Head case

Jimi Cap

$12
www.jimicap.com
800.472.0778

There are few things more annoying when you’re riding down the road than those errant hairs that escape your helmet and tickle your eyes and nose and flutter in and out of your field of vision. They’re damn near impossible to corral with a gloved hand and in time will drive you mad like mosquitoes on the tundra. That’s my experience, anyway, being a longhair and all, and taming those irritants has proven a tough feat to pull off in the past, but no longer, thanks to the devilishly simple and effective Jimi Cap.

Marketed chiefly for athletic and occupational use, either under protective headgear or as a hair-taming, sweat-controling skullcap, these units are made of Supplex-Lycra, a fabric that not only hugs the head but also wicks perspiration away for cool running under a helmet in hot conditions. The basic Jimi Cap also features a mesh top for ventilation. It’s slim enough to be comfortable under your helmet without the stuffed sensation of, say, a do-rag. It keeps your helmet lining fresh, and when conditions turn chilly, it provides additional insulation and can be stretched down over the tops of your ears for added warmth.

The manufacturer offers other variations of the Jimi Cap, including one with solid fabric on the crown rather than mesh, and one called the Hole-In-One that has an opening in the back to accommodate a ponytail. There’s also a basic Head Band and an elaborate Balaclava developed as alpine ski wear, but just as applicable to cold weather motoring without the bulk of similar fleece products.

The Jimi Cap and all of its variations are available in a rainbow of colors: black, white, navy blue, scarlet, forest green, purple, yellow and orange. Since being introduced to the cap, I’ve practically lived in it, and with a price of just $12 for the basic Jimi Cap it’s an addiction that’s easy on the pocketbook. (And the fact that they’re made right here in the U.S.A. rather than outsourced to China makes the price that much more impressive.)