Testing Tennis Hats Like a Madwoman
Okay so this morning I grabbed my coffee and jumped on Twitter. Saw like five tennis buddies posting pics wearing those new striped hats. “Damn, gotta catch up!” thought I. Rolled straight to the mall after breakfast because online shopping’s a gamble with hat sizes.
First stop sucked. Picked this bright blue hat with a HUGE brim. Looked cool in the mirror. Took one serve practice swing in the store aisle – BOOM. That thing flew off my head like a scared bird. Clerk dude laughed. My bad – didn’t realize how loose it sat. Total fail. Crossed off wide-brim hats from my mental list.
Second attempt: Went for snug-fit black cap. Felt tight right away. Wore it while driving home. Big mistake. Got a headache after 20 minutes. Felt like my brain was in a vise. Pulled over, ripped it off. Scratch that – too small is torture.
Third try’s the charm? Dug through my old gym bag. Found this white hat I bought last summer. Polyester something. Forgot I had it. Threw it on, ran drills in the backyard for an hour. Here’s why it worked:
- No headache: Snug but not squeezing my skull
- Stayed put: Even during my terrible attempt at a Nadal-style forehand
- Dried fast: Sweat poured down but the hat didn’t turn into a swamp
- See the ball: Brim was just right – sun out of my eyes, no blocked view
Lesson learned the hard way? Fit is everything. That trendy hat means jack if it flies off mid-match. Grab something that feels like it’s glued to your head (but comfortably!). Check the tag for quick-dry fabric unless you enjoy soggy hair. Stick with mid-size brims – no umbrellas, no tiny pebbles. And grab a bright color! Lost three balls in the bushes but my partner spotted my neon pink test hat instantly.
Sticking to my trusty white cap for now. Might try that stripey pattern next week… but only if it passes the backyard sweat test first.