Ascent
A performance backcountry hat designed for all head sizes.
4 Week Project, 2024
The brimmed hat is a significant item for winter backcountry sports.
Brim hats offer visibility during precipitation and temperature control for users active in the winter. Quality hats have technical materials that regulate body temp, whether users run cold or hot.
Individuals with smaller and larger heads sacrifice visibility and comfort when using standard hats that don’t accommodate to their head size.
Standard brim hats rarely fit very small and large heads.
There is currently no hat with vertical adjustability.
Essentially all standard brim hats offer lateral adjustability. However, the depth of a hat is a cruicial measurement for proper fit. No single-size hats currently address this.
How might we create a custom-fitting, technical brim hat for backcountry winter sports enthusiasts of all head sizes?
Research
A survey was conducted among 22 individuals who participate in backcountry sports. Significant data insights are summarized below.
A plastic clip buckle and metal clasp are the most favored hat closure mechanisms.
Most respondees always bring a hat with them. The 5-panel style is most commonly worn for outdoor activities.
Storing a hat can bring many issues, like warped soft brims, shoving stiff brims, taking off the pack to store, and cold/wet fabric when hung on pack exterior.
Responders listed their most important hat features as…
Criteria
Adjustable
A hat must have adjustability for proper fit of the user’s head and gear (helmet, hood, etc.)
Packable
Storing the hat should be an easy, quick process without causing brim distortion. Must fit into a jacket pocket.
Waterproof, Warm, Breathable
Materials on the hat must be quiet, regulate user temperature, deflect wind and precipitation, and be breathable.
Ideation
Material Research
Sketch Models
Toggles have differences in form & action so users can identify what to adjust without having to take their hat off.
Intuitive
Users don’t have to take their gloves off when adjusting their fit, keeping their hands warm and dry.
Hassle - Free
The toggles are designed to be acccessible and unobtrusive when worn under a helmet.
Compatible
Stow Methods
Fold + Slide
Roll + Pocket
Loop + Hang
No comfort left behind.