By: Blonde Two

We Blondes have long been proponents of getting outside and, between us, we have clocked up a fair few outdoor hobbies including walking (of course), navigating, expedition leading, outdoor swimming, sailing, kayaking, snow walking, wild camping, bivvying, hammocking, outdoor cooking and outdoor knitting (not yet but we are always suggesting it as an alternative to the damp tents). There are many other outdoor hobby options available of course, climbing, skiing, extreme ironing (no desire to iron anywhere), bouldering, paddleboarding, caving (may count as indoors), coasteering, gorge walking and bog snorkeling (which I have a secret ambition to one day try). I once wrote a blog post for someone else about choosing a hobby. I didn’t find this easy as hobbies have always found me rather than the other way round but it made me wonder how, if I was to return to a hobbyless existence, I would decide which outdoor hobby to choose. Being Blonde and a girl, I decided that ‘hats’ was the obvious answer. Allow me to explain, each outdoor hobby comes with a required (or expected) hat type if I were choosing a hobby all I would have to do would be to try on each hat and decide which suited me best. Here are my thoughts on the subject!

Walking (also hiking)

A wide range of hats available, preferably one that won’t blow off your head at the top of the hill (attractive but don’t be tempted by a bobble, it won’t fit under your hood and they are VERY controversial). This is B1’s favourite walking hat and she is recognised by it all across Dartmoor.

Snow walking

Hat should be warm, fit under a hood and not be dwarfed by enormous goggles (attractive but balance is everything here, too big and you will fall over, too small and you will look like a demented owl).

Kayaking (also climbing, coasteering and gorge walking)

Hard and oddly shaped helmet that sits in a strange position on your head (double-chin effect of chin strap renders even the most colourful of these unattractive).

Wild camping

A close-fitting hat that will stay on your head under a hood (definitely more attractive that naked wild camping hair).

Bivvying

A close-fitting hat that will stay on your head under at least 2 hoods (not really attractive but you will be safely encased in a plastic-ish bag so who cares).

Hammocking

A close-fitting hat that will stay on your head under at least 3 hoods (unattractive, nobody likes a woman with a head bigger than her chest).

Outdoor cooking

Not a traditional chefs hat, choose something that you don’t mind wiping your fingers on as the alternative is often grass (may start off attractive but grease marks and lost mushrooms will detract from this).

Outdoor swimming

Again a wide range of hats available, visibility is important, as is labelling yourself as a ‘swimmer’ rather than a ‘drowner’. Neoprene can prevent unpleasant ‘ice-cream head’ situations but can cause much inner debate as to when winter actually starts.

Extreme ironing

Presumably, no hat because you are still busy ironing it (could be attractive in an ‘extreme’ kind of way but tying hair back is recommended as burnt hair smells disgusting.

 

Of course, choosing your outdoor hobby by the type of hat might not be your preferred option… my only advice under those circumstances would be to try them all! Just make sure you get outside!