YAK Apparel – Winter Trapper Hat Product Review

YAK Apparel – Winter Trapper Hat Product Review

"You Are one of a Kind."

Want to know the first word that comes to mind when I think of winter? "Yuck." I'm not a snow bunny by any means. In fact, let me live my entire life in Bora Bora and I'll be happy as a clam. But, living in Maine it is impossible to skip winter, and I have to make the best of it. Guess I'll just have to keep dreaming about the beach while I spend my cold, snowy days in legit hibernation. This year, to spice things up a bit on those rare occasions that I have to venture from the warmth of my home, I'm making winter more fun with a YAK Apparel Winter Trapper Hat that I was sent to try out.
I've always wanted a trapper hat. There's something about the warmth of them, the unique styling, and the overall fashion atrocity that I actually quite adore. I have a friend who calls trapper hats, "mad bomber hats", which I find absolutely hilarious. And, when you think about it, everyone wears the same thing: beanies, berets, those weird ear handband things, ski masks, and ear muffs. (They still make those, right?) No, thank you. When I go out in winter, I want to look like I live in a cabin 10 miles into the woods. There are only two places on my body that I like to go a little crazy with when it comes to accessories. Give me a fabulous quirky pair of shoes, and a cute random hat.
YAK Apparel's hats are handmade from natural, sustainable materials and real wool. The one tidbit of information that really jumped out at me was that YAK Apparel's products are made by women in a true cottage industry that helps support Nepali families. I'm quite partial to Nepal (visited and traveled around for a month), so even though it's not "USA Made", it's great to see that YAK Apparel supports people in developing countries.

"YAK Apparel is a Boston-based clothing and accessories company specializing in wool hats and silk scarves handmade in Nepal. We founded Yak in 2009, after a trip to Nepal in which we discovered talented artisans crafting beautiful, colorful wool hats by hand.

When we started working with the Artisans who make our product in Kathmandu and the surrounding villages, we were struck by the sense of color and the incredible creativity everyone brought to the table. The women who knitted our hats literally designed them on the fly – they knew exactly what colors to pick, how to combine them and how to incorporate them into the most intricate designs." ~ YAK Apparel
As I mentioned previously, YAK Apparel sent their (grey) Winter Trapper Hat for me to try out. Thankfully we haven't had a blizzard so I've been able to wear it out for fun, and not for its usefulness. The Winter Trapper Hat is really beautiful and I LOVE it. It was just what I was looking for. (I've been looking for an awesome trapper hat for about 3 years now.) The inside is lined with a soft, quilted fleece, and the ear flaps, front, and back are lined with soft multi-toned faux fur which really gives it a "real" look. The hat overall feels like quality, and I love how thick the wool outer is.

Features:

• great warm Russian style hat

• natural wool ensures perfect warmth and comfort

• full faux-fur and fleece lining

• perfect for work and play

• spot clean only

• one size fits most

I know the color description says this hat is grey, but it's definitely more of a tan. The fleece lining is grey, and the the majority of the faux fur is grey, but the wool outer is a dusty tan. I'm not complaining. I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to go with the grey, or the beige, and last minute changed my mind to the grey. I think this would be stunning if it was actually grey, but I REALLY like the tan. Although YAK Apparel makes hats for men, women, and children, I did find that the women's Trapper Hat was a little small, hence the "one size fits most". This doesn't surprise me since my mother likes to remind me of how large my head was as a child. "I couldn't get sweaters on over your head unless it had buttons or a zipper. You had such a big head!" (Thanks, mother.) It actually fits my head perfectly, but there's no additional wiggle room which means I can't wear my hair up if I wanted to. I also think the ear flaps don't quite lay flat on the side of my head because it's just a bit small. This is just for reference, especially if you are part of the Big Head Club. "Hi. My name is _____, and I have a big head."

The only thing I actually really didn't care for, was the strings that hang down from the ear flaps. They kind of curl, and do their own thing, and the tip is just simply knotted. But, YAK Apparel has another version of this hat with pompoms at the end of the strings, which I think I like a little bit better.

Overall, I love the hat, and I really like the selection that YAK Apparel offers. I'll definitely be sporting my hat all through the blustery wind and swirling snow, and my head will be WARM. Make sure you check out YAK Apparel Online, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
YAK Apparel is also offering a giveaway! One DealPeddler reader will win a YAK Apparel Hat. Giveaway will start 11/17 and run for approximately one week. Entrants must be legal residents of the USA who are 18+. When the giveaway is live you'll be able to enter [HERE].

*I received the above mentioned product free of charge from YAK Apparel in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% mine. See Disclosure Policy.