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 first of three reports of the Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat and is based solely on inspection at home. Future reports will describe my experiences with the hat over two and then six months.

Product Description:

A corrugated box arrived that was unusually light for its size. Inside the box was a clear plastic bag contained a hat that looked far too classy to wear on the trail. Attached to the hat were three hang tags indicating the hat model and size, describing some feature of the hat, and providing guidance on sun protection. Inside a pocket in the crown of the hat was a sheet of "brag tags" in a reclosable plastic bag and a four-page instruction manual.

The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price is $68.00 (USD). There is a lifetime guarantee "if they ever wear out, shrink or fall apart." Tilley also says they will replace it for half price if lost in the first two years. Their website is http://www.tilley.com.

According to the manufacturer, the hat weighs 3 ounces (85 g). I measured my sample at 3-1/2 ounces (100 g), which is what I expected given my larger than average size 7-7/8. My hat is a light khaki color, with olive green under the brim. I was pleased to find no label of any kind on the outside of the hat, making for a smooth, classy look. A label inside on the crown describes some features of the hat, care instructions, and how to use the security pocket the label was sewn too. The pocket is handy, but not very secret!

The hat is constructed of Tilley Nylamtium, which appears similar to nylon supplex, and is claimed to be water and mildew resistant. The inside circumference measures 24-5/8 inches (63.5 cm) according to the tag inside and my tape measure. The brim measured 2-5/8 inches (6.7 cm) wide at the sides and 3-3/8 inches (8.6 cm) at the front and back, which is close to the manufacturer's measurements of 2-1/2 inches (6.4 cm) and 3-1/4 inches (8.3 cm), the difference probably also being due to the larger hat size.

The brim appears to have an interfacing that is slightly resilient like foam and that provides a bit of stiffening, along with stiching that spirals around the brim, spaced roughly a 1/4-inch (6 mm) apart. In the rim of the brim is wire of some unknown material to help the brim maintain a sharp shape without drooping. If held by the crown, the base of the hat shows a bit of contour, dropping at the front and back to protect the face and neck from sun. This curve is not as pronounced as the images on Tilley's website, which I was able to replicate by gently shaping the wire in the brim.

The crown is about 4-1/2 inches (11.4 cm) tall. Around the top of the crown is a stiff polyester mesh that looks like it should provide welcome ventilation in the summer sun. The mesh is between 5/8 and 3/4 inch (16 and 19 mm) wide.

A single wide (7/16 inch, 1 cm) flat cord that looks like a flat shoelace feeds from two brass grommets on either side of the hat and is used to keep the hat in place in the wind. Sliding overhand knots at the back adjust the length of the total cord, and moving the cord through the grommets adjusts the length of strap in the front and rear. The cord at the front works as any chin strap would, but its soft feel and flat shape feels much more comfortable than a cheap nylon cord. The cord at the back is designed to fit just under the base of the skull to hold the back of the hat in place. I have a cord like this on a campaign hat (similar to that worn by Smokey Bear) and have found them surprisingly more useful than I first expected.

Around the inside of the hat is a "Hydrofil" sweat band about 1-1/8 inch (2.9 cm) wide that is claimed "picks up sweat from your forehead and wicks it away to your temple area where it evaporates." That claim will be duly tested.

Sewn into the crown on the inside of the hat is a label with just a bit of hubris that reads:

The AIRFLO
TILLEY HAT
THE FINEST IN ALL THE WORLD
INSURED AGAINST LOSS, GUARANTEED FOR LIFE
(REPLACED FREE IF IT EVER WEARS OUT)
IT FLOATS, TIES ON (FRONT AND/OR BACK), REPELS RAIN, BLOCKS
UV RAYS AND WON'T SHRINK. IT COMES WITH EIGHT 'BRAG TAGS'
IN THE SECURITY POCKET PLUS A FOUR-PAGE OWNER'S MANUAL.
MADE OF NYLON (DURABLE TILLY NYLAMTIUM; FOR SUPERB ANTI-SWEAT
COMFORT, HYDROFIL; STRONG POLYESTER MESH - AND THE BEST OF BRITISH
BRASS HARDWARE, HANDCRAFTED WITH CANADIAN PERSNICKETINESS.
MACHINE/HAND WASH WARM FREQUENTLY (SWEAT PERMANENTLY
DISCOLOURS HAT), RESHAPE, AIR DRY, THE STRETCH OVER KNEE.

Under this label is a pocket secured closed by a Velcro-type fastener. This pocket can be used to store identification, car keys, and a few bucks while out on a jaunt. Also inside the pocket is a bit of thin (less than 1/16 inch, 2 mm) white closed cell foam that provides a bit of shape to the top of the crown as well as a bit of buoyancy if the hat is lost at sea and, as Tilley mentions apparently tongue-in-cheek, protection for the top of the head.

Tilley says the hat blocks 98 percent of UV radiation and have an ultraviolet protection factor of 50+.

A four-page instruction manual describes in a detailed and entertaining manner the features, fit, and care of the hat. How many hats have a four-page manual? I'll just say that the "brag tags" are a humorous way to let people know about your hat and how they can get one.

The website describes how sunglasses can be securely stored in the grommets on some of the Tilley hats. I noted one section said "except mesh hats" and another just said "hats," so I was not clear if this LTM6 Airflo could carry sunglasses this way. It cannot.

Initial Impression:

As I said earlier, why would I wear a hat this classy on a hike in the boondocks? Because, as the brag tags say, I am an interesting person of "sterling character. It is well worth cultivating [my] acquaintance!". It must be true, because I was selected to participate in this product test!

I was initially a bit uncertain whether to order the 7-7/8 or the 7-3/4, but this hat fits great. It just brushed the tops of my ears, with, as the fitting instructions say, room to place two fingers inside the hat at my forehead. It moves just a bit when I make it move, but stays in place perfectly with the windcord in place. It is so comfortable I almost don't want to take it off. I did expect a bit more space between the top of my head and the top of the hat, but there is still a bit of room there, which is not present in any of my other hats.

The wind cord is easy to adjust, but it also easily slides in the grommets so that sometimes I have extra cord in the back and not enough in the front. This takes just a minute to re-adjust.

The hat appears very well constructed, with absolutely no stray threads, missing stiches, or blemishes. I am very impressed with the fit and finish of this hat. And, it really does add an aura of class to my stained hiking shirt and torn pants!

Next: The hat will be used on all my hikes during the next several months. The first has already occurred (but you'll have to wait for my next report for the adventure), a weekend of snowshoeing in the mountains of Southern California under sunny skies with temperatures between 33 and 70 degrees F (1 and 21 C). Additional testing will be in the same area, with a couple longer summer backpacks in the Sierra Nevada north of Yosemite. Elevations will range from 700 to at least 10,000 feet (200 to 3,000 meters). The weather could be anything from a warm and dry 85 degrees F (30 C) to a pleasant 30 F (-1 C). I expect wind and anticipate rain. During this test I will look at:

Ventilation: I crank out a lot of heat and often find myself removing my hat to fan the sweat from my head. After a long hike my hair looks like I just got out of the shower. (Actually, it gets so greasy it looks like I just got out of the sewer, but that doesn't sound good, does it?) Can the ventilation of the Tilley keep me cool and dry?
Appearance and Comfort: I really appreciated being asked to measure my head for a hat, since most "one size fits all" does not fit me. The taller crown appeals to me as most of my hats sit down hard on my noggin. Will the extra room upstairs keep me cooler? Since the hat is "held on by gravity, not painful pressure," will it stay put when bending to tie my shoes? Most importantly, will the hat maintain it's style so I don't look like a vagrant when I hike into town?
Ties: How well does the Wind Cord keep the hat from becoming a kite? I am especially interested in how much wind the hat will resist using just the back wind cord. Is the cord easy to adjust, especially when the slip knots get wet from rain or hail? Does the chin cord hold snug without causing my neck to chafe?
Guaranteed for Life: Well, the test is only six months, so I won't be able to fully test this claim. However, to paraphrase the last words of the owner's Manual ("Pass it on!), I say, "Bring it on!" My hats get stuffed in my backpack, stuffed in the back of my pants, and used to hold loose items in my tent. It will be made to run the gauntlet. Will the seams stay tight? Will the fabric fray? Will I outlast the hat?
Floats: An interesting claim. I do wear my hat when I visit a sunny swimming hole, so this claim will also be tested.
Repels rain: While some moisture can be expected to enter the mesh or grommets, how well does the hat keep my face and glasses dry? Do the brims sag as they get soaked? Does the hat dry quickly, or will it be a soggy mat upon my head? Does the hat fit comfortably under the hood of my raincoat?
Won't shrink: Does the preshrunk fabric really work as claimed?
Anti-sweat band: Yeah, right. Can the band really pick up sweat from my forehead and move it to my temple area for evaporation without it running down my face? I usually tie one bandana around my head to stop the sweat, and use a second to sop up what does leak down towards my eyes. I'm skeptical, Tilley, but if it works, I'll be your biggest fan. The Manual contains a suggestion to put the hat on backwards if the sweat band become too wet in front - what do I do when that soaks the other end, too?
Sun protection: How well does the hat shade my face, neck, and ears?
Secret pocket: This sounds very cool. Does using the crown pocket reduce the breathability of the hat? Do the contents sit there quietly, or do they rattle and bump on my head?
Cleaning: How well does the fabric resist stains? Does it dry quickly after washing? Do the instructions for removing wrinkles work (on the hat, not my forehead)?
Strange: Strangers will talk to me if I wear this hat, huh? Usually after a hike they try to stay far away and upwind, but will this classy hat change that? Will I be mistaken for a duke out for a jaunt in the country?

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Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Tilley LTM6 Hat > Bill Jeffrey > Initial Report

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