I love it when I get something to review that arrives just at the right time. The British summer is always a little hit and miss weather wise, but last week the sun finally shone. Coincidentally, Man O’Leisure had been in touch to see if I wanted to try out some of the new range of summer hats from Sunday Afternoons.
Finn tried out a ‘kids’ play hat’ and Luke took the men’s ‘lookout hat’ for a spin. We had a very rare afternoon off together (sadly it wasn’t a Sunday!), so decided to make the most of the sunshine and head to our nearest National Trust property, Canons Ashby.
Canons Ashby boasts extensive gardens and is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon
As with all NT places, they are very child friendly and keen to get the whole family involved. The gardens are a great place to explore, Finn loved looking for the things on his spotter sheet.
Ticking off different artifacts kept Finn amused for quite some time
It really was a warm day. I was so glad that Finn finally had a hat that a) fitted his massive head (and stayed on) and b) offered some serious protection from the sun. Usually I’m anxious if he’s out too long on a hot day, but I felt better knowing his face and neck was covered. The hat has an excellent UPF (ultra violet protection factor) of 50, meaning that only 1/50th of the sun’s UV rays will pass through. With his hat and a liberal application of suncream, I was confident that he would be protected from the sun.
Luke is always complaining that I never get anything for him to try out. Well, I’d finally put that right! Despite him not being the biggest hat fan, he willingly wore it for our day out. In truth, I wished that I had a hat, luckily my Buff came in useful here and helped to keep me cool.
Both Finn and Luke were chuffed with their smart new headwear
I think that we’re both at the point in our lives where we actually want to be sensible. Being hot and bothered is not much fun, especially when you’re chasing around after a toddler on a warm day. Luke’s hat not only looked good but was also extremely functional. The wicking sweatband kept him cool, while the adjustable headband made sure it fitted perfectly
Every man needs an adventure hat in his life
I was impressed with how versatile it was, you could easily wear it out to a barbecue or in a pub garden on a summer’s day, yet it’s also practical enough for walks and days out. (I also thought that it had a hint of Indiana Jones about it, which made me very happy). Even Luke said that he will definitely be wearing it again this summer.
We all loved looking around the gardens and tried our hand at croquet. I’m not sure that Finn totally understood, but he had fun nonetheless.
Canons Ashby has lots of ways to get everyone enjoying the outdoors
We popped over the road to have a quick look at the church and rounded off the day with a well deserved ice cream.
The small, but perfectly formed, church is well worth a look around
I was very impressed with both hats, they looked good and were very high quality. The family run Sunday Afternoons, who have just celebrated their 25th anniversary, certainly understand what people want from their outdoor gear. It’s also the first time that Finn has kept a hat on his head, so for that alone, I’m so grateful!
What do you think of our new hats?
