Kuiu Gila Hat
Editor's Personal Pick — This is gear our editor carries afield.
Editor's pick: the brimmed sun hat that beats a ball cap on every September chukar morning.
Why we picked this
We resisted brimmed hats for years. Ball caps are easier — they fit under hoodies, they don't blow off, they look correct at a clays course. But after the third September chukar opener with a sunburn line on the back of our neck and a face that looked like jerky by 11 a.m., we tried the Gila. It changed how we think about hot-weather hunting. The Gila is what we now wear from the September opener through the first cold snap, and the shift in hunt-day comfort is bigger than we expected.
Quick specs
| Category | Clothing |
| Brand | Kuiu |
| Style | Brimmed boonie-style sun hat |
| Brim width | ~3" all around |
| Fabric | Lightweight nylon with UPF 50+ |
| Features | Adjustable chin cord, breathable mesh side vents, hi-vis orange option |
| Color options | Kuiu camo, solid earth tones, blaze orange |
| Price | around $59 ($$) |
| Use case | Heat, sun, all-day walking |
| Editor's verdict | The hot-weather hat we should have bought five years sooner. |
The full review
The Gila's design is simple and gets every detail right. The 3" brim is wide enough to shade your face and the back of your neck without being so wide it catches in brush or interferes with mounting a shotgun. The fabric is featherweight nylon with a UPF 50+ rating — actual measured sun protection, not marketing language. The mesh side vents prevent the hat from becoming a heat trap (a problem with cheaper sun hats that use solid fabric throughout).
The chin cord is the detail that converts skeptics. On a windy chukar canyon, a ball cap blows off. The Gila's chin cord — adjustable, removable when you don't want it — keeps the hat on your head when you don't want to be chasing it down a slope. Seasoned hunters take the cord off when they're in calm cover; on a ridge, they snap it under their chin and forget about it.
The hi-vis orange variant is the right pick for any California upland hunter — required-orange real estate that doesn't compete with your blaze cap (because you're not wearing a blaze cap when you're wearing the Gila). Some hunting partners do both: blaze Gila on heat days, blaze ball cap on cool days.
The fabric is treated for water repellency, but the Gila isn't a waterproof hat. For a wet day, switch to a wool hat (Filson Mountain Trapper) or a waterproof ball cap. The Gila is a sun hat first, fair-weather hat second.
Sizing is by head circumference; Kuiu's sizing chart is honest. The Gila packs flat (or close to it) — fits in a vest pocket on cold mornings when you don't want to wear it but want it accessible for when the sun comes up.
What we love
- Wide brim (3") — actual face and neck protection.
- UPF 50+ fabric — real sun protection, not marketing.
- Mesh side vents — doesn't trap heat.
- Chin cord — stays on your head in wind.
- Hi-vis orange option — meets blaze requirements.
What to know before you buy
- Doesn't fit under hoods — if you layer a hooded shell over your hat, the Gila doesn't work as well.
- Brim catches in dense brush occasionally — manzanita and chamise will tug on it. Worth it for the sun protection.
- Looks "outdoorsy" — if you prefer a baseball cap aesthetic, this isn't your hat.
- Sized by head circumference — measure correctly, Kuiu's chart is accurate.
- Brand-direct only — Kuiu doesn't retail through outdoor stores.
Where to buy
- Buy direct from Kuiu (brand-direct)
CaliforniaUpland.com earns commissions from qualifying purchases at affiliated retailers. Kuiu does not currently offer affiliate commissions; we recommend the Gila because it earns the slot.
See also
- All Clothing picks
- First Lite Blaze Orange Ball Cap — the cool-weather alternative
- Filson Mountain Trapper Hat — late-season cold-weather pick
- Kuiu Tiburon Pant — completes the warm-weather kit