Bula Leah Beanie
Reviewer: Julia Van Raalte
Color: Carrot
The Bula Leah is a fun, simple, and comfortable beanie with a big pom-pom, and it has recently become one of my favorites. The hat is a 70% acrylic and 30% wool blend, so it feels quite soft and avoids that itchiness a pure wool hat can have. It has a looser and larger knit, giving it a chunkier look, with a nice criss-crossed pattern.
The Leah beanie sits on my head fairly loosely, but is secure around my forehead without feeling too tight. Occasionally it slips down a touch, but I also do have a fairly small head (size Small in women’s helmets). The Bula Leah Beanie is warm, with a simple, cute look and I’ll certainly be wearing it to the mountain and around town this winter.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bula Sudan Beanie
Reviewer: Julia Van Raalte
Color: Blueberry
The Bula Sudan beanie has a stylish look and a whole lot of slouch. The beanie is 80% wool and 20% polyamide, giving it that characteristic textured wool feel. There is an inner fleece liner that wraps around the forehead, though, so I didn’t have any issues with the hat feeling itchy.
The hat is thin and tightly woven, with decorative horizontal lines that run to the top of the beanie.
The Sudan sits on my head snugly, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortably tight. The slouch in the beanie is fairly long, but since the material is thin, it doesn’t look too bulky. The Bula Sudan beanie has a cool, different look and still feels comfortable, despite its wool construction.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Burton Answer Beanie
Reviewer: Julia Van Raalte
Color: Pine Needle
MSRP: $30
I actually don’t think I’ve ever worn another hat that I’ve liked as much as Burton’s Answer beanie. The hat is made from 100% acrylic yarn, and is really soft and comfortable next-to-skin. The Answer beanie has a bit of a slouch to it with a medium-sized pom-pom, and a slightly tighter weave than the Bula Leah beanie.
The beanie has a thicker outer layer of yarn, as well as an inner layer that is connected to the outer layer, but is more finely woven. This makes the hat extra warm and cozy, and it also feels really solid and durable. The small band around the forehead is a bit tighter, so that the beanie sits securely on my forehead without moving around. But it doesn’t feel too tight. The Burton Answer is a warm, comfortable beanie that looks and feels really great.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discrete Arccos Beanie
Reviewer: Kate Hourihan
Color: Grey
MSRP: $30
The Discrete Arccos is a fun, good looking beanie with knit cables and a pom-pom, which give it a hand-made feel. Even though the beanie sits loosely on my head, it is fairly tight around the forehead so that it doesn’t slip or fall off.
The Arccos is quite slouchy and gently hugs my head. The hat is made from a strong, soft acrylic yarn, and provides plenty of warmth in colder temperatures. Given its casual, looser fit, the Discrete Arccos is better suited for wearing around-town or for après ski than for athletic endeavors.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discrete Vaston Beanie
Reviewer: Kate Hourihan
Color: Black/White
MSRP: $30
The Discrete Vaston is a very simple soft and stretchy beanie. Although it is made from 100% acrylic yarn, the subtle flecked pattern and natural, blended coloring almost make it feel as classic as a finely knit wool hat. Unlike a lot of finer wool hats, though, the Vaston feels quite durable.
The beanie has just the right amount of stretch; it retains its shape well without feeling like it’s going to stretch out over time. It seems to fit and feel better every time I put it on, just like a broken-in pair of blue jeans. The Vaston’s long, simple shape adds to its versatility; I often wear it unfolded and let it naturally slouch (see above).
For a tighter fit, I also like folding up the bottom of the beanie. The Discrete Vaston has a simple, classic shape that will never go out of style.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discrete Zhu Beanie
Reviewer: Kate Hourihan
Color: Black/Cute Pink
MSRP: $18
The Zhu Beanie is quite similar to the Vaston Beanie in shape, but has more solid, brighter colorways, and is little easier on the wallet ($18 vs $30 for the Vaston).
While there are subtle differences between the Vaston and the Zhu in the stitching and construction, the Zhu is also a sturdy yet soft, longer beanie that looks good folded-up or slouched. The Discrete Zhu is a warm, practical hat that would work well under a ski helmet or on a chilly, winter hike, but is quite stylish, too.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pistil Jax Knit Brim
Reviewer: Lydia Stern
Color: Blue
MSRP: $32
The Pistil Jax knit brim is a warm, comfortable hat that has a casual-chic look. The brim is the perfect size; not too large, but wide enough to shield my eyes and face a bit from the sun.
The Jax has a beautiful diamond knit pattern, and soft fleece lining that keeps my ears warm and never makes my forehead itch, as I’ve experienced with other hats without a lining. The Pistil Jax is a stylish knitted hat that is perfect to wear around town after skiing, or with jeans and a cute top.