Tilley Hats, what do you think?

**OldSaw** · 08-23-2008, 09:21 AM

What are your thoughts on Tilley hats? I'm thinking about getting a T3 for sailing.

If you have alternative suggestions please post a link and/or picture with information on where to buy and why you like it.

Thanks

**Dennis** · 08-23-2008, 09:25 AM

Love mine. Would not go hiking without it.

Dennis

**Gruder** · 08-23-2008, 09:27 AM

Fantastic products. The wording in the instruction pamphlet alone is worth it.

**OldSaw** · 08-23-2008, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by Dennis02

Love mine. Would not go hiking without it.

Dennis

Wow! That was a quick reply. You must have posted before the pole went up. As soon as I finished it, there was your post.

Thanks

**jazzman** · 08-23-2008, 09:47 AM

Love my hemp Tilley. Wore it outside in a steady rain for a whole day in May, and my head stayed dry. Wore it at the beach this summer, and my head stayed cool.

**Thunder** · 08-23-2008, 10:10 AM

I have a Tilley, can't remember if it's a T3 but I think so. Wide brim, but not their widest. I wish I had better luck with it, it's a sturdy hat. I wore it one day to an amusement park with my daughter many years ago and it blew off on the log ride and got dripping wet. After they fished it out I could never get it back to a decent shape after such a soaking. It took on a crumpled contorted shape that defied my best efforts to get it back to its original or presentable-in-public shape. They advertise one passing through an elephant (ick) and surviving but it didn't survive the zoomba flume log ride :-)

I do like the style and construction, but admit maybe I just had bad luck or it was chlorined beyond help.

You should be fine

**_JP_** · 08-23-2008, 10:25 AM

Mine is pictured in the NY fishing thread.

**RoyalKooparillo** · 08-23-2008, 10:57 AM

I worked at an outdoor retailer for a number of years that sold Tilley hats in abundance. Although I've never owned one, I have sold about a million of them. Great hats. Very durable. All the seams are lockstitched, the fabrics are really tough, and they float. If anything goes wrong with the hat (and I mean anything) they'll replace it, and if you lose it they'll replace it at 50% off. They're well respected hats that should last a very long time.

If you're looking for some comparable hats, you might check out KAVU, Mountain Hardwear, and OR. (I'd stay away from The North Face hats, as they have quality control issues due to their extremely high production volume).

Tilleys will probably be a bit more expensive than these other options, but the quality shows.

Hope that helps!

**ravkesef** · 08-23-2008, 11:08 AM

Nothing better than the Tilley hat. In fact, I have Tilley clothing for a variety of uses, and they're simply top notch. I always travel wearing a Tilley suit--pockets all over the place, I've had mine for about 12 years and it looks close to new. Ditto for the tilley shorts, and a host of other things. They wear like iron, clean up easily (their washing instructions: "give 'em hell!") and always look great.

**Velomane** · 08-23-2008, 12:57 PM

I love my Tilley stuff: got two hats, several pants and shorts, and a couple shirts. Tilley products wear like iron, are super comfortable, and do what they're supposed to. Well worth the price.

As for the elephant passage story, Alex Tilley was on the local radio recently and he mentioned that event. The hat in question has actually made that trip twice.

Mike

**Surveyor** · 08-23-2008, 01:19 PM

I've got a couple of Tilley hats I use for work. They are well made and very durable. The best part for me is that they make large sizes (8+). Very few hats will fit my head. The Tilleys come in large enough sizes to fit well.

Jeff

**OldSaw** · 08-23-2008, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by _JP_

Mine is pictured in the NY fishing thread.

That looks like the one I want.

BTW, for some reason I thought you were a young college student. By those pictures you look closer to my age.

**AZShaver** · 08-23-2008, 02:02 PM

I have had a couple of Tilley hats, love them. You wear them until dirty, toss them in the washer, air dry, stretch and shape and you are good to go.
They keep the sun off your head. It's a good thing here in AZ where we have 340 days of sun a year.
They keep the rain off, and are warm when dry.
You can't go wrong, but I recommend the all cotton ones. The synthetic fibers can be hot.
Buy one!

**Walking_Target** · 08-23-2008, 02:53 PM

I have an all-cotton one.

Would not go hiking without it, same for a day at the range, nothing keeps the sun out of your eyes better.

**rsrick** · 08-23-2008, 05:15 PM

I have a Tilley that I've owned for 15+ years - love it. It is my 'go to' hat for fishing, camping, mowing the lawn, sitting in the lawn chair, etc.

**tim8557** · 08-24-2008, 12:27 PM

I'll let you know in about a week. Your post drove me to order one.

**Masterofsparks** · 08-24-2008, 12:48 PM

I live in the desert and I wear mine when I go to Elephant Butte Lake where there is very little shade (unless you bring your own!) that and a good amount of sunscreen really saves my skin.
Great hat, great protection, I can't ask more than that!

**Doc4** · 08-25-2008, 04:55 PM

Rhymes with silly ...

**OldSaw** · 03-19-2009, 09:14 PM

Well, it took me a while, but I finally got a Tilley hat. Once summer was over the urgency to buy just wasn't there. Then recently an outdoor sports store near me announced it's closing and liquidation. I snagged the LTM3 version for around $50. It was the only one left that fit me. In fact there is only one other left in the store. They have lots of Filsons and Columbias, but the Tilleys have been scarfed up.

I really liked the Filson winter hat, but one hat was my limit.

**mk-ultra** · 03-19-2009, 09:31 PM

I needed to get a sun hat last year. I looked at Tilleys, but they were awfully expensive.

Then, I found Coolibar http://www.coolibar.com/02500.html
and got this hat. It cost considerably less. I love it!