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Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Tilley LTM6 Hat > Bill Jeffrey > Field ReportTilley LTM6 Airflo Hat - Field Reportby Bill "AsABat" JeffreyEmail: wjj2001 "at" yahoo "dot" com May 17, 2005 Tester Personal Biographical Information Bill Jeffrey
I have over 30 years backpacking experience, starting with Scouting as a youth. I am currently the High Adventure Leader for a Scout Troop. I try to get out once or twice a month, plus at least one week-long trek each year. My trips are of two types. First, I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in sections, and generally use a lightweight approach on these typically solo trips. Other trips involving family involve more traditional backpacking equipment. Terrain varies from sea level to 14,000 feet (4,300 m), desert to mountain, and trail to cross country, occasionally including snow travel. I really do not like to wear hats, but I have no choice. My eyes are extremely sensitive to light, so I have a collection of mostly cheap hats I wear whenever I spend much time outdoors. For hiking I use one of several floppy nylon hats, which become floppier the longer I wear them, and give me a rather rag-tag look. Working in the yard it is usually a larger straw lifeguard hat. Of course, I have an extensive collection of baseball caps picked up at various events, none of which shield my eyes when the sun is at my side, let alone protect my ears from sunburn. This is the second of three reports of the Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat based on use over the last two months. The first report described the hat in detail. My next report will discuss durability and comfort over a longer period. Product Description:
Field Test: The Tilley has gone with me on every outdoor adventure since I received it two months ago. I will describe three outings. Snowshoes on the Pacific Crest Right after receiving my Tilley, I set out to the mountains above Big Bear Lake for a two-day snowshoe. Temperatures under mostly sunny skies ranged from 32 degrees F (0 C) at sunrise to near 70 F (21 C) at about 7,000 feet (2,100 m) elevation. About 75 percent of the route was covered in up to four feet (1.2 m) of snow. I immediately appreciated the full brim of the hat as it kept the early morning sun out of my eyes. I was pleased to find that the hat provided just the right amount of warmth while hiking in the cool air. Encountering a light breeze atop a ridge, the hat stayed on well with the cord just secured at the back of my head. When the wind picked up a bit on steeper slopes, I used the cord under my chin as well rather than have to chase the hat down the hill. As the day warmed, and the climb on snowy slopes became steeper, the wicking sweatband and mesh ventilation kept sweat from running down my face, which is unusual for me on these climbs. The hat did a great job of keeping the sun off my face. I did not do as good a job, however, at following the directions saying to still use sunscreen. I received a light sunburn on the lower part of my face, mostly under my chin and nose where the sun reflected off the snow. Even a sharp hat like this cannot make one act sharp all the time! Trails are typically constructed with tree branches trimmed for an eight-foot (2.5 m) overhead clearance. With all the snow on the ground, I often had to duck to avoid these branches. Sometimes I didn't duck enough, and my head hit said branch. I was worried my hat would be damaged, but it only sustained a light scuff that washed off easily with a bit of water. Canoeing A second trip shortly thereafter took me to Lake Hodges for a half-day canoe trip. The heavy rains we received this year filled the lake, which had been nearly empty for several years. During the dry spell, willow trees grew tall in the lake bed, and those trees are now partially submerged, making for fun paddles amid their branches. The temperature that day was near 85 F (29 C). The elevation is 300 feet (100 m). I secured the chin strap snug, applied my sunscreen, and set off. The Tilley AirFlo is so light it's almost unnoticeable on my head. On the trip out, several low branches tried to knock the hat off my head, and on the way back a strong wind picked up going through The Narrows. I had no fear that the hat would blow off, without any discomfort or chafing from the chin strap. Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off Visiting Lake Morena near the southern end of the Pacific Crest Trail provided another opportunity to test the Tilley. Arriving at the camp early, I took a mountain bike ride up a dirt road to a ridge overlooking the lake. Heading down at a rather good speed, the hat stayed secure when I used the chin strap. The following evening, a light rain came in and the Tilley kept my head quite dry and warm. More importantly, with 600 hardcore hikers in camp, several of them recognized that, since I was wearing a Tilley, I was a person of character. Next: So far, the Tilley AirFlo keeps my sweaty head cool, still looks good, has repeled a bit of light rain, and hasn't blown away in the wind. The hat will be used on all my hikes during the next several months (and beyond given my love of this hat already). Later this month I will spend a week backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail across the San Gabriel Mountains, with elevations between 3,000 and 9,000 feet (900 to 2,700 m). Later this summer I plan a backpack in the Sierra Nevada north of with elevations up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m). The weather could be anything from a warm and dry 90 degrees F (32 C) to a pleasant 30 F (-1 C). I expect wind and anticipate rain. During this test I will look at:
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