What is the Boonie Hat, and what purpose does it serve in the US military?

Soldiers wearing boonie hat

The Boonie hat that is used today in the US military started off in the 1940?s in rural Australia. It was originally used to keep farmers cool and shaded during the brutal summers. The hat has a wide, surrounding brim with ?heat holes? (now called crown vents) designed to alleviate heat buildup. Depending on what specific task the farmer was performing, he could wear the hat in several unique ways. The name, Boonie, is rumored to originate from the fact that it was primarily used by people who lived in the outback, or boonies.

The US military first started using the Boonie hats during the Vietnam War, and it has since been adopted readily throughout the organization.

The Boonie hats that are now being used no longer have the ?heat holes? punched in them anymore; they now include state-of-the-art technology and wicking fabrics to keep soldiers cool and camouflaged. The fabric most often used in manufacturing is a rip-stop cotton weave that is extremely lightweight (but does still shrink in the dryer).

Over 100 different armies around the world use Boonie hats now, along with several Special Forces, conservation officers, law enforcement agencies and other military organizations.

The US military?s specially issued Boonie hats are created to exacting specifications, however. The brim extends to 2 1/8?, and the inner lining and brim stay in place because they are interwoven. The nylon chinstrap has a leather adjuster, and all vents are tightly contained with metal washers. The Boonie hat is issued in a large variety of colors and patterns: Swat Black, Khaki, Woodland, Desert (3 Color), Desert Storm (6 Color), Navy Blue, Olive Drab, Asian Tiger Stripe and Vietnam Tiger Stripe.

There are several ways to ?correctly? wear a Boonie hat. The traditional Aussie style is to wear both sides folded upwards, with the chinstrap securely fastened underneath your chin. Explorer style is worn using only one side folded up, and Casual style is worn without doing anything to the hat, and just letting the brim flop. Finally, Sniper style is worn with full camouflage draped and attached to the hat, with extensions for other paraphernalia as well.

The Boonie hat, although durable, still needs to be taken care of properly in order to maintain a long usage. Boonie hats should only be washed in cold water, without the use of any bleaches or harsh detergents. Place it inside a pillow case before putting it in the washer, in order to stop the chinstrap from getting tangled in the washing machinery. Finally, let it air dry or hang dry instead of sticking it in the dryer, since it will shrink otherwise.

Whether it?s used to shield rough winds, rains or hot weather, the Boonie hat is a versatile piece of clothing used in military services around the world, and will probably continue to be for a long time to come.

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