PERSONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Rick Allnutt
51 Year old male
183 cm (6' 0'') in height
90 kg (198 lbs) in weight
Head circumference: 22.75 in (58 cm)
Email address: rick (at) BackpackGearTest (dot) org
Homepage:  Risk's Ultralight Hiking Page
Trailname: "Risk"
I live in Dayton, Ohio

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND
Over the last several years, I have become an ultralight camper with a three-season base pack weight of about 17 lb (8 kg) and skin out weight of 25 lb (11 kg). I have completed many section hikes on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in all four seasons, with a total mileage of about 600 miles (1000 km). I am a gearhead, a hammock camper, and I make much of my own equipment.

PRODUCT INFORMATION
Manufacturer: Tilley Endurables
Year Manufactured: 2005
Manufacturer's Link: http://www.tilley.com
MSRP: US$69.00
Listed Weight: 5.6 oz (159 g)
Measured Weight (size 7-1/4): 5.6 oz (159 g)

REVIEW

The Tilley TH6 hat is an off-white canvas colored hat made from a material that looks like coarse linen, but which is made from hemp.  This is a wide-brimmed hat with a tall crown, ventilated by four brass grommets. 

I used the Tilley hat size chart available on their web site to choose my hat size.  I then checked this size against several Tilley hats in my local outfitter.  The size recommended on the website (7-1/4) seemed to fit well in the store. On arrival, there were no surprises in the sizing of the hat. It fits perfectly.

When the hat arrived, it was precisely and exactly what I had expected. I had seen several other Tilley hats, but I expected this one to have a different fabric -- a little more coarse and a little more irregular. When I opened the box, it was precisely the color and feel that I had imagined.  The hemp material is lined across the top of the crown with a layer of closed cell foam and an inner liner of fine woven cloth. It is difficult to tell exactly how thick the foam is, but it feels like it is approximately 1/8 in (3 mm) thick.

The brim of the hat is reinforced with a stiffener and sewn with 11 concentric rings of stitching. These rings are 1/3 in (8 mm) apart. The shape of the brim is ovoid, with the front and back being 3-1/2 in (9 cm) wide and the sides 2-1/2 in (6 cm) wide. The sweat band is a loop of velvety soft cloth.

Sewn to the inside of the crown is a large (3-1/2 x 4-1/2 in; 9 x 11 cm) label which doubles as a pocket with hook and loop closure. The label reads:


As soon as I had determined that the hat fit well, I immediately wrote my name and telephone number in the hat.

Attached to the hat's "shoe string" hat band, a group of tags attracted my attention.  One tag, labeled "the Tilley HEMP Hat," was filled with hemp facts, and proposed why hemp fabric was a good choice for a hat. An example of the "fun facts" is that "Rudolph Diesel designed his engine to run on hemp oil." I was pleased to also learn that hemp "is the world's strongest natural fibre and is naturally resistant to UV light, mould and mildew, and to salt water."  That bodes well for the rain forest (Appalachian Trail) I frequently hike in. Another of the tags thanked me for allowing Alex Tilley to make a donation to Street Kids International. Another tag informed me that the "fabric and style of Tilley Hats have been certified to block 98 percent of harmful UVA/UVB radiation and deliver an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 50+." The same tag makes me wonder if a simple 6 month testing program is enough.  It says "Since the Tilley hat is guaranteed for life, it's the last sun and rain hat you may ever have to buy. "  On the reverse of the 'Excellent UV Protection' tag, Mr Tilley proposes that in bright sunlight, everyone (and children particularly) should wear sunglasses with UVA and UVB filtering. "Sunglasses without filters open up the pupils of the eyes, allowing even more of these harmful rays to enter. This often causes cataracts and retinal problems later in life. It did in my family!"

Inside the security pocket, also called secret pocket, was the aforementioned owner's handbook and a plastic zip lock bag with the 'brag tags.' One useful bit of information contained in the Owner's Manual included the suggestion to look at the label inside the crown when putting the hat on.  When the printing is right side up, it is about to go on right. The manual describes how to wash the hat, how to adjust and then use the wind cord, and how to use the sun glasses retainer.  There is a small loop of hook and loop fabric inside the crown on the left side between the two brass grommets.  It is possible to put the two temple pieces of a pair of sunglasses through the grommets and then hold them securely with the loop.  I also found that it is possible to simply store a pair of sunglasses inside the crown of the hat, hanging them from that loop.  The entire handbook is written in a friendly manner with humor (or maybe humour?!). 

The 'brag tags' are a cute marketing technique designed to be provided by wearers of the Tilley hat, like a business card, to those who have special interest in the hat. The hook is the first paragraph of the tag as follows:


This could be a fun test, a very, very fun test.

FIELD CONDITIONS EXPECTED

During March I will test the ability of the hat to keep me reasonably dry in hours-long rain. I do not expect the hat to be waterproof, but if it sheds most of the water, this will keep my glasses dry and my head warm. In April, I will be beginning a 6-8 week long hike on the AT. During this period, I will experience mountains, cold, heat, rain, sun, and bugs. I also plan to have a ball. The field report will be written from my campsites on the trail as my hike continues.  I hope to discover all manner of wonderful features of the hat along the backbone of the Eastern United States.

TEST PLANS

My immediate concerns will be the comfort and usefulness in rain of the Hemp Hat.
I want to know how long it takes to dry after a good soaking.
Does the hat keep me warm on cool and rainy days?
I am also interested in the hat's performance in the heat.
Does it allow evaporative cooling of my head on a hot day, soaking in a stream, wringing out, and wearing?
How well does the ventilation work to keep my head cool on warm days, especially in the sun?
Does mildew affect the threads of the hat or the fabric? 
How easy is it to wash the hat in field conditions?
How do people who ask about the hat respond to the 'brag tags?'
Does it make sense to keep anything in the 'security pocket?'
How well does the hat work as a sitting pad on a wet log or rock?
How does it work as a pillow in my hammock?


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