The world's most in-depth and scientific reviews of outdoor gear

Conner Airflow Review

This inexpensive hat looks similar to the Tilley LTM6 Airflo, but performs far less impressively in every category.
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Price:  $39 List | $39.00 at Amazon
Pros:  Lightweight, good ventilation
Cons:  Warps out of shape easily and is hard to fix, sizing is inaccurate
Manufacturer:   Conner Hats
By Jessica Haist ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Nov 20, 2018
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67
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#15 of 17
  • Protection - 30% 6
  • Comfort - 25% 7
  • Breathability - 15% 9
  • Durability - 15% 5
  • Style - 15% 7

Our Verdict

We like that this hat is made with fully recycled materials. It looks stylish and is very lightweight and breathable. However, we are disappointed in its performance because it bent out of shape right away. We were unable to bend it back and didn't enjoy wearing it as a result. It didn't also provide as much sun protection after it was misshapen, which is the whole point. The sizing of the Airflow is way off as well. We'd recommend sizing up if you're going to purchase this hat. If we hadn't believed Connor's crushable claims and had ordered a size up, this would be a functional sun hat.

Either way, we prefer the packable, stylish, and comfortable Tilley LTM6 Airflo with its 50+ UPF rating, or the durable and protective Outdoor Research Sombriolet.


Compare to Similar Products

(change comparison)
 
This Product
Conner Airflow
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award Best Buy Award  
Price $39.00 at Amazon$29.99 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers		$31.46 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers		$17.83 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers		$39.00 at REI
Compare at 2 sellers
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Pros Lightweight, good ventilationLightweight, durable, good sun protectionGood protection, comfortable, good in wind, breathableTotal protection, removable cape, good in the wind, good valueGreat protection all around, especially on the back; brim is angled for longer protection, good ventilation, comfortable
Cons Warps out of shape easily and is hard to fix, sizing is inaccurateNot super stylishLess durable than Tilley, not great for backpackingLooks a little funny, can get hot on the back of your neckNot stylish, brim is not crushable, shows stains easily
Bottom Line This inexpensive hat looks similar to the Tilley LTM6 Airflo, but performs far less impressively in every category.The Ultra Adventure wins our Editors' Choice for Technical Use for being the highest performing, most versatile hat of the bunch.Good protection from the sun and excellent wind performance makes this a great choice for days spent out on the water.This super protective hat is versatile and an excellent value, winning our Best Buy Award. It lacks in the style department.This hat has great coverage and is a good choice for any sunny activity, although it is quite dorky looking.
Rating Categories Conner Airflow Ultra Adventure Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Runner Cap Adventure Hat
Protection (30%)
10
0
6
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
10
10
0
10
Comfort (25%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
8
Breathability (15%)
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
8
10
0
7
10
0
8
Durability (15%)
10
0
5
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
8
10
0
6
Style (15%)
10
0
7
10
0
6
10
0
7
10
0
5
10
0
4
Specs Conner Airflow Ultra Adventure Outdoor Research... Sun Runner Cap Adventure Hat
Weight (ounces) 2.8 oz 2.6 oz 3.1 oz 2.8 oz 2.64 oz
Size of Brim (inches) 3.25" 3.25", with 6" neck cape 4" front/back, 3.25" sides 2.75 brim, 7.25" neck cape 3.75", with 7.25" neck cape
Material Recycled plastic, organic cotton 88% nylon, 12% polyester dobby 86% nylon, 14% polyester double weave ripstop 100% Supplex nylon 100% nylon with 100% polyester mesh insets
UPF rating Unspecified 50+ 50+ 50+ 50+
Cinch Cord Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Packable/compressible Yes Yes Yes Yes No - do not fold or compress the brim. Packs Flat
Size tested M (7-7 1/8) L L L M 21" - 23"

Our Analysis and Test Results

We got bent out of shape about the Conner Hats Men's Airflow Hat when we could not bend ours back into its original, stylish shape.

Performance Comparison


The Conner Hat's brim got completely bent out of shape and we could not make it look anywhere near normal afterwards.
The Conner Hat's brim got completely bent out of shape and we could not make it look anywhere near normal afterwards.

Protection


The Conner Airflow is not the most protective hat of the bunch. Its brim measures 3-inch around, which is somewhere in the middle compared to the other products we tested. The brim is a lightweight material that is covered with mesh, providing reasonable sun protection. The top of the crown is also covered, but the sides are pure mesh. This lets plenty of sun through, which could allow your scalp to burn if you have a deep part or don't have much hair to begin with.

The brim and top of the crown are covered for sun protection but the sides of the crown are fully mesh for ventilation.
The brim and top of the crown are covered for sun protection, but the sides of the crown are fully mesh for ventilation.

Conner does not specify a UPF rating for the Airflow. As a result, we can't compare it directly to the other products in this review, which all have a UPF rating of 50+, including the Airflow's closest competitor the Tilley LTM6 Airflo.

The Airflow's brim bends out of shape easily. This can cause this hat to have even less sun coverage. We prefer something like the Outdoor Research Sombriolet that holds its shape better and has more protection overall.

The Conner Hat's sizing is inaccurate. We recommend sizing up!
The Conner Hat's sizing is inaccurate. We recommend sizing up!

Comfort


The Airflow is a lightweight hat, particularly for its rigid cowboy style. It is lighter than the Tilley Airflow by half an ounce. Unlike the Tilley however, its sizing is very off. The size medium we purchased is supposed to fit a circumference of 22 ⅜-inches, but it barely fit on our tester's 21.5-inch, size small head. If you are considering purchasing this product, definitely size up! We read several online reviews that say the same thing.

The Airflow is comfortable otherwise, with a soft brow lining material and a removable chin strap to keep it on when it's windy.

The Conner Hat's Crown has a little stash pocket for small belongings.
The Conner Hat's Crown has a little stash pocket for small belongings.

Breathability


This product excels in this category. As we already mentioned the sides of the crown are made of mesh. This makes the Conner Airflow one of the most breathable products we tested. We also like the light and airy materials in the Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure.

While it doesn't seem like it will wear out easily it certainly doesn't live up to the company's crushable claims. One ride in our luggage and it was irreparably misshapen.
While it doesn't seem like it will wear out easily, it certainly doesn't live up to the company's crushable claims. One ride in our luggage and it was irreparably misshapen.

Durability


The Airflow is not particularly durable. Conner Hats claims it is crushable, so we threw it in our suitcase with little regard for maintaining its shape during our travels. We were very disappointed when we took it out of our luggage. It was wildly misshapen and we could not make it go back to its original form. After this, it was a very strange and wonky looking hat.

We greatly prefer the foldable brim of the Ultra Adventure when traveling with a hat. The Outdoor Research Oasis Sun Sombrero also works well, laying flat in our suitcase.

The recycled materials that Connor uses to construct the Airflow are very lightweight. While this helps keep the hat comfortable and airy, it does not seem like it will stand up to much abuse as a result.

Style


At first glance, this hat seems very stylish — if you're into the Australian outback cowboy kind of look. If you are careful with it and maintain its shape, it could work for you. But if you aren't vigilant and the hat gets bent out of shape, it becomes very un-stylish very quickly.

The Airflow has a certain Australian outback style if you're into that sort of thing.
The Airflow has a certain Australian outback style, if you're into that sort of thing.

Best Applications


This could be a good choice for many outdoor activities from boating to yard work if you size up and treat it with care. But there are more durable and protective options available to keep you out of the sun.

Value


Retailing for $37, the Connor Airflow is a decent value. Still we'd pay $90 for the Tilley LTM6 Airflo if we wanted a hat with this type of style. It will last much longer and has a lifetime guarantee.

Conclusion


The Connor Airflow is a stylish hat that with an eco-friendly conscience. But it's recycled materials let us down by getting completely bent out of shape. Its inconsistent sizing is also a pain.


— Jessica Haist