A legionnaire sun hat is a cap with a curtain at the back. The short peak (the bill, as on a baseball cap) shades the eyes, and a soft flap hangs down over the ears and the back of the neck. In the US, shops usually call it a neck flap hat or a flap hat.
Wear it outdoors whenever the UV index is 3 or more, the same days as any sun hat.
One or two sun hats are enough, not one of each kind. Choose a legionnaire over a wide-brim hat for a baby who leans back in a stroller or a carrier, and for a toddler who never sits still. If your baby happily keeps a wide-brim sun hat on, stick with that.
- For ages0–3years
- You'll need1–2sun hats
- Wear it fromUV 3
Legionnaire or wide-brim hat?
Both are good sun hats for a child.
Legionnaire hat
In a stroller seat or a carrier, the soft flap folds flat behind the head, and the peak stays above the eyes. The cap fits close, so it stays on a baby who crawls and runs. The face gets less shade than under a brim.
- Good: Lies flat when your baby leans back
- Good: Stays on a busy toddler
- Not good: Only the peak shades the face
Wide-brim sun hat
A brim all the way around shades the whole face, as well as the ears and neck. But it can catch the wind, and in a stroller seat or a carrier, the back of the brim bumps and can push the front down over the eyes.
- Good: Shade over the whole face
- Not good: Bumps when your baby leans back
- Not good: Can blow off in the wind
Does the flap really shade the neck?
Yes, from every side. A cap leaves the ears and the back of the neck in the sun as soon as the sun moves to the side or behind, and the flap hangs right over them. With the sun at the side, the front of the cheek still catches it, as under any peak.
Where the shade falls
The sun here is halfway up the sky, as on a summer morning or afternoon. A lower sun reaches further under every brim.
Cap
Front only
6–7 cm of brim, all of it in front. The sides and the back have none.
Legionnaire
Peak and flap
A peak like a cap's, and a flap over the ears and neck. The flap meets the peak at the sides.
Bucket hat
5 cm (2 in)
At least this much brim, angled down all round, on a deep crown that sits low. That is the minimum for a child.
Wide brim
7.5 cm (3 in)
Brim all round, and at least 6 cm of it on a child's hat.
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarPartly in the sun
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the sun
- EarIn the sun
- Back of the neckIn the sun
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the sun
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the sun
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckPartly in the sun
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
- EyesIn the shade
- CheekIn the shade
- EarIn the shade
- Back of the neckIn the shade
Types of legionnaire hat
Cotton legionnaire
The everyday one, in thin woven cotton or soft cotton jersey (T‑shirt knit), for walks and play on dry days.
Swim legionnaire
Made of quick-dry swim fabric, smooth and stretchy like a swimsuit. It goes into the pool or the sea with your baby and dries fast on the sand.
Bucket hat with a neck flap
A brim all the way around, plus a longer flap at the back. The brim shades more of the face, so it suits a baby who sits up to play. Shops sell both kinds as neck flap hats, so look at the front: a short peak or a full brim.
How to choose a legionnaire hat
1. A flap that meets the peak
Look at the hat from the side. The flap should start right where the peak ends. Any gap between them leaves the side of the face in the sun.
- Good: Flap edge touches the peak
- Good: Ears hidden under the flap
- Not good: A gap between peak and flap
2. A snug back
Elastic or a toggle (a cord you pull tight) at the back should hold the hat close without squeezing. If there's a strap, its clip should pop open when pulled, so it lets go if the strap catches on something. Buy by head size, not age (how to measure a head).
- Good: Elastic or a toggle at the back
- Good: Strap clip that pops open
- Not good: Slides down over the eyes
3. Thin, tightly woven fabric
Pick thin, soft fabric that crumples against a seat back or your chest. UPF 50+ on the label means the weave lets no more than 2% of the sun's UV rays through (what UPF means). No label? Hold the flap up to a window: the less light that comes through, the better.
- Good: Crumples softly in your hand
- Good: UPF 50+ on the label
- Not good: Light shines through the weave
How to put it on
Flap at the back, peak at the front. Pull the hat down until the elastic sits low on the back of the head and the flap hangs straight over the neck. The peak should sit just above the eyebrows, so your baby can see out.
If your baby falls asleep in the stroller, take the hat off and pull the canopy forward for shade instead. A sleeping baby's head stays bare.
Questions parents ask
Is a legionnaire hat better than a bucket hat?
Neither beats the other for sun protection. Pick the legionnaire for stroller and carrier time and for a toddler on the move, and a bucket hat if you'd like more shade on the face.
Will a legionnaire hat stay on my baby?
Usually, because the elastic at the back holds it close. If your baby still pulls it off, a chin strap that pops open if it catches can help. And if the flap is what your baby minds, a wide-brim hat does the job too.
Is a baseball cap enough?
No. A cap shades the eyes and forehead, and leaves the ears and the back of the neck bare. A legionnaire is a cap with that gap filled in.
Does my baby still need sunscreen with a legionnaire hat?
Yes, from 6 months, on the skin the hat and clothes leave bare: the nose, cheeks and chin, and the backs of the hands. A mineral sunscreen suits babies best.
Can a newborn wear a legionnaire hat?
Yes, in a newborn size. But under 6 months, keep your baby out of direct sun altogether. Use shade first, from a tree or the stroller canopy, and the hat for the moments you can't avoid the sun.
