These magic cooling hats get 23 degrees colder when wet — they're the best hack for blazing hot days

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Growing up playing tennis in Florida may have helped me develop a higher tolerance for heat as a teen, but since moving to New York, I've become a lot more sensitive. Or maybe I'm just getting older.

Over the years, I've developed a few coping mechanisms for dealing with uncomfortable heat and humidity. I carry face and body mist everywhere I go, I use a peppermint essential oil roll-on, and I always wear a lightweight cooling hat from Mission.

Mission was co-founded by Serena Williams, Drew Brees, and Dwayne Wade. It makes hats, towels, clothing, and accessories from highly technical cooling fabric. The brand caters mostly to athletes and the outdoor community, but what sets it apart (besides the fact that it actually works) is that not every style looks like it belongs on a fishing boat. 

I have a regular baseball hat from the brand that I wear for more active days, and a bucket hat that I wear at the pool or while gardening. These aren't the only styles, but they're the two most popular ones. Each comes in multiple colors, and the materials are extremely lightweight. Both styles are cute, comfy, and keep me from melting like a popsicle in the heat.

How Mission cooling hats work

Mission is pretty tight-lipped about the technology of their material, except to say that it "enhances" the process of evaporation, pulling heat away from the body and into the air. To activate the vaporactive cooling technology, the lightweight material has to be wet. The second you dampen it, you'll get an immediate cooling effect (you can do this with regular water or let your sweat do the work for you). But, unlike regular hats, the material remains cool to the touch instead of trapping steam and warming up as the sun beats down on you. 

Once the hat is wet, I've found that my sweat keeps it naturally damp and cool so I rarely (if ever) have to re-wet it on a long day out. But if you're just sitting by a pool or on a boat and you're not working up a sweat, you may want to re-wet the hat every hour or so. You can even hand-wash the hat with soap or detergent in between wears. 

Temperature test

I did a little test outside on a 90-degree day using a laser thermometer where I measured the temperature of the hat before and after dumping room-temperature water (about 70 degrees) on it. 

The dry hat was 77.7 degrees and, after dumping water on it, the wet hat measured 54.5 degrees. For reference, I performed the same test with the same cup of water on a regular cotton hat, and it measured just over 74 degrees when wet — 20 degrees warmer than the wet Mission hat. 

Comfort and fit 

The baseball hat fits well and has an adjustable band like any other athletic hat. I have a small head, and it's not too big for me. Same goes for the bucket hat — it's not too big around my head, but has an adjustable chin strap that can be tucked into the hat or tightened against the chin for a more secure fit. 

The Mission bucket hat is definitely a little goofier, but it's great for days on the water when I don't want my hat to blow away. The bucket hat is also UPF 50, so I know I won't get burnt through it if I'm out on a boat or experiencing extreme sun exposure.

The bottom line

Mission cooling hats are incredibly effective at regulating my body temperature when I'm outside on hot days. They keep me cool and comfortable, and I recommend them to anyone who spends a good bit of time outside.

If you're looking for options with more coverage, check out all of Mission's hats and cooling towels. There are hats with full neck coverage, hooded towels you can drape over your head, and even T-shirts to keep you extra cool.