Comments on: The Tilley hat: best recreational/travel hat available?

By: Alan F

Alan F — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 20:40:49 +0000

I thought I was the only one with ten Tilley hats but I see that Lisa Richards has me beat. Maybe we should start a club for people who LOVE Tilley hats like we do. What’s not to love though? Great styles, unbeatable lifetime guarantee, insured for loss, UPF 50+ sun protection as well as being crushable so even if stashed away in your suitcase they come out looking like new. For anyone who has not as yet discovered the wonders of a Tilley hat, now is the time. They can’t be beat.

By: tilley hats

tilley hats — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:20:16 +0000

The Tilley TH8 comes in four sizes and has two cords, front and back, to make sure it stays on, even in a windstorm. The sweatband is very comfortable and the hat is well balanced and feels suitably luxurious.The Tilley TH8 is pretty pricey, but well, life really can look better from under the brim of a beautiful hat.The hat is seriously constructed, durable and UV protective.

By: Till

Till — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:34:10 +0000

MY pleasure! Glad you like it; it is good to give something back. :)

Also, thanks to your review the hat threads on FT and OBOW are now resurrected and are running parallel to this one. So this should generate a lot of inter-forum traffic and interest; hopefully with some people considering this practical accessory of daily life.

One more tip. For me the urge to go hatted came when I got a really bad sunburn during an outdoor festival in May of last year. My bald spots went red, itchy and flaky. Not pleasant to have and not pleasant to look at, either. More moderate climates and those lucky guys who keep a full head of hair won’t know what I’m talking about. ;)

One of the gents from FT recommended to use sunscreen as gel. He recommended to use Neutrogena Ultrasheer Dry-Touch Sunblock. I tried that and it works very well without making the hair look too greasy. My barber also says that it’s perfectly ok to use a sunblock on your scalp even if you are not completely bald. He says just find one that gives you the desired look, as if it were a hair creme.

Now, the sunscreen won’t protect you from the heatstroke in a really bad heat/sun. A hat is much better in those cases. The Kangol Ventair is a great alternative to the usual cap in my eyes.

There are also those caps in Ventile Fabric or Loro Piana engineered Storm System cashmere. Extremely fancy! One of those is clearly in my future.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 23:48:19 +0000

Till,

As always, superb comments and terrific links. Thanks so much – you add a lot to the conversation!

By: Till

Till — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:09:39 +0000

Thanks, Michael. By the way, I forgot to mention that I agree about the Tilley hype. And I agree with the idea of a hat being part of a suit (in my grandpa’s day). My father, a very, very casually dressed country doctor (bald) doesn’t leave the house without a hat. It will be his Indiana Jones hat for the Spring and Fall and a basque or bonnet in the winter to cover the ears.

In Europe you still see plenty of gents wearing hats for sun and rain protection in urban environments. The fancier the city, the more you will see it. As with many things, it’s a matter of education level, adherence to traditions and money, as much as a matter of functionality.

Of course, here in Austin, anything else than a baseball cap creates stunned amazement. :) And you better not wear the wrong cap, either!