Hi there! It’s Arshiya here, Sukoon Active CEO & Founder. One of the first questions people ask when they meet me:

What do you think of the Nike Pro Hijab?

I started developing Sukoon hijabs about 18 months before Nike went to market, and I believe that I have a deeper understanding of how a hijab should feel while working out.

So here goes: my official product review of the Nike Pro Hijab vs. Sukoon’s HAWA™ Hijab. I wore each product for about 2 miles of an evening run, starting with the Nike product and then changing into the Sukoon hijab half way through. 

NIKE PRO HIJAB

Design

The Nike Pro Hijab is a slip on that is almost identical to running hoods worn during cold weather sports, as well as many other sports hijabs in the market. (See Capsters, Asiya). It is comprised of “Nike Pro power mesh, Nike’s most breathable fabric”- which is a polyester/spandex blend that felt a little too heavy for my head, creating an unintended sweatbox effect. The elastic band that lines the face alternated between slipping down my forehead and making me feel claustrophobic.

There is a diagonal seam that runs across the top of the hijab - I wonder why that seam is there? Maybe to give the hijab a very technical, high-performance look? 

From my experience in athletic hijab design, I think the placement of this seam actually creates additional tension between the two sides of the fabric, making it slip forward more easily.  

User Experience

For me, the Nike Pro Hijab falls flat both in functionality and aesthetic.

The spandex hugged my head, giving it a space suit/alien vibe, which made my head look both kind of big and small at the same time. For the hijabis reading this, you know what I mean when I say there’s no “drape.” 

The extra fabric in the front and back also felt very hot. I was wearing the Nike Pro Hijab with the Sukoon HAWA™ Step Tee, which has a high mock neck, so I didn’t need all that extra coverage of these flaps. The flaps felt too hot against my skin when tucked in, and flapped up and down too much when left loose during my run. In short, I didn’t know what to do with them. 

SUKOON HAWA™ HIJAB

Design 

I changed into the Sukoon HAWA™ Hijab after two miles. It has a three step loop and clip system that allows a custom and secure fit. I was able to do a quick change in my car in under 30 seconds.

Comprised of natural, biodegradable fibers, the HAWA™ Hijab feels light and airy the second it goes on my head. It doesn’t slip and slide like synthetic fibers do (think polyester, nylon or spandex) as I move my head around.

Instead of one seam on top, the HAWA™ Hijab has two seams to join the fabric, right where your head begins to naturally curve on each side. This creates an effortless and flattering drape, and as you can see in the video, the HAWA™ Hijab barely moved at all throughout the two miles I was running. 

The hardest part to design about the HAWA™Hijab were the customizable fasteners through a clip and loop system. You can decide which loop to fasten the clip, and so the tightness of the fit is completely up to you. The tapered sides eliminate all extra fabric, and fit perfectly with the necklines of Sukoon’s Tees so that you get perfect coverage without the additional heat. 

User Experience

The HAWA™Hijab doesn’t budge, and makes me feel chic, polished, and confident before, during and after my workout.

There was no extra fabric, so I didn’t feel any additional heat or fabric while I was running. The closures stayed secure during my run, and didn’t require any readjustment. The whole experience was comfortable, and most importantly, distraction-free.

For size reference, I have a 21” sized head and wore size XS/S Nike Pro Hijab. Sukoon hijabs fit heads ranging from 20”-28”. The average head size we’ve measured across 30 women falls between 21 ½ - 24”. I usually have the smallest heads in our focus groups. 

Do you have more questions about this topic? Follow my most recent piece on Medium about Nike vs. Sukoon and write your comments in below!