As cold weather comes again (*) with associated emergency preparedness implications, I'd like to praise the lowly knit cap. Call it what you will: watch cap, stocking cap, beanie; it delivers out of proportion to its stature.

They seem to collect over the years almost as fast as the fleece pull-overs that relatives keep giving me for Christmas. I'm stashing 1 or 2 caps in each vehicle (along with the pull-overs ;)).

The traditionalist in me prefers wool, but I have to admit the warmest and most comfortable ones seem to be acrylic. Lately fleece caps have appeared, but they don't stretch as well and so sometimes aren't as comfortable.

For ultimate compactness I'm especially pleased with a thin-fabric SmartWool cap I snagged on sale last Spring. It is small enough to go in the pocket of my windbreaker without getting in the way, and I've been glad it was there on a number of occasions. (The stuff does not scratch!)

So, what do you think about these lowly items? Do they figure much in your cold-weather gear?

Best to all,
Steve

* at least to those of us in the N. Hemisphere
_________________________
"After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part of my condition, I
began to look round me, to see what kind of place I was in, and what was
next to be done"