Randonneurs can get pretty attached to their bikes and gear, and I am no exception. While super special gear is not necessary to go out on a bike ride, there are certain pieces that I’ve acquired since I started cycling year round that make me feel good and also make my bike rides that much more comfortable.

One of those pieces is a merino wool cycling cap I custom ordered last year from Little Package Cycling Caps. This cap is one of my favorites for several reasons:

• It’s merino wool… my favorite!
• The measurements of this cap are custom fit to my noggin so it’s not too big, and not too little. It’s just right.
• My cap has a four centimeter brim, which I prefer to a five centimeter or more brim. The shorter brim allows me to look up and around more easily without craning my neck. I know it’s just a centimeter, but it makes all the difference on a ride.
• It is reversible! Green and brown on one side, pink and brown on the other. I love the two color schemes.

• I can handwash the cap in cold water, and it does not shrink.
• Because the cap has a reversible earflap, that is, brown earflap on one side and green on the other, the cap has a double earflap. The double earflap means extra merino wool on my ears on cold days, making it perfect for a day where temperatures are in the 20s or low 30s.
• I regularly wear this cap on cold winter days (Washington cold, that is, not Midwest cold), and feel comfortable throughout the day. This cap is made for days that start in the mid-20s and creep into the 30s. I wear it with a helmet cover and if I start to heat up I take the helmet cover off, knowing that my head can vent a little and the double earflap will keep my ears nice and cozy.

I love knowing that I have a unique cap made just for me and to my exact specifications. I also like supporting a woman-owned business like Little Package. The quality of Caroline’s caps is excellent, and I (and others I know) have been putting her caps through their randonneuring paces for years now. Year after year, these caps keep showing up, ride after ride after ride. Yes, they are randonneur-approved!

Like I said, there are some randonneuring/cycling pieces that stand out from the rest, and my custom merino wool double earflap cap (say that five times fast) from Little Package is one of those items.

I’m sure you all have your favorite winter pieces, too, and I’d love to hear about them. In the meantime, it doesn’t hurt to do a little window shopping!