I find hats keep me cooler and more importantly limit sun exposure which leaves me feeling more fresh. Dumping ice in your hat is an absolute god send on long runs or races. Hats all the way!

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Long Chile was a silly place.

+1. I HATE wearing hats and never run in them while training, but at CDA this past weekend, I could not have imagined doing it without a hat. I kept it wet and with ice ALL the time and the ice was very important.

Only caveat is that you may need something between your scalp and the ice - I had a few brain freezes from the ice, and I had a full head of hair. I think direct contact between scalp and ice would be uncomfortable. I've shaved my head, and even sleeping on a cold pillow made my head feel cold.

No 140.6 experience to share yet. I am doing my firstfull at IMMT in August . I do have a few 70.3s and many marathons and halfs under my belt in HOT weather . I also have worked in the desert for many years under les than hospitable circumstances.

#1 If it is hot with low humidity then hat. Always. Have you ever seen anyone in a desert enviorment without a hat?
You want to block that sun and slow the loss of moisture. For true desert conditions consider a light vented ball cap with a cape with face and neck coverage. LIKE THIS... http://www.outdoorresearch.com/.../sun-runner-cap.html

#2 If it is hot and humid the visor is better. There is plenty of moisture and you need to maximize your heat loss by convection. Also in muggy humid weather the sun is reduced by the water in the air.

#3 Ice is awesome. Put is under your hat down your shirt and shorts.

I did AZ last year with a visor and I was fine, but then again I have a full head of hair. I also did Silverman 70.3 but I wore a hat that day because it was so hot. I was dumping ice into the hat and down my shorts for that race. I think if you're slick headed a hat is an automatic requirement for anything long distance.

Had pretty good luck in Kona twice without a hat or visor, short hair (maybe quarter inch), ice in kit, hands when possible.

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Tim Russell, Pro Triathlete

Instagram- @timbikerun

I shave my head, but always wear a regular hat during races. If it's hot, I put some ice in the hat and then tip it onto my head letting the ice melt on my head. Or you could get this:

http://www.headsweats.com/...at-reflective-white/

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

A full hat will limit your need for sunscreen, so that is nice. A sun burnt head is in no way faster than wearing a hat.

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Ian

I always wear a hat. At IMCdA, I also kept my arm coolers on during the run. With that, I was able to have ice against my forearms - a real life-saver for me.

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Proud to post only occasionally.

http://tribomber.wordpress.com

Get a white hat.

It blocks the sun which keeps your body temp cooler.

As a fellow bald racer. I wear a white Headsweats beanie under my helmet for the ride to try am minimize sweat runoff into my eyes on the ride and then leave it on for the run and put a Headsweats visor over the top. This gives the option to remove the beanie during run if I feel I need some more ventilation, but still have the option to out it back on at will. It also allows me to soak it down with cold water, or trap ice inside the beanie or on top the beanie and inside the rim of the visor to avoid brain-freeze issue. I train and race mostly in Florida so protection from the sun is a year round issue. I have found this option to give be the most options on the long runs or IM races.

Thanks guys ( I guess one of you could be a bald chick ). I have a nice running hat, but it is red and black. I will hunt down a white or light colored one. You guys sold me. I too have used the headsweates beenie under helmet and under a visor makes great sense.

I really appreciate the time and contributions. Have a safe weekend on the 4th!

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- the Lone Wolf

Lots of marathons run and trained for in Florida. I have very short hair and a bald spot. Bald spot burns on long runs if I forget to wear a hat. Now I don't forget. I put ice in the hat for Marys and the Florida Haines City 70.3 when it was very sunny/hot out. So yeah, I vote for wearing a hat if you're bald and it's hot out. Edit: All my hats are white, too.

Yet another vote for the hat - as others said great for putting ice in on a hot day, plus covering the head if you have short/thinning hair.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

I'm also pretty sure a backwards hat is more aero.

I have run IM's with a hat before. I too am bald, without shaving. The direct ice on my head in CDA got to be a little cold. But I'll tell you, I don't think I missed one aid station of ice down the front of my shorts and or top and down my back. I can't even imagine how sunburned my head would have been without a hat.

No way would I be seen wearing that thing, I don't care how good it is for me

seriously wear a hat whether is dry or humid - if the sun is out and the run is not shaded; sunburnt skin will wreck havoc

i train year round in hot and humid climate and hat is a must for the baldies (i will not go into the melanoma argument here but something to take into account too)

Look cool or be cool. You have a choice. I have used that had while working in some of the hottest environments in the world.

Seriously the crap triathletes wear ant a cap with neck protection is a deal breaker??

AND after watching the world championship from this year it appears I may have been ahead of a trend for the first time in my life.

That is Ben Hoffman this year at KONA

Good on Ben Hoffman and whoever else decides to wear it, but it's not for me

I have this hat too and have worn it on longer tris and ultras where the run is exposed and it's hot/sunny. Soak it with icewater at aid stations and it protects my ears and neck from a scorching. Function over fashion always for me!

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

I think Hoffman's hat is a Zoot product mine is an Outdoor Research I got from an REI store..

I picked mine up before a trip to Africa (near Sahara in the interior of Burkina Fasso in the summer) many years ago and have since used on any trip to the desert.

I have only used it in one sporting event and that was a 50 mile ultra during extremely non typical hot weather in New England.

It works.

Ice in the hat was pretty much the only way I survived the run at Kona.

I run in a hat all the time in the summer, to keep the sun off my dome and face.
(I've had skin cancer removed from the side of my face recently, so I'm now even more dilligent in wearing a hat whenever it's sunny out.)

Your shoes & socks will likely get soaked, but if it's that hot, that was going to happen anyway from sweat.

For me - sunglasses feel VERY warm, my eyes feel like they can't "breathe" - much worse than any hat.
And visors seem like the worst of all worlds - you can't keep ice in them, and they don't keep the sun off your head.
YMMV.

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float , hammer , and jog

If you run or even walk an Ironman and your socks aren't soaked from sweat already you didn't work hard enough.

Did Challenge Williamsburg under hot humid conditions, Ice down the shorts and in the hat was a life saver. I did have to stop briefly at mile 9 to take off shoes and wring exc-ess water out of socks.