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Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap
Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap

Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap

9
by Stu Kerton
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published May 7, 2015

5
£25.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Traditional looking cap that performs regardless of the conditions; hardwearing too
Weight: 
40g
Contact: 
www.alwaysriding.co.uk/walz-racing-stripe-wool-cap.html
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Walz Caps are handmade in California and we've got a couple of the Wool ones in for testing. The material and the look mean you can get away with wearing it in any weather, on or off the bike, and it's become my go-to hat for practically every ride.

Regardless of whether I'm wearing a helmet or not I've been a cap convert for the last few years so I've used plenty of good and bad ones. The Walz is definitely in the former camp thanks to a great fit and using 100% wool allowing for breathability or insulation regardless of the conditions.

Commuting first thing in the morning with frost on the ground and the Walz is perfectly warm enough even before you've got the blood pumping. The contrasting ride home in the current mini heat wave has seen temperatures nudging the high teens and while I'd say this is nearing the Walz's comfortable limits any perspiration is easily absorbed by the microfiber sweat band running around the inside. I've yet to have it get overwhelmed and even the wool doesn't seem to hold on to any moisture for long either.

The strip through the middle of the hat is a lighter yarn so this helps a little with breathability.

Fit is taken care of by an elasticated rear section and it holds the cap firm on the head. Even after plenty of washes and wearing it's not showing any bagginess. The wool actually feels a bit scratchy in your hand but once perched atop your head it feels much softer and really comfortable to wear no matter how long you are riding.

The peak is well rounded for side visibility with a length to keep the sun out without restricting what's going on in front of you. It's stiff enough to flip as well if you want that hipster look.

The stitching is all neat and tidy with a really good quality finish. It feels tough as old boots as well. The only thing you need to remember is that it's hand wash only or dry clean. The good thing about wool is that it doesn't stink too quickly so washes are few and far between.

On the whole the Walz is one of the best caps I've worn, staying put at high speeds plus its ability to cope with a range of temperatures and conditions means it's ideal for year round use. The price of £25 is well worth it especially considering the versatility of looking cool with both lycra and civvies you can wear it all of the time.

Verdict

Traditional looking cap that performs regardless of the conditions; hardwearing too

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap

Size tested: Small/Medium , 100% Wool, Grey/Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Walz Wool cap is based on the traditional cycling cap but with a few modern tweaks. Using wool's natural wicking and insulating properties it's a cap for all weathers.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

100% wool

Hand wash or dry clean

Moisture wicking band

Available in two sizes - S/M, L/XL

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's one of the best caps of used for daily cycling

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Pretty much everything.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Remembering not to chuck it in the wash basket.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A really good modern twist on the traditional cycling cap. Worth the money and then some.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Kinesis T2  My best bike is: Kinesis Aithien

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

Walz Caps Wool Cycling Cap
Walz Caps
Stu Kerton

As part of the Tech Hub here at F-At Digital, our senior product reviewer Stu uses the knowledge gained from putting well over a 1,000 products through their paces (including hundreds of bikes) to write in-depth reviews of a huge range of kit. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 160,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. Although, as he spends a fair bit of his time reviewing ebikes these days he's becoming an expert in letting the motor take the strain. He's also waiting for 23mm race tyres to make a comeback!

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5 comments

Avatar
antigee | 8 years ago
0 likes

first time seen a woolen cap in the modern style - like the idea - but not very keen on elastic only at the back - i rarely wear a cap to cycle but always run in a cap and usually wear one to walk to shops or gym - if windy need to tighten it up.
Just packing to move and threw out a top brand technical running cap because the elastic was dead

Avatar
crikey | 8 years ago
0 likes

On or off the bike?
No.
Just no.
It's a cycling cap.
To wear one for anything other than cycling makes you a plonker.

Avatar
Kadinkski | 8 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

The peak is well rounded for side visibility with a length to keep the sign out...

I think you mean sun...

Avatar
PJP | 8 years ago
0 likes

I think you mean it's in the former camp, not the latter...

Avatar
turnerc99 | 8 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

I've used plenty of good and bad ones. The Walz is definitely in the latter camp thanks to a great fit and using 100% wool allowing for breathability

I think you meant former...

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