Tilley hats?

eveled said:
I have a large head, actually it’s a perfect size 8. Most of my life I went without a hat because one size fits all is a lie.
Click to expand...

Borsalino hats and caps are made in sizes up to 8¼. The larger Boinas Elosegui berets will stretch to accommodate larger noggins. Looking forward to adding Tilley to my collection.
 
I've had a Tilley for the past decade. Picked up a hemp TH5 about 5 years ago that I really like too. The classic T3 is really nice how stiff the brim remains. I wash mine in the washing machine once or twice a year. Excellent hiking, hunting, fishing, and camping hat. I'm over 30 now so I can wear "Dad hats". Got a lot of grief from my wife on vacations with the Tilley in my 20's.

These hats have been around the world with me many times. I hope I'm wearing one when I die.

Goofing off with my youngest a couple weeks ago at the cabin:
FB_IMG_1561470896255.jpg
And a few more with the hat (I wear these too much:

FB_IMG_1561471169699.jpg FB_IMG_1561471337684.jpg FB_IMG_1561471419913.jpg FB_IMG_1561471349647.jpg FB_IMG_1561471555004.jpg FB_IMG_1561471245414.jpg FB_IMG_1561471232653.jpg FB_IMG_1561471291097.jpg FB_IMG_1561471270684.jpg
 
I have a couple, and they fit well, but I'm just not a hat person I guess. I would buy them again or another brand depending on the fit.
 
Have Tilley, will travel! Great "dad hats," as Macchina wrote. :thumbsup: I got two in (I think) 1999. I've worn the lightweight model when hiking, fishing, going to day ball games, etc., ever since ....... and it's still nowhere near worn out. The canvas one is in my closet waiting its turn to be worn.
 
Nobody thinks they need a brimmed hat when they are young. Now at 74 I have two visits per year to the skin doctor to burn off pre-cancerous cells all brought on by exposure in my 20's.
For me, it's Tilley in the summer and Filson in the winter.
 
My head is about 7 2/3 - 8 (61-62cm) depending on hat type. The term ”fits all” for me is ”does not fit”.

Tilleys do look good, I have to keep my eyes open for them.

Right now my summer hat is cotton fisherman hat from Sterkowski, Polish family business. The hat is the most comfortable hat I’ve ever owned, even on hot weather.
 
A.L. said:
My head is about 7 2/3 - 8 (61-62cm) depending on hat type. The term ”fits all” for me is ”does not fit”.

Tilleys do look good, I have to keep my eyes open for them.

Right now my summer hat is cotton fisherman hat from Sterkowski, Polish family business. The hat is the most comfortable hat I’ve ever owned, even on hot weather.
Click to expand...

You perhaps already know this, but outside of circumference, the shape of the hat makes a huge difference. Some Tilleys are rectangle/squarish, while others are oval/rounded. If you have trouble finding a hat that fits, be sure to try on both types of Tilleys.
 
XzIbrUf.jpg

Left to right: Akubra, Barmah, Tilley, and Tilley. The Barmah has seen the most wear. The Tilley Wanderer (far right) has seen the hardest...and, accordingly, I've taken advantage of its washability
 
Hod one for a few years and wore it but always figured it made me look a dozen years older. One day I "accidentally" left it on a chicken bus somewhere in Guatemala. Picked up a locally made replacement - looked much younger immediately! And always figured that some farmer is now wearing a hat that costs more than he would believe!
 
Recently bought my third Tilley. I started with a cotton canvas model, but it shrank just enough to be uncomfortable, my fault, I bought it to fit as per a Cabelas hat, not really grasping how loose Tilley hats are meant to be when new. The next two have been their standard brim nylon models. I haven't worn out the first, but I did inadvertently get fence dye on it when trying to paint it with Fabsil water proofing :rolleyes:. Now it looks too disreputable to wear in polite company :D.

DSC07209 by Last Scratch, on Flickr

IMG_1484 by Last Scratch, on Flickr

DSC06407 by Last Scratch, on Flickr

IMG_0411 by Last Scratch, on Flickr

I also have an Akubra, and I have to say that I think it is the classier looking hat, but it is just a lot less practical for travelling.

Namibia 2013 by Last Scratch, on Flickr
 
Oh, one other thing of interest.

Even nylon Tilley hats shrink over time! I have two LT5Bs, both marked the same size and the newer one is significantly looser now than the old one is. I am pretty sure I remember the old one being looser, once upon a time. I can't remember what my first cotton hat measured, probably 7.5, to go with my 23 1/2 head measurement. That shrank to be uncomfortable. So the next hat was sized 7 5/8. That first LT5B measures 24" around the inside seam. The new LT5B, also marked 7 5/8, measures 25" around the seam.

Don't take this as a negative about Tilley. Before I had them, I had a Cabelas "New Zealand River Guide Hat", which was polycotton, and that shrank to the point it would give me a head ache! Wasn't that way to begin with, but after various adventures in rain and sun it changed shape. I was able to pass that on to someone with a smaller head who is still very happy with it. I also had an Orvis Packable Felt hat, on the recommendation of a friend. His hat shrank an absurd amount, and Orvis's response was that he must have got it too wet! That for a hat advertised as "Special wool felt treated for water resistance." and sold for outdoors use. Mine started going the same way, so I passed it on to someone with a smaller head. Next to those, the Tilley's have been stable and reliable friends! :D

Chris
 
Today I bought my fourth Tilley. A T55 Mash Up. Tried a few sizes in the store and 7-1/2 fit the best. My oldest a 10 yeay old T3 is canvas 7-1/4 and has never changed size. I also have a couple of nylon Airflows 7-1/8 and I use them for golf if it is very windy as they fit a bit tighter on my head.
The moral of the story, buying without trying may not be the way to go. At the very least, I would order one size larger as the dual chinstrap system works great. In moderate wind I just use the rear snuggled up a bit and my hat is secure.
 
If you're finding that your Tilley hat is fitting more snugly, try adjusting the straps (yes, they can affect the sizing).
If that doesn't do it, they (the hats) are pretty easy to stretch if they shrink after being wet.
 
I wore out a T4 Hemp that is still sitting in a priority mail shipping box waiting for me to write a letter to accompany it on the long journey back to Canada. I called it my "old man" hat. I like Dad Hat better and will start using that. I've bought other in similar styles, but they never measured up to the quality and class of the Tilley. You all have inspired me to get that thing on it's way for replacement.

Yes, I wore it out. Several trips to the beach, dunks in the pool, sitting on my dashboard for long drives, a few trips through the washer, and occasional use as a Frisbee. Young kids playing keep-away, one dog who didn't want to share, etc. It lived a hard life. Now that my kids are getting older, the next one may have a longer life.
 
I bet you’ll get to play frisbee with your grandkids with the new one.

I’d have a hard time letting that one go. I might just put it on a hook somewhere and retire it. I wish I weren’t so sentimental sometimes.
 
The organic cotton ones are pretty fragile in comparison to the "cotton duck" versions. They fit nice and are cool but, the seams and edges fail relatively quickly for me.

The Nylanteum (sp?) Nylon are nice but, don't wick sweat well so, in humid places it feels like I just stepped out of the shower and haven't dried my hair. They also don't like embers from a campfire either, leaving little melted spots all over your hat. :(

The original cotton duck hats are VERY DURABLE and my favorite. They are a little heavier but, wick sweat very well and are cooler than the other options.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top