Best Straw Hats & Sun Hats 2026: Top UK Picks
We compared the best straw hats and sun hats on Amazon UK for 2026, from packable Panamas to UPF beach hats, with honest buying advice.
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Our Top Picks
A quick look at our recommendations
Detailed Reviews
Columbia Unisex Bora Bora Booney UPF 50 Sun Hat
What we like
- The Columbia Bora Bora Booney is the sun hat we would point the largest number of British buyers towards, and its remarkable 4.4-star average across roughly 23,800 Amazon UK ratings is exactly the kind of broad, hard-won endorsement that earns it our Best Overall spot. This is not a fashion piece pretending to protect you; it is a genuine UPF 50 sun hat with Columbia's Omni-Shade sun protection built into the fabric, a wide 360-degree brim that shades your face, ears and the back of your neck, and a mesh vent panel around the crown that keeps your head cool on a hot, still day. For beach trips, hikes, festivals, gardening and long walks, it simply does the fundamental job better than almost anything at the price.
- The details are what keep owners loyal season after season. There is an adjustable drawcord toggle at the crown so it holds its shape, plus an adjustable chin strap that stops it sailing off the moment a sea breeze picks up, which is the single most common complaint people have about cheaper boonies. The fabric is a lightweight quick-drying nylon that shrugs off splashes and dries fast if it gets caught in a shower, and it crushes down into a bag or rucksack without holding a crease, so it travels beautifully. Reviewers repeatedly praise how light it feels on the head and how well it copes with sweat and sun cream compared with a stiff straw hat.
- It is the pick we would hand to anyone who wants one reliable hat that covers every summer scenario without fuss. It comes in a wide spread of colours and a couple of sizes, it wipes clean, and the enormous review base means every common question has already been answered by real owners. For sun protection, comfort and value in a single hat, the Bora Bora Booney is the one to beat, and a genuinely easy recommendation for the whole family.
Could be better
- It is a practical boonie, not a smart straw hat, so it will not dress up a linen outfit or a garden wedding the way a Panama or a wide-brim raffia will. If your priority is looking elegant on a terrace rather than staying cool on a coastal path, this is the wrong tool, and you should look at one of the straw picks below instead.
- The floppy nylon brim is deliberately soft, which is brilliant for packing but means it does not hold a crisp, structured shape and can flop into your eyeline in a strong wind if you do not cinch the drawcord. A minority of buyers also find the sizing runs a touch large, so if you are between sizes it is worth checking the size guide before ordering. None of this dents its value; it is simply a rugged sun hat rather than a style statement.
FURTALK Women's Wide Brim UPF 80 Foldable Straw Sun Hat
What we like
- The FURTALK Women's Sun Straw Hat is the wide-brim straw hat that has quietly become a British summer staple, and a strong 4.3-star average from roughly 16,400 Amazon UK ratings is about as much collective reassurance as you will find in this category. It hits the sweet spot so many women are after: a genuinely wide, floppy brim that shades the face and shoulders, a natural woven-straw look that suits the beach, a garden party or a holiday terrace, and a rated UPF 80 weave that takes sun protection seriously rather than treating it as an afterthought. It is the hat you can throw on with a summer dress and instantly feel put together.
- What sets it apart at the price is that it actually packs. The crown and brim are woven to be foldable and roll-friendly, so you can bend it into a bag or a suitcase and it springs back into shape rather than arriving home permanently creased, which is the downfall of most cheap straw hats. There is an inner drawstring so you can adjust the fit to your head and stop it lifting in a breeze, and the neutral straw tones go with almost everything. Owners repeatedly highlight how flattering the brim shape is and how well it holds up to being stuffed in and out of beach bags all season.
- It is our clear pick for women who want one elegant, protective straw hat that does double duty for holidays and everyday summer wear. It is light enough to forget you are wearing it, wide enough to keep the sun off your face and decolletage, and cheap enough that you are not precious about actually using it. For flattering looks, real shade and packability at a sensible price, it is a very easy recommendation.
Could be better
- As a soft, foldable straw hat it is built for style and shade rather than rugged outdoor abuse, so it is not the hat for scrambling up a hill or wearing in heavy wind without holding on to it. The floppy brim that looks so good on a terrace can blow around on an exposed clifftop, and without a chin cord it relies on the inner drawstring and a hand on the crown when it gusts.
- Straw colour and weave can vary very slightly from the listing photo depending on the batch, and a few buyers with larger head sizes find the adjustable fit only just accommodates them, so it is worth checking the measurements if you are at the top of the range. It is also hand-wash and reshape only, not machine washable, as you would expect from woven straw. For a flattering, packable summer hat, though, these are small and predictable trade-offs.
ZLYC Women's Foldable Straw Bucket Sun Hat
What we like
- If you want a proper woven-straw sun hat for the least money without ending up with something that feels like a party prop, the ZLYC Straw Bucket Hat is the obvious answer, and a dependable 4.3-star average from around 6,300 Amazon UK ratings shows it has earned its keep across plenty of British beaches and gardens. It is a compact, medium-brim bucket-style straw hat that packs down small, weighs almost nothing and typically costs less than a couple of coffees, which makes it the ideal grab-and-go hat for the car, the beach bag or a festival kit.
- The clever thing at this price is how versatile the shape is. The bucket-style brim is wide enough to shade the face without being so floppy that it flops into your eyes, so it works as happily on a bike or a walk as it does on a lounger, and it suits a broad range of face shapes. It comes in a big spread of natural and coloured straw finishes, it folds into a bag and springs back without a permanent crease, and it is light enough that you genuinely forget you have it on. Reviewers love that it is cheap enough to own two, and that it looks far more expensive than it costs.
- It is refreshingly honest about what it is: a fun, easy, affordable straw sun hat that does the job and looks good doing it. For students, festival-goers, holidaymakers and anyone who simply wants a decent straw hat in the boot for spontaneous sunny days, it is our clear budget recommendation and genuinely good value.
Could be better
- At this price the weave is lighter and less structured than a premium Panama, so it will not hold a crisp, sculpted brim and it is not built to last a decade of hard use. Treat it as a cheerful, replaceable summer hat rather than an heirloom and you will be delighted; expect a hand-blocked straw and you will not.
- The medium bucket brim gives good everyday shade but does not cover the shoulders the way a full wide-brim floppy hat does, so committed sun-avoiders may want more coverage. There is no chin cord, so in a strong wind you will be holding on to it. For a stylish, packable straw hat at rock-bottom money, though, these are easy compromises to accept.
Comhats Unisex Panama Fedora Trilby Straw Sun Hat
What we like
- The Comhats Panama Fedora is our pick for anyone who wants the classic, smart straw-hat look without spending Panama-boutique money, and a solid 4.4-star average from roughly 4,300 Amazon UK ratings backs up its popularity. This is the traditional fedora silhouette done in a natural paper-straw weave: a structured, pinched crown, a neat short-to-medium brim, and a grosgrain ribbon band that lifts it from beachwear to genuinely presentable at a summer wedding, a race day or a garden party. It is the straw hat that makes a linen shirt or a summer dress look considered rather than thrown together.
- For the money the finish is impressive. The weave is tight and even, the crown holds its shape well, and the brim has just enough structure to look crisp while still offering useful shade for the face. It comes in a wide range of natural and dyed straw tones with different band colours, and there are multiple sizes plus an inner sweatband for a comfortable, secure fit through a warm day. Owners consistently praise how much more expensive it looks than it costs, and how well it survives being worn all summer without losing its shape.
- It is the hat to choose when you want to look the part rather than just stay cool, and it is unisex, so it suits men and women equally. It travels reasonably well for a structured hat, it dresses up an outfit instantly, and it sits at a price that makes it an easy first proper straw hat. For classic summer style with real everyday wearability, the Comhats Panama Fedora is our clear straw-fedora recommendation.
Could be better
- As a structured fedora it does not fold or roll like a soft foldable straw hat, so it needs a little care in a suitcase and is best transported crown-up or in a hat box on longer trips. If ultimate packability is your priority, one of the foldable picks above will suit you better.
- The short-to-medium fedora brim prioritises style over maximum coverage, so it shades the face nicely but will not protect the shoulders or the back of the neck the way a wide-brim beach hat does. It is also paper straw rather than genuine hand-woven toquilla, which is exactly why it is affordable. For a smart, well-made summer fedora at a fair price, though, those are sensible trade-offs.
Equal Earth Genuine Rolling Folding Panama Straw Hat
What we like
- The Equal Earth Genuine Panama is where this round-up grows up, and a 4.4-star average from around 640 Amazon UK ratings reflects a hat built for people who want the real thing rather than a paper-straw lookalike. This is a genuine hand-woven Ecuadorian toquilla-straw Panama, the traditional article, finished with a proper grosgrain band and designed to be rolled and folded for travel without cracking. Owners repeatedly describe the moment they unbox it and feel the difference in the weave; it is a noticeably finer, denser, more supple straw than anything at the budget end, and it looks and ages like a hat you keep for years.
- The headline trick is that a properly made Panama packs. This one is woven and blocked to roll up and fold into a supplied travel tube or a bag, then spring back into shape, so you get genuine handmade quality that still survives a suitcase, which is the holy grail for holiday hats. The medium brim strikes a good balance between elegant proportions and real shade, the fit is comfortable thanks to a proper inner band, and the neutral toquilla tone works with linen, tailoring and swimwear alike. This is the pick for the buyer who wants one beautiful hat to own rather than a cheap one to replace.
- It is the hat to choose if you appreciate craftsmanship and want a summer piece that draws compliments and lasts. The genuine hand-woven construction feels special, the roll-and-fold packability makes it a brilliant travel companion, and the timeless Panama shape never dates. For the discerning buyer who wants authentic quality rather than the lowest price, the Equal Earth Panama is our premium recommendation and worth every penny of the step up.
Could be better
- The obvious catch is price: at roughly 60 to 70 pounds it costs two to three times a paper-straw fedora, so it only makes sense if you genuinely value authentic hand-woven quality and will wear it enough to justify the outlay. Casual once-a-summer wearers will get most of the look from a cheaper hat and can spend the difference elsewhere.
- Because it is a natural hand-woven product, each hat varies slightly in weave and tone, and it needs a little care: roll it correctly, keep it dry where possible and reshape it after packing. A few buyers with very large heads note the upper sizes sell out fastest, so check availability in your size. For a genuine, packable Panama that will last, though, these are the expected trade-offs of buying the real thing.
YMYDYFC Baby & Toddler UPF 50+ Wide Brim Sun Hat
What we like
- The YMYDYFC Baby Sun Hat is our pick for the littlest sunbathers, and an excellent 4.6-star average from around 157 Amazon UK ratings shows parents rate it highly where it matters most: keeping delicate skin covered. It is a soft, lightweight wide-brim bucket hat with a rated UPF 50+ fabric, sized for babies and toddlers, with a generous all-round brim that shades the face, ears and neck. For beach days, buggy walks, paddling pools and garden play, it delivers proper sun protection in a shape small children will actually tolerate wearing.
- The thoughtful touches are what win parents over. There is an adjustable chin strap with a safety-release toggle so it stays put on a wriggling toddler without being a choking risk, plus an adjustable inner drawstring so the same hat grows with your child across a couple of summers rather than being outgrown in weeks. The fabric is breathable and quick-drying, it packs flat into a changing bag, and it comes in a huge range of colours and cute prints for boys and girls. Reviewers love how well it stays on compared with stiffer kids' hats, and how easy it is to wash after a messy day.
- It is the hat to choose for genuine, affordable child sun protection that does not fight you at the door. The wide brim gives real coverage, the adjustable fit keeps it secure and long-lasting, and the low price means you can keep spares in the car and the changing bag. For keeping babies and toddlers safe in the sun without breaking the bank, it is our clear recommendation and superb value.
Could be better
- As an inexpensive children's hat the construction is practical rather than plush, and the soft brim is deliberately floppy so it will not hold a rigid shape; that is exactly what you want on a small child, but do not expect a structured sun hat. Sizing is broad, so check the age and head-circumference guide, because the range spans newborn to toddler and getting the right band size matters for a secure fit.
- Prints and colours can vary slightly from the listing photo depending on stock, and with a smaller review base than the adult hats here there is a little less collective feedback to draw on, though what there is skews very positive. For safe, comfortable, budget child sun protection, these are minor and entirely expected trade-offs.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Rating | Price | Best For | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Unisex Bora Bora Booney UPF 50 Sun Hat | £15 - £20 | Best Overall | View | |
| FURTALK Women's Wide Brim UPF 80 Foldable Straw Sun Hat | 16,400 reviews | £20 - £26 | Best for Women | View |
| ZLYC Women's Foldable Straw Bucket Sun Hat | 6,300 reviews | £12 - £16 | Best Budget | View |
| Comhats Unisex Panama Fedora Trilby Straw Sun Hat | £22 - £28 | Best Straw Fedora | View | |
| Equal Earth Genuine Rolling Folding Panama Straw Hat | £60 - £70 | Best Premium | View | |
| YMYDYFC Baby & Toddler UPF 50+ Wide Brim Sun Hat | £7 - £11 | Best for Kids | View |
There is a particular kind of British optimism in buying a sun hat. We do it in hope as much as expectation, and then spend three glorious weeks a year genuinely grateful we did. A good hat is the cheapest, simplest sun protection you can own: no reapplying, no greasy hands, no forgetting. It shades your face, saves your scalp, keeps you cooler on a hot day, and, if you have chosen well, makes you look rather good doing it.
The trouble is that "sun hat" covers everything from a serious UPF-rated boonie built for a coastal hike down to a flimsy straw disc that arrives from a suitcase permanently bent out of shape. The listings rarely make the difference obvious. So we did the legwork. We researched the straw hats and sun hats currently selling on Amazon UK, cross-referenced the picks that expert style and outdoor guides keep recommending, and then verified every choice live: the current price, the star rating, the review count and the stock status, all checked on the day of writing. Only hats rated four stars or higher, with at least a hundred genuine reviews and available to buy right now, made the final list.
How we chose
We started with the shapes that actually matter for a British summer and spread our picks across sensible buckets: a do-everything UPF sun hat for the whole family, a flattering wide-brim straw hat for women, a cheap-and-cheerful budget option, a smart straw fedora, a genuine premium Panama, and a safe, sun-protective hat for babies and toddlers. We then checked each candidate against live Amazon UK data. Several tempting hats were dropped at this stage because they had slipped out of stock, sat below four stars, or did not carry enough reviews to judge fairly. What follows are six hats we can stand behind, each verified on price, rating, availability and image on the day this guide was published.
Every product below links straight to its Amazon UK listing so you can confirm the current price and read the reviews yourself. PickShelf is a member of the Amazon Associates programme, which means we may earn a small commission if you buy through our links. It never changes the price you pay, and it never influences which products we recommend. Our picks are based on ratings, reviews and real specifications, not commission.
Columbia Bora Bora Booney, Best Overall
The Columbia Bora Bora Booney is the hat we would put in front of the largest number of buyers, and its remarkable 4.4-star average across roughly 23,800 Amazon UK ratings tells you how well it has gone down. It is a genuine UPF 50 sun hat with Columbia's Omni-Shade fabric, a wide 360-degree brim that shades the face, ears and neck, and a mesh crown vent that keeps your head cool. An adjustable drawcord and a chin strap keep it secure and in shape, and the lightweight nylon dries fast and crushes into a bag without creasing.
Treat it as what it is, a rugged do-everything sun hat for beaches, hikes, festivals and the garden, and it is superb value that covers every summer scenario. Ask it to dress up a linen outfit the way a Panama does and it is the wrong tool. For sun protection, comfort and packability in one affordable hat, though, it is the one to beat and our clear Best Overall.
FURTALK Women's Wide-Brim Straw Hat, Best for Women
This FURTALK wide-brim straw hat has quietly become a British summer staple, pairing a flattering, floppy brim with a rated UPF 80 weave and a strong 4.3-star average from roughly 16,400 ratings. That is about as much collective reassurance as you will find at the price. It shades the face and shoulders, suits a summer dress instantly, and, crucially, actually packs: it is woven to fold and roll into a bag and spring back into shape rather than arriving home creased. An inner drawstring dials in the fit and stops it lifting in a breeze.
It shares the usual soft-straw limits, so it is built for style and shade rather than clinging on in a gale, and colours can vary slightly by batch. But for a flattering, protective, packable straw hat that thousands of women already rate, it is our clear recommendation for the beach, the garden and the terrace.
ZLYC Straw Bucket Hat, Best Budget
If your only goal is a proper woven-straw hat for the least money, the ZLYC Straw Bucket is the answer, with a dependable 4.3-star average from around 6,300 ratings. It is a compact, medium-brim bucket-style straw hat that packs down small, weighs almost nothing and typically costs less than a couple of coffees. The shape is versatile enough for a bike, a walk or a lounger, it comes in a big spread of finishes, and it folds into a bag without a permanent crease.
The lighter weave will not hold a sculpted brim or last a decade, and the medium brim covers the face rather than the shoulders, with no chin cord for windy days. But for a stylish, packable straw hat at rock-bottom money, it is genuinely good fun and our budget pick, cheap enough to own two.
Comhats Panama Fedora, Best Straw Fedora
The Comhats Panama Fedora is our pick for the classic smart straw look without boutique money, with a solid 4.4-star average from roughly 4,300 ratings. It is the traditional fedora silhouette in a tight paper-straw weave: a pinched, structured crown, a neat brim and a grosgrain band that lifts it from beachwear to genuinely presentable at a wedding, a race day or a garden party. Multiple sizes, an inner sweatband and a wide range of tones make it easy to get a smart, comfortable fit.
Being structured, it does not fold like a soft straw hat and needs a little care in a suitcase, and the shorter brim prioritises style over shoulder coverage. But it is unisex, it looks far more expensive than it costs, and it dresses up an outfit instantly. For classic summer style with real wearability, it is our straw-fedora recommendation.
Equal Earth Genuine Panama, Best Premium
The Equal Earth Panama is where this round-up grows up, with a 4.4-star average from around 640 ratings and, crucially, genuine hand-woven Ecuadorian toquilla straw rather than a paper lookalike. It is a noticeably finer, denser, more supple weave that looks and ages like a hat you keep for years, and it is blocked to roll and fold into a travel tube then spring back, so you get real handmade quality that still survives a suitcase. The medium brim balances elegant proportions with useful shade.
At roughly 60 to 70 pounds it is a considered purchase, and as a natural product each hat varies slightly and needs a little care. But for the buyer who wants one beautiful, authentic, packable Panama to own rather than a cheap one to replace, it is a clear step up in quality and our premium pick.
YMYDYFC Baby Sun Hat, Best for Kids
The YMYDYFC Baby Sun Hat is our pick for the littlest sunbathers, with an excellent 4.6-star average from around 157 ratings. It is a soft, lightweight wide-brim bucket hat in a rated UPF 50+ fabric, sized for babies and toddlers, with a generous brim that shades the face, ears and neck. An adjustable chin strap with a safety-release toggle keeps it on a wriggling child, and an inner drawstring means it grows across a couple of summers rather than being outgrown in weeks.
It is a practical, inexpensive hat rather than a plush one, sizing spans a broad range so check the age guide, and prints can vary slightly by stock. But for genuine, affordable child sun protection that small children will actually keep on, it is superb value and our clear recommendation, cheap enough to keep spares in the car.
How to choose a straw hat or sun hat
Style versus sun protection
The single biggest decision is what the hat is really for. A UPF-rated boonie or bucket like the Columbia Bora Bora is engineered for protection: rated fabric, a wide all-round brim, a chin strap and often a mesh vent, ideal for hikes, beaches and long days outdoors. A straw hat, from a budget bucket up to a genuine Panama, leans towards style and everyday wear, with sun protection that depends on how tight the weave is and how wide the brim. Decide whether you want to stay elegant on a terrace or protected on a coastal path, and let that steer you; plenty of people end up owning one of each.
UPF and weave
If sun protection is the priority, look for an explicit UPF rating; UPF 50+ blocks around 98 percent of UV, and several hats here state UPF 50 or higher. With straw, the key is how tightly it is woven: hold it up to the light, and the less that shows through, the more sun it stops. A loose, open weave looks summery but lets a surprising amount of UV reach your scalp and face, so pair a lighter straw hat with sun cream on exposed skin rather than relying on the hat alone.
Brim width and shape
Brim width is a direct trade-off between coverage and practicality. A wide, floppy brim like the FURTALK women's hat shades the face and shoulders beautifully but catches the wind and blocks your peripheral vision. A medium bucket or fedora brim, as on the ZLYC and Comhats picks, gives good facial shade while staying easy to wear on a bike, a walk or in a breeze. For maximum protection choose wide; for everyday versatility, a medium brim is the sweet spot.
Packability
The great appeal of a summer hat is throwing it in a bag, and not all hats survive that. Foldable straw hats and soft boonies are woven or made to roll up and spring back, which is why they travel so well; a genuine roll-and-fold Panama like the Equal Earth is the gold standard here. Structured fedoras hold a crisper shape but need transporting crown-up or in a hat box. If your hat will live in a suitcase or a beach bag all summer, prioritise a foldable design and check that owners confirm it recovers its shape.
Fit, sizing and security
A hat that does not fit is a hat you will not wear. Look for an inner drawstring or sweatband so you can dial in the fit, and check the size guide against your head circumference rather than guessing, as several of these hats run slightly large or small. If you will wear it anywhere windy, a chin cord or strap is invaluable: it is the difference between a relaxed walk and constantly chasing your hat down the beach. For children especially, a safety-release chin toggle is essential.