BAM Bamboo Headband review: cute, comfortable and climate positive headwear

BAM Bamboo Headband: first impressions 

This super soft, breathable running headband makes the perfect companion for long trail runs, warm weather hikes, sweaty yoga sessions and basically any activity where you want your hair and sweat out of your eyes.

Made using a blend of bamboo, organic cotton and elastane, it is just stretchy enough, plenty soft against your skin, breathable for sweaty pursuits, doesn’t get stinky easily and is better for the planet.

The snug fit ensures it stays put when you’re running but with such soft fabric you’ll barely notice it’s there. It’s wide at the top to cover most of your crown and protect your part line from sunburn, but gathers nicely at the nape of your neck meaning you can wear it with a high or low ponytail or even with your hair loose.

Though it’s not thermal and doesn’t have any high vis details, it makes for a great all-rounder headband that you can wear in all seasons, and it looks good enough that you might even just wear it around town because you love it so much.

BAM Bamboo Headband: on the trails 

I almost always wear a headband when I’m on the trail, but never do I wear one around town; however, this might be the headband to change my mind. The BAM Bamboo Headband really hits all the bases for me in terms of comfort, moisture management capabilities, sustainable production and if I’m being honest, not making me look like a crazy person. 

It features a wide band at the top and gathers the nape of my neck which is super flattering and also really practical. With longer hair, I usually can’t get a high ponytail to stay in after the first mile of trail running, and often bands that don’t have ponytail holes are just annoying. Interestingly, the design of this one means I can wear it with a low ponytail without a hole. I even tried it with my hair down and was surprised to see it works.

So, it looks nice, but it also does the job on the trails. It wicks away sweat nicely, the way bamboo is known to do. I tend to wear it over my ears when I’m running to keep the wind out but it’s also comfortable tucked behind my ears. 

I have an average sized head and this one is snug enough on me to stay put but doesn’t give me a headache or pulling my hair, and the soft fabric is super comfortable. I have found some over the years that are so wide that the back edge ends up sticking up, but this one is just wide enough to protect my entire part from sunburn on a bright day without any extra fabric.

Though I do own a fleece headband for winter, I find it overly warm for running and this is one I can use year-round. Because it’s bamboo, it takes ages to get stinky which I appreciate.

This headband doesn’t come with any high vis details, however since I’m not a road runner that doesn’t matter to me. Pricewise, it’s bang in the middle of the spectrum making it a relatively small expense for a good quality item that you’re likely to wear a lot.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing

One size fits all. With lots of stretch, it’s unlikely this will be too tight and unless you have an abnormally small head, there should be no problem. 

Fit

Snug without giving me a headache, wide on top and tapers at the nape of my neck. 

Comfort 

Very comfortable thanks to soft, breathable bamboo fabric. 

Temperature regulation 

Will keep a cold wind out of your ears and won’t make you overheat come warm weather.

Breathability 

This does a great job of wicking away sweat for me.

Durability 

Well made construction-wise. I do find bamboo breaks down a little faster than synthetic materials, but since you won’t need to wash this as frequently, it should hold up. 

Here’s where we tested the BAM Bamboo Headband: 

The West Highland Way stretches for 96 miles all the way to Fort William in the Highlands and would take you far from Glasgow if you attempted the whole trail, but you can easily do the first section in a day.