With winter in full swing here in southern Ontario, proper cold weather attire is an unfortunate necessity. Loathe as I am to swap out my favorite Running Free Headsweats Coolmax hat, it is somewhat easier to do so with the awesome Kana Tuke from Sugoi. Generally speaking, I love Sugoi products. The main reason is the “made in Canada” tag. The other reason is that their products are of high quality and construction.
This light weight yet surprisingly warm hat has a subtle yet funky floral graphic (which means my husband keeps his hands off it!) available in three different colours. Aside from the Kana pattern, Running Free also sells the Souchi Tuke. Sugoi offers lots of really fun patterns for their tukes and arm warmers, check them out at www.sugoi.com.
The Kana tuke is a full stretch mid weight base layer material with fleeced inner side. It is a form fitting “beanie” style toque with a cuff at the hem that can be turned up depending on how big your head is and how far down over your ears you need it. I have washed it numerous times, just throwing it in with the rest of my running gear, and it looks (and smells) like it did when I purchased it.
Although it is thin, it keeps my head and ears snug and warm while running in temperatures down to the -15 C range. I have always thought that in extreme cold and/or wind chill it could be used as a base layer under another thicker toque but I have yet to encounter conditions that would warrant it.
Since it is a technical material, if I do sweat, moisture is wicked away from my head. Which in turn keeps my head dry and warm if I have to stop running and remain outside in the cold. In that respect, it would be an appropriate toque to wear for any strenuous outdoor winter activity and is thin enough to be worn under a ski or bike helmet if need be.
I really have nothing negative to say except perhaps that this model of hat does not have a pony tail hole at the back. So if hair is tied back, it has to be at the nape of the neck. Other than that it is a pretty awesome hat that makes the cold weather just a little bit more tolerable.
