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Tilley TH4 Hemp Hat
Field Report - May 5, 2005
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 38
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: May 5, 2005
Additional Information applicable to this test
Hat size (US): 7 – 7¼, depending on haircut
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Tilley
Model: TH4 Hemp Hat
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.tilley.com
Listed weight: None
Measured weight (size 7 1/8, hat only): 5.4 oz (153 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Measured weight (size 7 1/8, with brag tags and manual - as delivered): 5.7 oz (162 g)
Color: Natural
MSRP: $69 US
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- GUARANTEED FOR LIFE
- INSURED AGAINST LOSS
- EXCELLENT SUN PROTECTION
- REPELS RAIN
- TIES ON IN THE WIND
- MACHINE WASHABLE (WON`T SHRINK)
- FLOATS
- HYDROFIL® ANTI-SWEAT BAND
- UMPTEEN SIZES
- 4-PAGE OWNER`S MANUAL
- BRAG TAGS
- SUNGLASSES` SECURITY
- SECRET POCKET
Description [return to top]
The Tilley TH4 (the ‘H’ is for the Hemp fabric) is one of the large Tilley Endurables series of hats. It is a wide brimmed, high-crowned, ventilated design with more features than any hat I have ever experienced – and I’ve worn a lot of hats.
The hemp fabric used in the Tilley hemp hats has a slightly nubby woven texture, and is a light beige or oatmeal color. The brim has a rolled edge, and the crown is sewn all the way around at the top. There are two large brass grommets on each side near the crown, as well as two smaller grommets on each side with a lace running through them. Sewn to the inside of the top seam is a loop of hook-and-loop fastener, allowing the wearer to insert the earpieces of their sunglasses through the large grommets and wrap the loop around them, providing a secure, safe storage place. In the crown of the hat, like most (if not all) Tilley’s, is a large tag, covering most of the inside of the crown, explaining the Tilley guarantee, some of the features, and the fabric, as well as washing instructions and corporate information. Additionally, there are spaces for the wearer to enter their name and phone number – and, if you follow Alex Tilley’s suggestion, the date. Under this tag is a pocket in the top of the hat, held closed by a hook-and-loop fastener. This pocket, which has a piece of closed-cell foam sewn in, is large enough to hold identification, cash and credit cards, and small-to-medium maps. The inner pocket as delivered holds a plastic zipper bag containing 8 ‘Brag Tags’. The tags all have the same information on one side with various quotes and Tilley facts on the other. Just from reading through the tags I can tell this is going to be a fun test.
For a much more detailed description – with photos – please see my Initial Report.
Field Testing [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly. Almost all of these outings include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected to be from lows around 25 to 30 ºF (-4 to -1 ºC) to highs around 95 to 100 ºF (35 to 38 ºC). Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 2,000’ (610 m). We have also added monthly hikes to our schedule, which may or may not include up to 2 nights of camping. My fiancée and I, who between us have 3 First Class Boy Scouts (ages 13, 14 and 15), are also looking into additional camping without the Scouts, and the possibilities of beginning to do some AT section hikes in Pennsylvania as the weather warms up.
I just attended our Scout district’s Spring Camporee this past weekend, where rain, fog and mud were the order of the day. I remember reading somewhere that Tilley hats (at least some of them) actually become stiffer instead of limper when wet (like in the rain, for example). This was most certainly the case last weekend, as the TH4’s brim became nearly as stiff as cardboard, preventing any of the rain from getting into my collar, unlike some other ‘floppy’ hats I have worn that drooped down and plastered themselves to the sides of my head in a heavy rain – rendering them effectively useless. I was very pleased with this stiffening. I did not notice any rain managing to make its way through the grommets near the crown of the hat, but I could feel some dampness from the fabric immediately in front of my forehead. The plastic bag in the inner pocket did its job of keeping its contents dry through an entire weekend of rain.
I also took the TH4 along on a few other trips during the Field Test period, and found it to be pretty much everything it is advertised to be – it never blew off, never failed to protect me from the elements, never let me get too overheated, and never let any sweat run into my eyes. I have noticed some slight soiling of the headband in the front, however, and I will be washing the hat at least once during the Long Term testing phase, with results included in that report.
Things I am/will be looking for:
- Fit. Does it fit me? Do the sizing instructions on the web site result in a comfortable hat? Does it stay on well in windy conditions?
- Fabric. Is the fabric durable (I have no prior experience with hemp)? Does it stretch? Does it fade? Is it windproof? Waterproof? Does it pill, pull, or snag readily?
- Warmth/cooling. How warm can it get out and still keep me cool? Does it ventilate well? How cool can it get out and still keep me warm?
- Comfort. Am I constantly aware of the hat, or does it just seem to disappear on my head? Does the anti-sweat headband effectively keep sweat out of my eyes? Can I wear it comfortably while sleeping?
- Washability. Are there special instructions? Are they easy to follow? Does it dry well? Does it hold much dirt in the first place?
- Backpacking. Does the rear of the brim interfere with any of my packs?
- Acceptability. I work in the business world. Do I get odd stares from co-workers or fellow commuters (not that I care, but some might)? Is my lady willing to be seen with me in public while wearing the Tilley, something which has not been the case for other hats I have worn/tested?
My findings so far:
- Fit. The TH4 sits gently on my head, coming nearly to the tops of my ears, and drapes down to also provide coverage for the back of my neck. As for wind, I wore the TH4 out in winds that were blowing over streetcorner newspaper vending boxes – that were chained to street signs (!!) – and blowing the brim down flat against my head. Even in these conditions, the hat stayed securely and comfortably on my head. Needless to say, I am impressed.
- Fabric. The hemp fabric has begun to take on a slightly darker color, which is quite acceptable to me. I have yet to notice any stretching, pilling, pulling, or snagging. The weave of the TH4’s hemp fabric does permit some breeze to blow through, and some wetness can be felt on the inside during heavy rains, but neither occurs to a bothersome extent.
- Warmth/cooling. The TH4 can keep my head warm down nearly to freezing. Below that, I have worn the Tilley over the IBEX Scull Cap I am testing for BGT, and have yet to be cold. On a recent hike, I kept up a fairly quick pace – around 10.9 mi (17.5 km) in a little less than 3 hours – in the warmest weather we have had yet this year – 88 °F/31 °C – and not much breeze. I took the hat off once or twice to mop my forehead, but otherwise remained comfortable throughout the entire hike, not giving the TH4 much thought.
- Comfort. I love the way the TH4 nearly disappears on my head, and manages to keep sweat from rolling into my eyes. It is comfortable enough to wear while napping, but only if I am sleeping on my back with a roll supporting my neck and keeping my head above the sleeping surface.
- Washability. I will be washing the TH4 during the Long Term phase for this test, and will report the results in that report. I can say that the TH4 dries fairly quickly (a few hours) once removed from the wet conditions, and hasn’t yet shown any external staining, but I take fairly good care of my equipment.
- Backpacking. The packs I have worn the TH4 with so far all fall at or just above my shoulders. I am aware of contact between them when I tilt my head way back (to see something above me), but the brim is flexible enough that it has not been a bother.
- Acceptability. I have gotten almost unanimously positive comments about theTH4.
Things I like [return to top]
- Light.
- Comfortable.
- Stiffens when wet.
- Fashionable, in my opinion.
- Absolutely stays put in high winds.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- The straight temples/arms of my (prescription) aviator-style sunglasses don’t fit through the grommets. Since I carry whichever glasses I am not wearing in a hard case, this is pretty much a non-issue for me, but something a potential user should be cognizant of.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5. I spent 17 years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology – when I got out, I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load in my ALICE pack. Advancing age, arthritic knees and a car accident have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and hammocks, make some of my own gear, and take a closer look at my ‘toys’ with an eye for multi-use and light weight. I now have a sub-30 lb (14 kg) 3-season load, and should be able to reduce it to 20 lb (9 kg) – before food, fuel and water – without much more effort.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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