I’ve seen people racing the run course with hats at half-irons. I wear a visor but I’m considering a hat. What do you prefer?
It’s all personal preference. After years of wearing a headsweats visor - I raced in a Boco Gear Trucker hat yesterday.
While I looked pretty awesome at the beginning of the race, I found that my head over heated and couldn’t wipe the sweat out my eyes fast enough. It was especially bad in the forehead area by the front foam.
I’m switching back to a visor on race days. I can tuck a cold sponge in the band, and luckily, I still have enough hair to protect my Irish white skull from that burning nemesis in the sky.
Did you race Raleigh 70.3 yesterday?
Visor if in triathlon, bald head if in a running race (unless during winter).
I’m bald. So a hat is a must. I like the feel of a visor, but that sun will burn the crap out of the top of my head…
I just started with the new 2xU hat… It’s kind of fabulous in venting and lightweight material and it dries really well…
My old headsweats hats are still very fantastic.
Wish I did. I was at the Calgary Marathon.
The Tri season up here in Canada is pretty much limited to July and August - need to flesh out my schedule with ‘other’ races.
gotcha. The run course was so hot at Raleigh 70.3 it had me debating hat vs visor.
Hat for the simple reason that I have the aid stations dump ice in it (be sure to have it towards the back to avoid brain freeze that hurts!) and as it melts and drips down my back it is quite cooling. This is a great secret that so few use…
I dumped ice in my tri suit at mile 10.5ish at Raleigh 70.3. It was amazing and cooled me down quickly. Not sure why it took me 10.5 miles to figure that out haha
Never done ice in the suit, as mine has always been very cool and light. Love Kiwami!
I have a Kiwami tri suit 
It was around 89F to 80F yesterday on the run course
.
Nothin but the best…
Hat
closely shaved red hair, a visor would do nothing.
I did Raleigh 70.3 yesterday. I never wear a hat and decided I would for this race because it was going to be a very hot day. It was a lifesaver. I was able to fill it with ice at the aid stations and let the ice melt onto my head.
Personally I hate the extra insulation on my forehead from visors/caps. I’ll use a cap in 70.3s if they have ice I can pour in it. Otherwise I’ll use one of those old foam visors (below) to get the face shade.
http://uaetriathlon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dave-Scott.jpg
I don’t have much hair on my head to protect me from the sun, and every 70.3 race I’ve ever done has been in Hawaii. So, it’s always a hat for me. I have never felt like I was approaching heat exhaustion in spite of it.
I’ve used both in 70.3’s but I prefer a hat. I can put ice in the hat or a couple of cold sponges on top of my head.
closely shaved red hair
the only way that colour should be styled! 
shaved head, prefer nothing but will wear a visor and spray sunscreen in T2 or a hat.
i read in a few places that dumping ice on your head was not a great idea, down shorts, bags on hands etc were recommended. as far as I can remember it was something to do with the body’s response thinking that if you had a cool head then you were cool all over - reducing the usual cooling functions. i’ll see if I can dig that out. might be balls, so give me a break if it is.
I say visor, I am also not very follicly gifted but I have found turning the visor upside down allows you to throw a bunch of ice on your head and it keeps me nice and cool while still allowing the heat to escape. The added bonus is everyone thinks I am wearing the “rally cap” ha!
disclaimer
I am not KQ anytime soon
Hat for the simple reason that I have the aid stations dump ice in it (be sure to have it towards the back to avoid brain freeze that hurts!) and as it melts and drips down my back it is quite cooling. This is a great secret that so few use…
Yep, I do the same thing. Ice in the hat, ice down the tri suit, ice carried in my palms. Seems like it melts almost instantly, but I do everything possible to keep cool. I’ve got one of those hats that’s supposed to actually cool you down when it gets wet – I’m skeptical of that claim, but it still holds ice well.