Sunday Afternoons Islander Hat vs Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat

The Ultra Adventure has UPF 50+ fabric, a lined mesh crown so UV doesn't sneak through the ventilation, and a neck cape that covers the skin most hats completely ignore. The Islander scored a 6/10 for protection — fine for a stroll, not fine for a full day on the water. If you're outdoors long enough to actually need a sun hat, the Islander is doing about half the job.

The Islander earned a 9/10 style score, the highest of any hat in expert testing, because its fedora-inspired silhouette actually looks intentional. The Ultra Adventure, by contrast, has a neck cape — and reviewers openly admitted it looks dorky. That's not a knock, it's a design choice: the Ultra Adventure optimizes for function so aggressively that aesthetics were clearly an afterthought. Know which one you are before you buy.

The Ultra Adventure's Reverse Split Brim folds completely flat, bounces back instantly, and weighs 2.5 oz — you can stuff it in a jacket pocket. The Islander scored a 4/10 for packability, which means it's the hat you have to carry in your hand or strap to the outside of your bag. On a travel day or a long hike, that difference is genuinely annoying.

The Islander is legitimately comfortable — soft, non-irritating, and well-ventilated for a straw-style hat. But the Ultra Adventure at 2.5 oz is in a different category: multiple reviewers and testers specifically noted they forgot they were wearing it. For all-day outdoor use, that's the difference between a hat you keep adjusting and one you stop thinking about entirely.