TILLEY AUDUBON HAT
TEST SERIES BY CHARI DAIGNAULT
INITIAL REPORT

INITIAL REPORT - September 15, 2009

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME:	Chari Daignault
EMAIL:	chari.daignault@gmail.com
AGE:	46
LOCATION:	Orlando, Florida U.S.A.
GENDER:	F
HEIGHT:	5' 6" [1.70 m]
WEIGHT:	135 lb [61.20 kg]

I've been a light hiker for 36 years. I take the minimum I can with me and prefer a pack close to 15 pounds. I've hiked all the Florida State Forest trails in Central Florida, backpacked the Na Pali coast on the island of Kauai and climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan. I have hiked dry & sandy, rough & rocky and wet & boggy trails and as a result, have found what does and doesn't work for me in terms of equipment and clothing.

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INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Tilley Endurables
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Manufacturer's Website: www.tilley.com
MSRP: US $72.00
Listed Weight: 3 oz. [85 g]
Actual Weight: 2.9 oz. [82 g]
Brim Measurements:
Front: 2 5/8 in [6.4 cm] Back: 2 3/4 in [7 cm] Sides: 2 1/8 in [5 cm]
Available Colors: Olive
Available Sizes: 6 7/8 - 8+ [21 5/8 in - 26 1/8 in] [55 cm - 66.5 cm]

Top View

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The Tilley Audubon hat has a shorter brim than other Tilley hats I've worn. This makes it a hat that I would be more inclined to wear out to social events and not just out on the trail. By measuring my head circumference, per the instructions included on Tilley's website, it was determined that I should wear a 7 1/8. When the hat arrived and I tried it on, it fit perfectly; not too tight and not too loose. When on, I can fit two fingers flat against my forehead just inside the "anti-sweat band".

The hat is light weight, feels like it's made of a flexible, thin canvas material and has 1/2 in [1.3 cm] to 1 in [2.54 cm] of mesh along the top of the crown for ventilation. There are two grommets along the outside head band of the hat through which the wind cord is wound. Inside, the wind cord is separated between the front and back of the hat and is connected in the back of the hat with two knots. These two knots can be pulled farther apart to make the wind cord smaller, or brought closer together to increase the size. The wind cord itself is made of cotton and is very similar to a large shoe lace. There is a hidden pocket up inside the crown of the hat, which is secured on one side by a hook and loop fastener. Also inside the crown, just outside the opening to the hidden pocket, is a place to put your name and phone number in case the hat is lost.

Inside the hat

Although it doesn't specifically say so on the website or on the hangtags, a quick call to customer service confirmed that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Tilley Audubon Hat goes to the National Audubon Society.

THE INSTRUCTIONS AND BRAG TAGS

There are loads of instructions, notes and anecdotes included with the Audubon Hat. The owner's manual was found inside the hidden pocket inside the crown of the hat, along with a set of "Brag Tags". The owner's manual is meant to be removed prior to wearing the hat, but the Brag Tags come in a small plastic zip bag and are supposed to be kept inside the hat for later use.

Per the included notes, Brag Tags are to be handed to "envious" people who may ask you how they can get a Tilley Audubon Hat. They are perforated and contain the necessary information so folks will be able to get their own Tilley Hat. It is also suggested that the plastic zip bag the Brag Tags come in be used as a place to stash some emergency cash or your fishing license.

Brag Tags

The owner's manual contains detailed information about every aspect of Tilley hats, including how to find the front of the hat, how it should fit and all the features of Tilley hats. The owner's manual also includes a copy of Tilley's Guarantee: if the hat ever wears out, mail it to Tilley with a check for US $8.50 to cover the shipping costs, and they'll replace it for free.

Owners's Manual

The wind cord [which as mentioned before is a long shoe lace] is wound through the grommets on the head band and back around until it loops over on itself and creates two loops. One loop hangs down where it can go under my chin, and the other loops down so it can go across the base of the back of my skull. I was able to adjust the length by taking the two knots of the wind cord and pulling them farther apart. This made the wind cord tighter. When not using the wind cord, I place the two loops inside the crown, put the hat on and they're out of the way.

Wind Cord

Per the website, all Tilley hats are guaranteed for life, insured for loss*, provide excellent sun protection [UPF 50+], repel rain, tie on in the wind, are machine washable and won't shrink.

With regard to washing, the instructions suggest washing the hat regularly, as perspiration and skin oils can rot the fabric. The Audubon Hat can be machine-washed with cold or warm water or wash by hand. Laundry soap can be used, but no bleach. The hat should be reshaped when wet and hung up to air dry. The hat should not be put in the dryer.

*Tilley's Insurance against loss [per the website]: "'The Straight-Shooter's Statement of Loss of a Tilley Hat' insurance policy. The insurance is for two years, all perils, 50% deductible, and is not issued by Lloyds."

LTM5 vs LTM5A

The Tilley Audubon Hat is a model LTM5A. The only difference between the LTM5A and the LTM5 is the Olive color of the LTM5A and the donation of proceeds from the sale of the LTM5A to the National Audubon Society. They all have the Tilley Airflo® design, which incorporates mesh into the crown and all are engineered from Tilley Nylamtium®, a strong water-and-mildew resistant form of nylon.

LTM5A Tilley Adubon Hat

SUMMARY

The experience I've had so far with the Tilley Audubon Hat has been very positive. I really like the shape and the look of the hat when it's on my head. It's comfortable and light in weight. I'll be doing my best to test out all the claims made by Tilley on this hat and will make sure that the ventilation features are fully tested.

This concludes my Initial Report. Please come back in approximately two months for my Field Report. Many thanks to Tilley Endurables and BackpackGearTesters.org for the opportunity to test this fine hat.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.