Photo: Courtesy of Headsweats

Anyone who has ever jogged on a boardwalk or walked briskly along a path has faced this classic summer dilemma: hats with a brim are ideal for shielding the face from damaging UV rays, but they also trap heat, leading to uncomfortable trickles of sweat--a distraction not only from your workout, but from the outdoor views. We recently heard that the US Women's Rowing team has found an answer to this problem: the Headsweats hat, which is part of the team's official training gear. These athletes work out for hours on the open water without sun-blocking trees or shadows for protection, so despite the product's somewhat counter-intuitive name, we trust their judgment. The Headsweats Race Hat looks like a regular baseball cap, but it's made from a proprietary fabric shell that has Coolmax to wick away moisture and allow it to evaporate, as well as a Coolmax-blend terry headband under the brim to catch drops on those humid, soupy days. At less than two ounces, it feels practically weightless (the Race Hat doesn't fit well under a bike helmet, but there are other cap designs that do). While the US Olympic rowers will be wearing their caps while practicing on Dorney Lake near London this summer, we're thinking of getting one for our own weekend sprints around the neighborhood.