Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Tilley LTM6 Hat > Stephanie Martin > Field Report

Field Report: Tilley LTM6 AIRFLO Hat

This report is the second in a series of three.  For more detailed discussion on Product Design and Construction, please read my Initial Report.

Contents

- The Second Coming - Hat Exchange!

- Product Performance in the Field

- Continued Test Strategy

- Summary

The Second Coming - Hat Exchange!
You may recall from my initial report that I fell right on the top end of the 7 1/8 size category, and that my Tilley didn't seem to sit quite right.  It didn't seem particularly deep in the crown and just a wee bit tight.  I called Tilley Customer Service to see what they recommended, and we all agreed that going a size up would be best.  The experience was quick and simple and my new 7 1/4 size hat found its way to me quickly and without any trouble and it fits perfectly - low over the brows, and with enough room to wear my hair stuffed up inside the Tilley or down as my mood suits me.
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Product Performance in the Field
Properly sized Tilley in hand, and I was ready to go.  I've been lucky to have had numerous trips out in the field with my Tilley LTM6 Airflo Hat and it's holding up like a champ.  The hat's fabric is still smooth, relatively wrinkle free, and remains unsoiled, even after a tumble across a muddy boat deck - I simply waited for the mud to dry, and it brushed right off, leaving no stains on the Nylamtium fabric.  The Tilley LTM6 Airflow hat has proven to be very comfortable and I don't really notice its weight on my head at all.  I've been out with my Tilley on fairly windy days - and even wore it on a boating excursion on Lake Powell and am pleased to note that the LTM6 Airflo does stay put in high wind conditions while securely fastened to my head using the wind cord.  I personally had little success securing the Tilley using just the rear wind cord, and in all circumstances found myself using both the forward and rear wind cords simultaneously.  The cord itself is soft and comfortable, and after adjusting its placement, I often forgot I had the hat secured - that is until someone else's hat blew away!  The brim of the LTM6 is stiff enough that it does not blow flat down into my eyes when hiking or traveling into the wind.  It is also wide enough that it does provide excellent shade for my face and ears.  Sadly, on one occasion, I missed gopping up the sunscreen at the rear neckline of my hiking shirt, and got a narrow stripe of sunburn between my shirt and the shade provided by the Tilley.  While the Tilley's brim is wide enough to provide plenty of shade, it is still narrow enough that it does not interfere with my wearing a full pack.  Previous wide brimmed hats that I have worn have sometimes forced me to limit my head position while wearing them with a full backpack as the brim would catch on the pack's body or lid - not the case with my Tilley - I can look wherever I please whenever I please - even with an overfull pack on!

The LTM6 performs admirably in light rain - water beads on the Nylamtium fabric and did not seem to wet through or get droopy with moisture.  Just as the Tilley provides excellent shade protection, the wide brim of the Tilley kept the rain drops from accumulating on my face, and even more importantly, on my glasses.  Unfortunately, for testing purposes, the rain in the field tests so far has been intermittent, and has tended towards the spring shower variety, rather than a deluge.  While the tight weave of the Tilley's Nylamtium fabric prevents water from wetting through the hat in inclement weather, it also prevents moisture from readily escaping the hat from the inside.  While the hat allows free airflow through the mesh band at the hat's crown, I have still observed condensation inside the hat - even on hot sunny days.  On days when there is little to no wind, the Tilley seems a bit warm to wear, but the moment a wind kicks up, I can feel the cooler air circulating through the top of the hat.  While the weather has been relatively mild during the test period, I've still managed to work up a fair sweat while hiking.  While I have found the Hydrofil sweatband of the Tilley to be very comfortable, it does not provide enough wicking power to keep the sweat from dripping down my forehead.

Regarding packability - I've packed the Tilley into my pack with no ill effects - as I do with all my wide brimmed hats, I packed the hat into the pack by placing the brim of the hat against the back panel and packing around it.  If packing the hat after my backpack is already full, I will either squash it in along the backpad, or I will lay it on top of all my gear and tighten down the straps on the pack accordingly.  The LTM6 has suffered both indignities and has fared well - usually upon unpacking, there are several creases on the hat, but they seem to disappear readily.  Other than a few wrinkles, my Tilley's brim is only showing a little bit of lopsided character after this treatment.

Because my Tilley hasn't gotten very dirty during testing, I have not yet attempted to wash it.  Nor have I tested it's floatation - and sadly, I haven't garnered any smiles or drinks from strangers as a result of being a Tilley wearer...perhaps with some additional testing time, I'll be able to comment on those items in my long term report.
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Continuing Test Strategy
As we head into the summer hiking season, I will continue to test the Tilley LTM6 Airflo hat. Later in the summer with the monsoon season, I'll be able to get some test time in during some of the afternoon downpours which the season is especially known for.  I'll continue to evaluate the Tilley on the following criteria: Ventilation - many hats, while they provide more than adequate shade, seem to trap heat in their crowns;  Flying-Hat-Syndrome - while I've never lost a hat off a cliff, I have, on occasion, had to chase my hats hither and yon across the plateaus in high winds; Packability: some of my hats can be crushed and squashed into my pack and come out unscathed - others are never quite the same again; Floppiness-When-Wet-Syndrome - droopy hats are just plain no fun - especially for people like me who wear glasses;  and finally, Interference with my backpack - some of my hats have brims that are too broad and/or too stiff that result in them not staying nicely on my head while backpacking.  In addition to these areas, I will continue to evaluate the Tilley LTM6 for its durability, comfort, ease of care, flotation in the event that it lands in the water, and its ability to elicit a smile (or beverages) from others - especially if I have an opportunity to pass on one or more of the Brag Tags.

Most of my remaining testing will occur in the desert southwest of the United States in the states of Arizona and Utah.  Temperatures will range from the upper 60s F (low 20s C) at night to over 100 F (38 C) during the day for the remainder of the test period, depending on my exact location.  As testing progresses into monsoon season, I will have an opportunity to see how the LTM6 takes to rain and high winds.
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My thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Tilley Endurables for this testing opportunity.

Reviews > Clothing > Hats > Tilley LTM6 Hat > Stephanie Martin > Field Report