Quick verdict: The Hemlock Bruma Cowboy in Natural is a UPF 50+ straw cowboy hat ($118) that earns its spot as a true four-season-of-summer companion. Made from 100% tripilla palm straw with a leather drawcord and a genuinely comfortable interior, it held up across a Colorado-to-SoCal stretch that included Zion switchbacks, full beach days, and a hundred ordinary walks in between. If you want one sun hat that looks as good at a trailhead as it does on the sand, this is the one to beat.
I didn’t plan on this hat becoming the main character of my summer. I bought it for shade. What I got was the one piece of gear I reached for every single morning, in two states, across about four different climates.
Here’s the honest version of how that happened.
What is the Hemlock Bruma Cowboy?
The Bruma is Hemlock Hat Co.’s take on a classic Western straw hat, built for people who actually go outside rather than people who want to look like they do. The short list of what you’re getting:
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | 100% tripilla palm straw |
| Sun protection | UPF 50+ |
| Crown / brim | Fedora-style crown, turned-up brim |
| Fit system | Drylex interior sweatband, interior size adjuster, foam filler |
| Secure fit | Genuine leather drawcord (chin cord) |
| Color reviewed | Natural |
| Price | $118 |
Tripilla palm is the detail that matters most here. It’s a tight, durable weave that gives the hat real structure without feeling heavy, and the natural tone goes with everything from board shorts to a flannel. The turned-up brim keeps it from reading as costume cowboy — it’s Western enough to have character, restrained enough to wear to dinner.
The road trip test: Colorado to SoCal
I live at altitude in Colorado, where the sun is closer and meaner than people realize. Then I pointed the car west toward Southern California. That drive is the whole pitch for a hat like this: high-desert dry, then coastal humidity, then full beach glare, all in the span of a couple days.
A lot of straw hats pick a lane. They’re beach hats that look silly on a trail, or trail hats that look like gear at the shore. The Bruma never made me choose. Same hat at 8,000 feet in the dry Rockies and at sea level on a humid beach — and it looked right in both places.
Hiking in Zion National Park
This is where I expected the hat to tap out, and it didn’t.
Zion in summer is a furnace. The switchbacks bake, the sandstone throws heat back up at you, and there is nowhere to hide from the sun for long stretches. A baseball cap leaves your ears and neck exposed. A boonie hat does the job but looks like, well, a boonie hat.
The Bruma’s turned-up brim cast real shade across my face and neck, and the UPF 50+ straw meant I wasn’t reapplying sunscreen to my scalp every hour. The leather drawcord earned its keep here — cinched under the chin, the hat stayed put on the exposed, windier sections where I’d normally be chasing a hat down the trail. The drylex sweatband actually managed the sweat instead of just soaking it, which on a Zion afternoon is not a small thing.
One honest caveat: this is straw, not a packable technical hat. It doesn’t crush down into a pack and bounce back. If your hike involves stuffing it into a bag, this isn’t your hat. If it’s on your head the whole time, it’s excellent.
Perfect for the beach
If straw hats have a natural habitat, it’s the sand — and the Bruma is completely at home here. Wide enough brim to shade your face through a long beach day, breathable enough that your head doesn’t cook under it, and lightweight enough that you forget you’re wearing it.
The natural color hides sand and sun wear better than a darker straw would, and the relaxed Western shape photographs well if that’s part of why you’re buying a $118 hat (no judgment — it is). The same drawcord that saved me in Zion handles a beach breeze without a problem.
The everyday companion
Here’s the part I didn’t expect. Past the big trips, the Bruma became my default for the most ordinary things — dog walks, coffee runs, neighborhood loops, short local hikes. It’s comfortable enough for hours thanks to the size adjuster and foam filler that let you dial in the fit, and it looks intentional rather than fussy. That’s the real test of any piece of gear: not the highlight-reel adventure, but whether you actually grab it on a Tuesday.
I grabbed it on a lot of Tuesdays.
Care: the one thing you need to know
Straw has a weakness, and it’s water. Keep the Bruma dry — it’s a sun hat, not a rain hat. Store it somewhere cool and dry out of direct sunlight, and don’t crush, fold, or bend it (a flat surface or a hat box is ideal). Treat it like the natural material it is and it’ll last for seasons. Soak it in a downpour and you’ll regret it. That’s the trade with real straw, and for me it’s an easy one.
Who it’s for
- Buy it if: you want one sun hat that crosses over from trail to beach to town, you spend real time in strong sun, and you care how it looks.
- Skip it if: you need something packable for backpacking, or you’re routinely caught in rain and want a do-everything hat.
Hemlock Bruma Cowboy: the verdict
The best gear is the gear you stop thinking about because it just comes with you. The Hemlock Bruma Cowboy did exactly that across a Colorado-to-SoCal summer — shade in Zion, cover on the beach, and a daily companion on a hundred unremarkable walks. At $118 with UPF 50+ sun protection and a build that handles real use, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone chasing a summer in the sun.
It traveled with me everywhere. That’s the highest compliment I give a piece of gear.
FAQ
Is the Hemlock Bruma Cowboy good for hiking? Yes — the turned-up brim shades your face and neck, the UPF 50+ straw cuts sun exposure, and the leather drawcord keeps it secure in wind. Just know it’s straw, so it isn’t packable or crushproof.
What is the Bruma Cowboy made of? 100% tripilla palm straw, with a drylex interior sweatband and a genuine leather drawcord.
Does the Hemlock Bruma have sun protection? Yes, it’s rated UPF 50+, which blocks the large majority of UV rays.
How much does the Hemlock Bruma Cowboy cost? It retails for $118 in the Natural colorway.
Can it get wet? Avoid it. Straw hats should be kept dry and stored in a cool, dry place. Treat it as a sun hat, not a rain hat.
How does the sizing work? Each hat includes an interior size adjuster and a foam filler, so you can fine-tune the fit if you’re between sizes.
