Tilley “ltm5 Airflo” Hat

TILLEY “LTM5 AIRFLO” HAT



I have found that a lot of hats do not suit me, so I have been limited to wearing cotton beanie type hats and bandanas. My trouble with these is if I wear them for long especially when doing a lot of physical work they make me feel overheated and because I have long hair they tend to rise up on my head and fall off if brushed against anything.

As a long time migraine sufferer the tightness of some hats can provoke a bad headache so this again puts a limit what I can wear.

So with a tall order to fill, any hat I was to get had to be: loosely worn but secure, capable of keeping me cool and had to look good as well as being able to blend in when I was out and about. I then received this hat from the Tilley Hats Company and with crossed fingers gave it a chance to earn a place on my noggin.

This model is made from Nylamtium which is a lighter weight, 6 oz 2-ply Supplex nylon that is water tight and mildew resistant. It also has the additional mesh integrated into the crown.





(I left the hat out in heavy rain for half an hour and as you can see hardly any water got through)

It is made with a lockstitch which allows the poly cotton thread to swell when it gets wet. This seals the stitch holes keeping the rain out. It has a semi-sloping front and back medium brim

Brim size : 2 5/8”
Back : 2 ¾ “
Sides : 2 1/8”

UV PROTECTION

All of the Tilley hats are made to provide the highest level of protection against harmful UV rays.

The styles and fabrics of the hats have a UPF (Ultraviolet protection factor) rating of 50+ which is the highest rating that is given. This means that it will block 98% of harmful ultraviolet and medium wave length ultraviolet rays. The qualities the fabrics should have to get a good UPF rating are: Dark colours, the materials should have a tight weave and thick fibres, it also should be resilient so that when it stretches it should still keep the light out. In my opinion this hat certainly has all these factors and with the addition of the brim it defiantly makes a difference in the sun. It covers your ears and shields your eyes. For spectacle wearers like me I find that it helps also to reduce glare.

Although these hats are highly certified against sun damage Tilley advises the use of sunscreens/lotions as well.


AIRFLO





The airflow models have a ¾” polyester mesh band in the crown allowing hot air to escape and sweat to evaporate quickly. Along with the ventilation grommets it helps to reduce the build up of heat making it more comfortable to wear on hot days.

I was out digging in the garden the other day and the sun was blazing. Normally I would be wearing a tighter fitting cotton hat and after a few spadefulls I would be sweating with the heat. I was surprised this time by how much cooler I was when wearing this hat. I think that as well as the airflow system the fact that you have the hat looser on your head really improved the circulation of the air.

SWEAT BAND



There is a 1 ¼” band of soft moisture absorbing material stitched to the inside of the hat. This wicks any perspiration away from the head making you cooler and more comfortable.

WIND CORD





For windy days the hat has a simply designed wind cord.
The cord is like 1 long lace that runs through the ventilation grommets and is tied on the inside with 2 simple knots. Even though it has 1 long cord you ware it by putting the longer loop under the chin while the shorter loop sits behind the head.

When there is no need for the cord you just slide the knots together and tuck it away inside. In light winds you only need to use the back cord. Again as the hat is loosely worn this feature also makes it secure in high winds so there is less chance of it being blown away.

IT FLOATS







Inside the secret pocket in the crown there is a non-absorbent foam liner, this along with the water repelling fibres that trap the air in the fabric, gives buoyancy to the hat. If by some mishap your hat falls in water you will have a chance of saving it, though in more turbulent waters it can sink.

HIDDEN POCKET



On the inside of the crown there is a hidden pocket which is fastened with a Velcro strip. When you first get the hat there is a sealable bag with some brag tags in the pocket. This little feature was designed so that you could safely stow a key, bank note or objects of similar size into it and have it at hand.



I tested this to see if it would also be water proof by putting some tissue into the bag and then I dunked the hat in water a good few times. I opened the bag to find the tissue was perfectly dry.

INSURANCE AND GUARANTEE

Every Tilley hat has a 2 year 50% deductable insurance policy. If by some misfortune the hat is lost, stolen or destroyed within 2 years of the date of purchase, they will replace it at half the catalogue price + shipping and taxes.

Tilley guarantees that if your hat ever wears out they will replace it free. All you need to do is send your hat plus a £5 cheque to cover shipping and they will even send back your old hat as well.

Well after 2 weeks I can say I am very pleased with the performance of this hat. I have been doing a lot of digging in the garden lately and have not once felt the need to take of my hat and wipe my forehead. It has kept the sun out of my eyes and the rain of my head. To date there has been no headaches due to pressure on the head from wearing it and I am extremely pleased how hardy this hat is. It even suits me which I was doubtful of and it really does give a smart but practical look.

I did think that after the first wash there would be trouble with it shrinking and I would have to spend ages trying to stretch the hell out of it to fit again but after it dried (which didn’t take long) it was back on my head fitting exactly as before.

The Tilley Company has a huge range of hats to suit the individual with lots of styles and 4 different types of material. If this hat is anything to go by the quality of the others will be of outstanding quality as well.

Most hat makers only make a few different sizes but Tilley have a huge range. If you do not know your hat size just measure your head and they will choose the correct size for you.

With all the features and the great guarantee this hat is worth every penny of its price as I think it will last many years to come.

More info on Tilley Hats products:

www.tilley.com

CBJ