Oh.
My.
It was lightweight. It was soft. It was designed to curve over the ears just a wee bit. I could throw it in the washing machine. After using it for a while I decided I also loved that it kept the sun (and rain) out of my eyes while still allowing my head to stay cool-ish (I am a big-time "overheater").
So I started to collect visors. I have visors that I use just for running, others that I wear out on the town (yeah, I get fancy), and still others that I wear when I'm doing yardwork. I am completely converted (although I do still wear caps in the winter, along with an earband if needed).
But...today I shall write about the ones that I wear running. All of these visors are made of some sort of synthetic petroleum-based material that wicks sweat. I have thrown each of these in the washing machine as well (and they all come out just fine).
Adidas Ultra Marathon Visor: This visor is what I call "traditional" mesh. It has a stiffer bill than the other two visors I discuss below which probably makes it a tiny bit heavier (as in about 1 ounce heavier). The front of this visor is a little tall and I would call the fit "just ok," which means that it fits and stays on my head but isn't one of those hats that I forget that I am wearing. This visor has two major drawbacks for me. The first is that it stretches out when it gets wet. A lot. And the second problem? The velcro closure on this hat sucks. It's some sort of new-fangled velcro with really small hooks and loops that doesn't really work when wet. Because of the stretching problem (sometimes the velcro pieces completely overlap and thus don't hook-and-loop into each other) and the bad velcro, I tend to avoid wearing this hat if it's going to get wet (as in it's raining or so hot that I will be dipping my hat in the nearest stream). It's cute, and functional, and light, but not my favorite. It gets a 4 out of 5.
Nike Dri-Fit Visor: OK, Nike took a good thing and...changed it. I admit that I haven't tried the new version, but I loved last year's version. Last years' version (or maybe it was year before last?) curved over the ears, resulting in a nice fit. This year's version is straight (no contour) and while it's the same material and is also light, it lacks the fit feature that I love so much about the old one. This visor doesn't stretch when wet, has a closure that works in all conditions and is super, super comfortable. I forget that I have this hat on when I am wearing it. Worth every full price penny (that means it gets a 5), but I can't even find the old version on Amazon. Bah. I might have to go buy the new one if I find myself in need of a visor (or in need of miscellaneous retail therapy at Salt Lake Running).
Adidas Harmony Visor (pictured below): It appears that Adidas doesn't make this visor any longer. That's too bad, because it's a close second to the Nike visors that I have...which Nike does not make any more. The Adidas Harmony visor was originally made for tennis, I think, but it's a pretty nice running visor, too. This visor does not have any sort of closure in the back; it's just stretchy and is stated to "fit most". Well, I have a pin head and while it did feel a little loose when I first put it on, it does not move or jiggle or anything while running. It's also a little "fitted" in that it curves over the ears. One caveat: I haven't worn this one wet, so I have no idea if it suffers form the same stretching problem as the other Adidas visor. I purchased the Harmony Visor at the Adidas store in Park City (which is a so-called "outlet") and they only had one color: pink. I am not a big fan of pink, but I would definitely buy this hat again in a different color. Well, I would if they still made it. I give it a 4.5 since I don't know how it works when wet.
I hope none of my Nike visors die any time soon!
