Columbia Bora Bora Booney II Review

The Columbia Bora Bora Booney provides decent protection from the sun but will only fit you if you have a larger head. This hat receives high marks for ventilation and scores decently in protection and comfort. It loses points for durability and style. This inexpensive hat is a good choice for hiking and fishing on hot days for those with larger heads.

Performance Comparison

The Bora Bora Booney II is a decent choice for day hikes or fishing.

Photo: Jessica Haist

Protection

The Bora Bora Booney has a 3-inch full circumference brim, which gives it slightly more coverage than some other hats. It also has 50+ UPF fabric for protection from the sun. The mesh vents are non-UPF rated, so if you're lacking in the hair department, note that it is possible to still get sunburned through the mesh panel. We recommend that you apply sunscreen accordingly.

The Bora Bora's toggle can tighten the hat around a smaller head, but it looks a little strange if cinched down a lot.

Photo: Jessica Haist

Comfort

This hat is quite comfortable, mostly because it was very loose on our testers. The Bora Bora Booney comes in one size, which measures up to 24.5 inches in circumference. If your head measures much smaller than that, you will be swimming in this hat. Our testers noticed that the Bora Bora Booney also seems to stretch after it had gotten wet. You can tighten the drawcord for a snugger fit, but this makes the hat look and feel a little awkward.

Breathability

The Bora Bora Booney does well in this category. It has some of the largest mesh panels in the crown, allowing for ample ventilation. The Booney also has a nice sweatband around the crown for wicking away moisture.

The Bora Bora Booney II from Columbia has large mesh panels for ventilation.

Photo: Jessica Haist

Durability

Thanks to its flexible material, the Bora Bora Booney II faired well in our crush tests. There were no noticeable creases in the brim. However, we have noticed that the brim is very floppy, especially after getting wet, and will flop over your eyes annoyingly. It also stretches after wearing. For these reasons, we scored the Bora Bora Booney lower in this category.

The Bora Bora Booney II did well in our crush test because the brim is so flexible and floppy already.

Photo: Jessica Haist

Style

We personally think the Bora Bora Booney lacks style. It is very generic looking and comes in fairly dull colors. We especially don't like the way it looks once the brim begins to get floppy. There are definitely more stylish hats out there if that is your goal.

The Bora Bora Booney II's brim got floppy after only one use.

Photo: Jessica Haist

Value

The Bora Bora Booney is one of the most inexpensive sun hats in this review. We would rather spend a few more bucks and pick up something else, but if the price is your number one concern, then this is a reasonable option.

Conclusion

This hat is large and floppy brimmed. It has a decent amount of sun protection and will protect your ears and face from the sun while providing good ventilation through the mesh panels. We think it lacks style and seems to stretch out even bigger than its already large size. If you have a large head and want a hat to wear on sunny excursions, the Columbia Bora Bora Booney could be it. Full brim hats are best worn without large packs, as the back of them annoyingly hits your pack. This could be a good option for slower-paced activities like fishing, hiking, or boating.

This model is a good choice for fishing or just hanging out outside.

Photo: Jessica Haist