With stylish designs and colors emblazened on its distinctive neoprene make-up, the WavzCap is a bold new entry into the “surf hat” market. WavzCap is the water child idea of of Gail Kotowski, an avid water wahine who saw a need for unique water head wear, and has made short work of creating a practical and stylish surf product. WavzCap’s goal is to be on top of every noggin out in the water … whether it be shorboarders, longboarders, or stand-up paddlers!

The Stuff: Made almost entirely of neoprene (there is an insert in the cap’s brim to hold its shape), the WavzCap makes great use of closed cell material to resist water absorption and bacterial growth – an important feature for head wear that is consistently exposed to the ocean and its many living elements! Sporting a neoprene matching chin strap to secure the cap on your noggin, and an adjustable strap in the back for a more precise fit, WavzCap makes for a strong entry into the surf cap market.

The Testers: (1) Kaya wanted to try this cap on right from the get go, and she had the first shot at it on her shortboard. As a go-get-’em surfer on Oahu’s North Shore, she has been on the hunt for an effective and stylish hat for use during her daily double surf sessions. (2) Ron’s shaved head was an ideal fit for this test run on the South Shore’s rolling waves … where paddling mostly above water on a longboard exposes him to the elements and the sun just that much more. (3) Archie and his newfound love for stand-up paddleboarding came in as a late entry to the testing phase, but sporting the cap in Kailua Beach’s windy shores rounds off the WavzCap’s test phase.

The Good: The WavzCap provided great all-around sun protection for iJS’ testers. The warm neoprene material acted much like a rash guard or wet suit in that it provided excellent sun factor protection, a minimum of SPF 30, for the wearer … with the added bonus of keeping the winds from causing a chill!
The general fit and function of the WavzCap as used on surfboards and paddle boards received high marks, performing as promised in terms of durability, sun protection, and overall head protection. The chin strap held the cap firmly in place, which admittedly is the key point in wearing head gear out in the ocean to begin with.

We especially enjoyed that the neoprene caps are available in several colors and patterns, making personal style choices readily available … ranging from camo to a variety of solid colors !
The Scores: Overall, iJS testers rated the WavzCap 4 out of 5 in sun and wind protection … giving it extra marks for the flexibility and durability of the neoprene as a cap. The missing fifth point would have been easily awarded to the WavzCap if there was an added option of having ear covers or pads, which would have possibly addressed more severe wether or cold climate usage.

The WavzCap fit and size is where our testers headed in separate directions and opinions. Overall, Kaya ranked the cap 2 out of 5 (see tester specifics below), Ron gave the cap 3 out of 5 based on his tests, and Archie ranked it highest at 4 out of 5.

What iJS discovered in terms of fit is that proper sizing is critical to effective use of the WavzCap … and the noggin’ size and shape may be a great factor in how the cap fits any given surfer!

Tester Specifics:

Archie (4 out of 5) enjoyed using the WavzCap on his stand-up paddleboard, and gave it the highest marks overall. The owner of many type of waterman hats, Archie found that the WavzCap is one of his best-fitting waterman hats. Testing primarily in Kailua’s windy shores atop his stand-up paddleboard, Archie discovered that the chin strap matched his noggin’ size perfectly! Although Archie spent little time in actual water while testing the WavzCap, the cap provided more than adequate sun and wind protection, while providing a cooling effect once the cap was soaked in water and then placed on the head.

Ron (3 out of 5) and his longboard knee-paddled out to the line-up on Oahu’s South Shores and discovered that the fit of the WavzCap on a shaven head makes for good surfing and sun protection. Fitted snugly and secure as he paddled through shoulder high waves, Ron found the brim of the hat a good deflector of the sun’s rays … without blocking peripheral vision like other floppy surf hats. WavzCap has an adjustable chin strap, but Ron found out that the length was not quite adjustable enough to make a comfortable fit … and opted to wear the cap without the strap secured most of the time. Overall, the WavzCap lived up to the surf hat hype, but the lack of a fully length adjustable chin strap (perhaps even removable) earned it a less than perfect score.

Kaya (2 out of 5) took the WavzCap to Oahu’s North Shore proving grounds for its most trying test. The cap fit proved to be just a bit loose for iJS’ tester Kaya and her petite noggin, requiring a complete tightening of the cap’s adjustable tab in the back. Although secured by her ponytail looped through the hat’s hole in the back and secured tightly with the velcro enforced chin strap, the head high waves rolling through Chun’s reef may have proved to be a bit much. Despite the one-size-fits most designation, duck diving through large waves seemed to pull the cap off Kaya’s head. Time and again, the pliable neoprene construction of the cap surrendered to the North Shore waves’ powerful onslaught and slip from Kaya’s head. Bonus note: When the waves shifted and began to roll in as bigger sets, the chin strap was convenient enough to be used to secure it to her bikini!

The Verdict: The jury may still out within the surf community orcles as to whether head wear while enjoying water sports is cool or kook, but there is no denying that the damaging effects of continuous exposure to the sun and UV rays needs to be minimized. Considering how much time we as surfers spend exposed to the wonders of the sun and sea, it is a great responsibility to ensure that we protect ourselves from over exposure and its possible damaging effects as well.

The WavzCap is an excellent choice when it comes to protecting yourself from the sun and the elements, especially with the added benefit of neoprene being a closed cell material that repels bacterial growth!

So do we recommend that you go out and buy the WavzCap? Yes, buy one for yourself and one for a waterman (or woman!) that you love … it will allow them to spend more time in the sun, seas, and out in nature where they are happiest. Despite the one off fit debate that will continue betweeb our testers, the WavzCap’s ability to block out the sun and wind, as well as shield your eyes from the glare, is unmistakably effective.

Keep in mind that our testers were split on their opinions only with regard to fit and form; the lesson learned is that the WavzCap will fit and function differently for each noggin’.

[editor's note: WavzCap photos of our testers were part of a disk drive crash and will be updated on this article shortly. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause!]