The Kora Shola 230 Esker hat arrived at my doorstep a few weeks ago. My first impressions of this beanie style hat were good ones. After a bit of testing my thoughts haven‘t changed. Beanie style hats don‘t seem to fit my head really well. In fact, most tend to not cover my ears and just slowly crawl up the side of the head. The Shola 230 Esker hat not only fits and stays in place but it also feels great and it delivers on performance.
The Kora Shola 230 Esker hat is made from Kora‘s Hima-Layer Original 230 fabric. This fabric is made from yak wool sourced from nomad families lining in the Himalayas of Tibet. Thinking of yaks brought to mind images of toughness instead of comfort, but I have to say that yak wool makes a really soft and warm material. The Shola 230 Esker hat uses a double layer of fabric to provide warmth and wind protection.
Kora makes some pretty bold claims about the yak wool used in their products. Here‘s what they say:
Even better than merino. It‘s 66% more breathable and 40% warmer, weight for weight.
Wicks moisture efficiently and allows sweat vapor to escape from your skin, so you won‘t overheat or feel clammy.
Built-in, 40+ UPF protects your scalp.
Feels soft like cashmere – and there‘s no itch.
Naturally odor-resistant, so it will smell fresh for longer.
While a few of these would be hard for me to check, I definitely have no reason to question anything. The Shola 230 Esker hat has a great feel and it fits great. The fit was tested on my big head as well as my wife, and kids as young as 9. The beanie fit everyone well. I didn‘t feel any uncomfortable squeeze but my wife mentioned that she prefers beanies that don‘t stretch to fit. There is definitely no itch and the fabric has a soft silky smooth feel. The Shola 230 Esker hat offers plenty of warmth and seemed to breathe well when the temps are higher.
The Kora Shola 230 Esker hat is reversible just in case you don‘t like the logo or color accent on the back. Just remove the care label on the plain side of the hat and you are good to go.
The Kora Shola 230 Esker hat has an MSRP of $45. Kora makes jackets, a nice neck gaiter, base layers, and more. Click here to head over to the Kora website.
– Mark
I‘d like to thank Kora for sending over the Shola 230 Esker hat for testing and review. We at Industry Outsider have limited budgets just like everyone else. Passing along information on gear allows us to pay it forward in a way the hopefully benefits everyone.