Before we get into it, shout out to the kind folks at Melin who were happy to send me out the Pace Hydro and Coronado Hydro hats when I inquired about doing a review on their hats! Thanks Melin! The hats shipped out in a timely manner and they were packaged with the highest level of care. Their packaging is well thought out and meets the same level of that Apple products unboxing benchmark. The hats even come with a drawstring bag to store them in.
Melin hats spare nothing when it comes to quality. The first thing I noticed is that these hats are different and definitely stand out from any other hats I've ever owned before. The materials look and feel amazing and the quality of construction looks like they are made to last a long time. In the care instructions Melin says to just hand wash your hat with a bit of soap and water and your hat is ready to wear again and will keep looking fresh for many days to come. This is a game changer for me. I am bald and my head is always sweaty and greasy as I have no hair to soak it all up. Melin hats have a moisture wicking liner to keep you dry and the sweat at bay, keeping you ready for whatever the next outdoor adventure brings. In fact Melin hats are full of technical features making them ready for whatever the outdoors try to bring at you!
Both the Coronado and the Pace hats Melin sent me are part of their Hydro collection. And as you probably guessed from the name Hydro, these hats are made to get wet. So go ahead and hit the pool, beach, lake, whatever, and you don't have to worry about your hat getting wrecked.
As far as fits go, the Coronado is a fairly shallow fit. Most shallow hats don't fit great on me. I have an average sized noggin of about 58 cm around the widest parts of my head, but it seems that the deeper hats tend to fit best. Something about the structure of the Coronado still fits me really well. The Coronado is super comfortable and is something I could wear all day. I would put this into the style bucket of "golfer" which I am not, but if I were this is the hat I would be wearing out on the course. This hat looks expensive and respectable and could pair up with a nice polo and some golf pants for sure. But it could also be worn with a pair of board shorts to the beach or out on the boat for a day of wake surfing. As far as fitment adjustment goes the Coronado is a classic snap strap.
The Pace hat has a bit deeper fit than the Coronado, but still on the shallow side of things. However the Pace looks a lot smaller on me. The Pace fits the look of a runner for sure, which I am also not. I do run occasionally, but I would not claim to be a runner by any means. I do however hike and do some occasional backpacking, which the Pace would also be perfectly suited for. The pace is more streamlined and a bit more breathable than the Coronado. The fitment strap is a webbing pull through a buckle style adjustment which I love because of the infinite adjustment.
Melin puts a lot of details into these hats. In my honest opinion a bit of it seems a bit much. Like the rubber logo that is stitched onto their hats underneath the brim. However there are also going to be people that like that. There is even a hidden pocket on the inside of the hat that you could stash a bit of cash in, or a key, or other things that could assist with making running and other activities seem more fun than they actually are if you're into that sort of thing.
My final thoughts on Melin hats are this and I think it's what a lot of people are thinking. They are expensive. About double than most other hats your are going to find out there. But these aren't built like most hats you're going to find out there. The level of quality in materials, craftsmanship and features are what set Melin hats apart from the rest and they are going to last more than twice as long as any other hat that's less than half the cost. If you want to purchase a Melin hat be sure to hit one of the links in this review to help support this website and keep things running.
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