Tilley Audubon Hat
Test Series by Hollis Easter
Initial Report - 15 September 2009
The Tilley Audubon Hat is a lightweight hat made of synthetic fabrics and designed for comfort.
Reviewer Information:
 The author
Name: Hollis Easter
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0" (1.8 m)
Weight: 205 lb (93 kg)
Head circumference: 24 in (61 cm)
Email address: backpackgeartest[a@t)holliseaster(dah.t]com
City, State, Country: Potsdam, New York, USA
Backpacking Background: I started hiking as a child in the Adirondack Mountains
of New York. As a teenager, I hiked my way to an Eagle Scout award. I
love winter climbing, and long days through rough terrain abound. The
peaks have become my year-round friends. I also love climbing rock and ice.
I am a midweight backpacker: I don't carry unnecessary gear, but neither
do I cut the edges from my maps. I hike in all seasons, at altitudes from
sea level to 5,300 ft (1,600 m), and in temperatures from -30 F (-34 C) to 100 F (38 C).
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Tilley Endurables
Year of manufacture: 2009
URL: www.tilley.com
Listed dimensions (brim): Front: 2 5/8 in (6.6 cm) Back: 2 3/4 in (6.9 cm) Sides: 2 1/8 in (5.3 cm)
Measured dimensions: identical to the manufacturer's specifications
Listed weight: about 3 oz (about 85 g)
Actual weight (size 7 3/4): 3.4 oz (98 g)
Color: Olive
MSRP: $74 US
Product features (from manufacturer materials):
- Guaranteed for life
- Insured against loss
- Excellent sun protection
- Repels rain
- Ties on in the wind
- Machine washable (won't shrink)
- Secret pocket for holding small valuables
- Sales support the mission of the Audubon Society
- Made of Tilley Nylamtium (93% nylon, 7% Spandex)
Initial Report - 15 September 2009:
 Trying on the Tilley AudubonThe Tilley Audubon Hat is a re-branded version of the Tilley LTM5 Airflo hat, a lightweight hat made of a synthetic fabric that's designed to keep the sun and rain off while remaining very comfortable. Tilley Endurables has chosen to support the Audubon Society by donating the profits from the Tilley Audubon Hat: a worthwhile endeavor, in my view.
I first ran across Tilley Hats more than ten years ago while playing bagpipes at the North American Pipe Band Championships in Maxville, Ontario, and I've been intrigued ever since. I have an unusually large head (please, forgo the clever comments!) and have often found it difficult to find a comfortable hat, so Tilley's claim to make hats for all heads resonated for me.
The Audubon sports a narrower brim than many Tilley hats, so I'll be interested to see how it performs--I like a wide brim on my hats. In design, the hat is fairly simple: a circular brim reinforced with a wire of some sort, a stitched fabric crown and top, a ventilated section in the top of the crown. As with so many things, though, the difference is in the details.
The quality of stitching on the Audubon Hat is very high. All the stitches are tight, and none of the fabric seems bunched or strained, which impresses me given my experience with sewing hats. There's some form of 3D mesh stitched around the crown of the hat, allegedly to provide for ventilation. While I'm up there looking at the crown, I'll note that this is my first hat to come with instructions! They're stitched right into the inside of the crown; among other things, they let me know that my hat was "handcrafted with Canadian persnicketiness", and that I should machine wash it on "delicate" or hand-wash it in cool water to preserve its beauty and function. There's a secret pocket with hook-and-loop closure underneath the instructions, too.
When it arrives from the factory, the secret pocket holds a plastic zipper bag with eight "Brag Tags" inside: these are little tear-off pieces of paper with information about how to get yourself a Tilley Hat of your very own. Tilley Endurables maintains that Tilley Hats are so stylish that their owners are often complimented on the hats, and that owners can frequently go through many Brag Tags. I hate to admit it, but I think they're right: I put on the hat as I was leaving work today, and two of my co-workers asked for information about getting their own hats. So now I'm down to six Brag Tags, which also makes my hat even lighter.
There's a sweatband inside the hat, allegedly made of Hydrofil wicking fabric. I don't know how well it wicks moisture yet, but it's certainly very soft and comfortable. The hat also features a pair of looped "wind cords", which offer the wearer a chance to tie the hat on in windy conditions. Tilley recommends starting with the rear cord, and then adding the chin cord if the weather is truly foul. The cords are simple to tension by sliding some knots along the rear cord. I think the cords are made out of olive green shoelaces. In any case, they're comfortable and soft.
I've recently gotten myself addicted to kayaking, so it comes as some relief to learn that my new Tilley will float thanks to layers of foam in the crown and brim. Thanks, Tilley!
The hat is made of Tilley Nylamtium, which they claim is a form of nylon that's resistant to both water and mildew. It also stretches a little bit, which is nice.
Let's talk about fit for a moment. I hate a tight hat. I followed the instructions on Tilley's (excellent) web site for sizing my hat, and discovered that I was between sizes. I contacted their customer support people and asked what they recommended; they directed me toward the larger size. So I have a 7 3/4 Tilley Hat. Tilley says that the hat should fit comfortably, with no pressure on the forehead and no friction on the forehead if I turn the hat. They say it should be held on by gravity.
 Inside the Tilley HatWell, we're mostly there. The hat certainly stays on my head thanks to something other than gravity, since it won't fall off when I hang upside down. I can place two fingers under the sweatband while wearing it, though it isn't "easy". I don't know how I should have chosen a different size, given that I used their size chart and then got a larger size.
All that technical stuff aside, though, the hat is very comfortable. I get a bit of pressure on my forehead, but it's far less than with any hat I've ever worn. The hat doesn't fall off on its own, but that may have silver linings: when I'm in the mountains, I don't want my hat falling off just because I'm looking upward.
A few brief notes about customer service. Tilley's people are great. Their customer service department is responsive, friendly, and informed. I think they deserve a lot of credit for that, and I appreciate their efforts. Tilley also offers two rather unusual policies for Tilley owners: insurance and a stellar warranty. By "insurance", they mean that if I lose my Tilley hat within two years of buying it, they'll replace it for half-price, no questions asked. That's pretty good, but the real gem comes in the warranty. In these days of "guaranteed for 30 days unless you actually use it in the woods" warranties, Tilley's guarantee stands out. It's very simple: "Tilleys are replaced free if they ever wear out, shrink or fall apart." They'll even honor the warranty if it's claimed by someone other than the original owner, and they recommend that Tilley owners pass their hats on to other people. Impressive.
So far, I'm really liking the Tilley Audubon Hat. Minor gripes would include the narrow brim (since I prefer a larger one), and a bit of confusion about the sizing. However, it's comfortable, light, sharp-looking, and easy to adjust, and I am very happy wearing it around town. I'm looking forward to taking it out into the field!
| Likes: | Dislikes: |
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- Comfortable fit
- Light weight
- Attractive styling
- Amazing warranty
- Excellent web site
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- Brim narrower than I'd like
- Fit is a bit hard to specify from online size chart
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This concludes my Initial Report. The Field Report will be appended to this report in approximately two months. Please check back then for further information.
Field Report - still testing:
To be completed approximately two months after the Initial Report date.
Long-Term Report - still testing:
To be completed approximately four months after the Initial Report date.
I thank BackpackGearTest.org and Tilley Endurables for allowing me to test the Audubon Hat.
Read more reviews of Tilley gear
Read more gear reviews by Hollis Easter
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