This is a boonie hat design I've been working on for a few years.  I always had the problem of getting burned really badly when out shooting all day, day after day, because I would have to fold up the brim of my boonie hats in order to get the ear muffs on my head.

Since I'm of Scandinavian heritage, I get burned badly by the sun, especially at high altitude. Anyway, after a match one 40mph weekend up in Park City, I looked like a lobster, and needed to do something about this if I'm to have any hope of avoiding melanoma.  

Here's my initial prototype:

More refined:

I'm not that industrious. I had to buy suppressors.

I still wear electronic muffs when shooting suppressed and around course attendees who are shooting suppressed.

I haven't seen any suppressors that keep the sun off my face and neck.

I like it. Especially the neck protection & leaf additions to break-up the signature.

When are you going into production?  Do you need a Beta tester?

Ditto on this comment. I like it.

I have to agree, I always use my electronic protection as well.  I'm thinking this is a reasonable way, with a bit of garnish, to use for not only protection but could serve as a substitute for a hood.

With the mesh sun veil, you reverse the hat and can still see through the mesh easily, then drape it over your scope.

It's basically a sniper boonie, mixed with an Aussie or South African boonie/patrol hat, with the electronics integration and common SOPs.

It also has adjustable headband size with shock cord and elipse barrelok, ventilated band, and is very comfortable.

Aviator's signal panel for Near Recognition Signals inside, doubles as a pocket, and MC pile tape for IFF.

Well though out. What's you plans for it?

At first I thought it was a solution looking for a problem, but I have to say I appreciate your creativity.

Nice work.

Also being of northern European descent I really appreciate what you're doing here.

The only thing I don't like is that the brim completely destroys the peripheral vision of the wearer.

i will buy that
 

have you tried a shapable brim wire?


I have an aussie Kakadu leather bush hat with a snap up brim that is useful for keeping it on my head in the wind

Do you even sun screen bro?

Some of us have tender enough skin that there is not enough sunscreen on the planet.  I have gotten burned wearing SPF100, the stuff isn't magic, it is just helpful.


To OP:  I like what you are doing, and I would buy one even though I am a foamie earpro kinda guy 99% of the time.  Occasionally, I wear muffs if I wanted to listen to music or a podcast while I was waiting.  

My three suggestions/requests would be:  

Produce it in a neutral solid color like tan or OD in addition to the awesome looking camo.  Possibly using Velcro patches in addition to the snaps, you could make one actually reversible and do OD one side and tan the other?  Some USPSA matches REALLY frown on any camo because they don't want to be portrayed as a militia, and, well, their match, their rules.

The mesh around the crown is awesome, but make sure that the product will stand up to being washed (funky hat = bad) and that the mesh can still maintain it's shape after being washed.  I have a mesh top wide brim hat that, after washing became a floppy boonie hat because the mesh became really soft and just collapses on itself, thus eliminating most of the benefit of the mesh.

Possibly as a combination of the first 2 suggestions, produce one in a non-water-absorbing material like goretex or sturdy cordura or some type of waxed/oiled cloth.  I find myself shooting in the rain fairly often, and wearing a hat that absorbs water (like a traditional boonie) sucks.  With all of the cuts, mesh and vents, this hat is not an umbrella and could never be waterproof, but if it shed water rather than soaking it up, that would be enough.  That and either incorporating a wire in the brim like a previous poster mentioned, or a synthetic brim insert would make it a workable foul weather hat.

Just thought of another idea.  A version could be made without vents, and with some slightly thicker material that would render the hat quite suitable for colder weather use.

I feel I need to explicitly state that I you may use any or all (or none) of my suggestions however you like with no restrictions or expectation of compensation or attribution.  

I would like to have (purchase, commission, etc) a hat (or 3) if you decide to make these available...

Ever looked at the ingredients in sunscreen?  The trouble with sunscreens

Even with full application of military issue camo face paint, I still get burned.

Sunscreen, especially for active users who naturally perspire more than sedentary users, doesn't stay on long anyway, even if you find a unicorn non-toxic solution.

You can tie up the brim with the drawstring and barrelock like any other boonie.

On our mission boonies in reconnaissance units, it was common to cut the brim down for this reason, but then you lost sun protection.

You do realize this is in the Fieldcraft portion of Precision Rifles, right? This is a great option for people doing things outdoors for days.

where do I pay?!

Here's what a small brimmed version looks like:

This looks awesome! I'd buy one.

Yes, I see the utility and would put it through some paces. Please let us know if / how you might decide to market.

I really like that, and as one, who's father is a ginger, keeping the sun off of me is a big deal.  

I'd buy that.  Great creativity.

Just made this one for a good friend of mine who has helped me run courses, as well as NRA RSO for me when we do shooting sports for Boy Scouts.  

He likes Kryptek Highlander.

Here is one with Sniper School in mind.  You just reverse the hat once you get into the FFL and drape the sun veil over the scope.  It's easy to see through the mesh, and you don't end up with the telltale boonie hat visor shadow that the spotters are keen to pick out on stalk sites.

The attachment points for natural veg are protected so you don't have the snag hazard like you do with exposed netting.  Last thing you want is an entanglement on a stalk, since it usually ends up with the bush or tree above you shaking around conspicuously, then you hear, "FREEEZE!", and a walker is on top of you soon after.

Makes a good piece of gear for DM's and Snipers operationally, as you don't need to don a full top or worry about excessive camo that will overheat you and add to your load.

Great Pictures!   Awesome looking hat.    It really breaks up your head profile with the divider down the middle.  

Hows the vision through the mesh?  

You can see through it easily.

Scope burns right through it too.  You can cut a little hole in your scope cap and still have a great sight picture.

Definitely have seen the scope cap trick and have used similar through a veil, just haven't looked through that course of mesh before.  

You seriosuly need to market these.  Very innovative in design.  

I'll take one where do I send the money?  

I replied via PM.  Funny I was just thinking I needed a cammo headband to go along with something like this.

I like your hat idea.  

Question... where do you source the perforated camo "mesh" fabric?  Reminds me of a gym laundry bag material, I would love to find some in the various camo patterns for some projects.

Thanks

I made some Aussie/Rhodesian style patrol caps, but with a rear mesh veil instead of solid material.

I'd buy one.

Ok guys...I have to say that I wore this Boonie for 2 weeks during an intense rifle course of fire in Dulles Virginia while the temp was in low/mid 90's and the humidity was 90%+...and it worked AWESOMELY!!!! IF you are on the fence about ordering one...jump off and do it! I have ZERO affiliation with Paul, but I will say that the quality and workmanship of this is top notch!

Cool hat.

Off topic, but got any details on this?

It was a closed training session at Dulles Int'l Airport...sorry

Link to order from?

@MCSquared

Here you go

Thanks!

There are 2 companies now that have knocked-off my Integrated Electronic Hearing Muff Boonie Hat.

The most recent one is having them made cheaply in China, single stitch runs, no care for quality in workmanship but good enough for non-discerning customers.

I spent years developing this design, tweaking it, and refining it with constant field testing and use.

Some thief orders one, stitch-rips it apart, traces the patterns, sends them off to China to be mass-produced by literal slave laborers (often women arrested for their smaller fingers and younger age so they can get the maximum amount of work out of them over a period of time before their eyes crap out on them).

Made in China (In prison)





Every time I see a piece of Chinese gear that is a direct knock-off of US designs and think about the companies who have been screwed, employees laid off, while Chidura flows in by the boat load, it really bothers me.

A US-based company faces a huge risk in developing anything nowadays, knowing that it will be stolen by the Chinese and mass-produced, then sold by other US retail companies who couldn't care less than anyone else in the short-term other than themselves.

I would love to have command of the Pacific submarine fleet for a year.  Issue out a warning to all the shipping vessel companies that lease out their VLCCs, and tell them any ships coming out of Chinese harbors are fair game.  I do not like thievery.

I'd still like to order one of yours.

#MeToo

Oh, shit.. that's not um, what...

I would also like to buy one of these

Curious about sizing. Are these sized or a one size fits all? ( Including Charlie Brown looking MFs like me? )

@LRRPF52

Custom fit...Paul is going to want you to measure your noggin...

Attached File

I want one.. please

size large..

head is size 60

You still accepting orders on these boss?  Pics of both the small and large brim hat on the side would be awesome!

Looking forward to ordering

Is it possible to make one that keeps the back portion of the brim but still has the net/mesh and all the other features?

Also what is the length of the small and large brims?