Certified UPF 50+

Kids' legionnaire hats

UPF 50+ sun protection caps for children with a neck flap, also called legionnaire hats, for school, beach and pool, certified to block at least 98% of UV rays from scalp, ears and neck.

4.7 average from over 12,500 reviews
Child in a UPF 50+ legionnaire sun hat on the beach
  • Dermatologist recommended
  • Free UK delivery over £70
  • 14-day returns

1 product

What customers say

4.7 average from over 12,500 customer reviews

  • “My son burns SO fast on his neck, this hat fixed that straight away. Flap covers everything and he didn't try to pull it off like the others. Huge win.”
    Review pic: child wearing UPF 50+ legionnaire sun hat KatieUV legionnaire cap
  • “My daughter hates regular hats but actually liked this one. Flap is soft so it doesn't annoy her. Great for long days outside.”
    Review pic: child wearing UPF 50+ legionnaire sun hat in the park LucyUV legionnaire cap
  • “Brilliant hat for kids who burn easily. Doesn't get sweaty and dries quick after swimming. Would buy again for sure”
    Review pic: 8 year old child wearing UPF legionnaire hat BenUV legionnaire cap

Dermatologist recommended

“UPF clothing is an essential part of any sun protection strategy. It offers consistent coverage and long-term UV defence, especially for those at higher risk of skin cancer. equatorsun helps make that protection both effective and practical.”
Dr Dev Shah, Consultant Dermatologist and Mohs Surgeon. Read why he recommends equatorsun

Common questions about kids' legionnaire hats

What are hats with neck flaps called?

Legionnaire hats, after the French Foreign Legion caps they copy, and also neck flap hats, sun caps or desert caps. They have a peak at the front and a flap of fabric over the back and sides of the neck. In certified UPF 50+ fabric the flap blocks at least 98% of UV from the ears and neck, the places a child burns first and sun cream often misses.

Why should kids wear legionnaire hats?

Because they cover the three places that burn: the scalp, the ears and the back of the neck. Many UK primary schools and nurseries ask for one for sunny days, and parents often keep them for the beach and the pool because the quick-drying fabric and the drawstring mean the hat stays on in the water and dries in minutes. They are also light and soft enough that children forget they are wearing them.

Can kids swim in a legionnaire hat?

Yes. The kids' legionnaire cap is made from chlorine-resistant swim fabric with a drawstring, so it stays on for swimming, snorkelling and jumping waves, and it dries in minutes afterwards. Rinse it in cold water after the pool or the sea.

What size fits ages 4 to 14?

Two sizes cover the range: 2 to 4 years and 6 to 12 years, each with a drawstring that takes the fit in, so a 5-year-old wears the larger size pulled in and most 13 and 14-year-olds still fit it.

Why choose equatorsun for kids' legionnaire hats?

Ordinary children's caps are rarely tested for UV and they can let through up to 10 times more UV than UPF 50+ children's caps. Every equatorsun piece is tested to the AS/NZS 4399 or EN 13758 standard and certified UPF 50+, which means the fabric blocks at least 98% of UVA and UVB rays from reaching the skin it covers, and the protection cannot wash out or wear off. Leading UK consultant dermatologist Dr Dev Shah recommends the equatorsun range. We're a UK family business and have specialised in sun protective clothing since 2006. Customers rate us 4.7 out of 5 across more than 12,500 reviews.