchanges (opens in a new tab)
