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.Conner Airflow Review
This inexpensive hat looks similar to the Tilley LTM6 Airflo, but performs far less impressively in every category
Photo: Conner Hats
Price: $51 List | $47.98 at Amazon
Pros: Lightweight, good ventilation
Cons: Warps out of shape easily and is hard to fix, sizing is inaccurate
Manufacturer: Conner Hats
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
Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more
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Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Conner Airflow | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $47.98 at Amazon | $42.00 at Backcountry | $41.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $35.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $38.62 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Lightweight, good ventilation | Lightweight, durable, good sun protection | Good protection, comfortable, good in wind, breathable | Total protection, removable cape, good in the wind, good value | Great 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 inaccurate | Not super stylish | Less durable than Tilley, not great for backpacking | Looks a little funny, can get hot on the back of your neck | Not stylish, brim is not crushable, shows stains easily |
| Bottom Line | The Connor Hats Airflow did not perform well, and we would choose the Tilley LTM6 Airflo in a heartbeat | The highest performing and most versatile in our fleet, this hat takes our Editors' Choice Award | A great choice for boating, the Sombriolet has decent protection from the sun and good wind performance | What it lacks in the style department, it makes up for in protection. It is versatile and wins our Best Buy Award | This dorky looking hat has great sun coverage and we'd recommend it for any activity |
| Rating Categories | Conner Airflow | Ultra Adventure | Outdoor Research Sombriolet | Sun Runner Cap | Adventure Hat |
| Protection (30%) | |||||
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Breathability (15%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Style (15%) | |||||
| 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" |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
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.
Photo: Ian McEleney
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.
Photo: Ian McEleney
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!
Photo: Ian McEleney
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.
Photo: Ian McEleney
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.
Photo: Ian McEleney
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.
Photo: Ian McEleney
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
The Connor Airflow is a decent value. Still we'd pay more 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