Mountain Equipment Tuolumne Softshell Cap

A Split Cap for the Mountains:  ME's Tuolumne

Caps are useful. Whether you're walking head down and headlong into driving rain or hail or require a little shelter and shade from the raging sun, that little item capable of rescuing poorly designed hoods is a practical necessity.

The Tuolumne cap from Mountain Equipment is a lightweight and highly breathable softshell cap that uses their excellent Exolite 125 stretch double weave fabric (as on their Echo Hooded Jacket tested by Scramble).

The Tuolumne is really what you'd get if you wanted to make a Ronhill Split Cap for those who prefer the mountain ridge to the trail. Just like the excellent Split Cap it has a folding peak so it packs down small, but rather than being made from polyester it's made from 94% nylon, making it a more durable item that can handle plenty of abuse. The elastane in the softshell fabric also provides more stretch than the Ronhill cap (useful when worn over balaclavas etc.). The Tuolumne cap also features a series of small venting holes to allow excess heat to escape.

The Exolite fabric strikes a very good balance between wind resistance and breathability and this cap will operate well across all seasons, but is more suited to freezing cold winters (as well as spring and autumn) than hot summer weather, where the Ronhill Split Cap would be more suitable.

Read Scramble's full review to see the Tuolumne in action (also for higher resolution images).

Summary

If you want a light, packable cap like the Ronhill Split Cap, but fancy a more durable option for when you're sliding down scree slopes. This is probably as good as you'll get.   

Scramble are currently testing this and will likely reach a final conclusion some time in the middle of 2020. So far they say they're impressed and have decided to stock some of their supply on SYSTEM.

Features   

• Durable EXOLITE 125 stretch double weave
• Folding peak
• Rear adjustment (velcro)
• Vent holes
• Packable
  

Sizing

Mountain Equipment's Tuolumne Softshell Cap will adjust to fit most adult head sizes.