As I write this, a huge chunk of the West is being socked by a snow storm. Here in Chicago, January is the coldest month of the calendar year…although February and March will fling us a few bitter cold snaps that like to smack talk January.

If you have to venture outside at all any time during the next three months, you’d best be dressed in layers and have a good hat. When the snow is driving or the temperature is diving, you don’t want to mess around with fashion statements. You need warmth.

If you are looking for a super-warm hat, the Mad Bomber is one of the warmest.

There are few hats as adept at keeping your melon toasty as a “bomber.” Yup, these are hats that look like what pilots used to wear. (Of course, the origins of that hat date back to Russia, China and other really cold places.) Our “Mad Bomber” is one of the most popular models we sell, as it is lined with rabbit fur and made of soft lambskin leather that is very warm. It has ear flaps that can position up over your head or be snapped down under your chin to help keep your ears and cheeks from getting frostbitten.

Bombers come in many varieties, though. Some use faux fur, sheepskin, denim and poly fabics. The pricing starts at only $29, so you don’t have to spend a fortune to battle the elements of winter.