For the past year, the Descente Coldout beanie has been a staple in my cycling wardrobe. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do–namely, keep my head warm–and it does it better than any other beanie/skull cap that I’ve tried.
What’s so great about this one, you ask? For one, it actually fits my large-ish head. One size really does fit all–or at least, me–in this case. I can pull it down and completely cover my ears without it feeling like it’s going to fly off the moment I remove my helmet. Secondly, it’s soft. There are no nasty seams to press into your forehead, and it doesn’t turn to sandpaper if you’ve been sweating for a couple of hours. And lastly, it can handle a pretty wide range of temperatures. I’ve worn it in the mid-40’s, and down to the high-20’s (below that I layer it with a lycra balaclava).
I give it two thumbs (ears?) up.