LTM6 Airflo Sun Hat

CrashCashUnited States

I finally got my Tilley Hat - the LTM6 model, and I love it!

This is the first 'real' hat I have owned rather than few cheap straw hats and dozens of ball caps. This is the real deal, a Tilley Endurables product that is guaranteed for life and will wear well during that hopefully long time. I had first ordered a model T4MO and it arrived in a box only three inches in height and had smashed the top of the hat down. The box was not only too short to start off with, but it had a two inch thick air-filled plastic 'pillow' inside pushing the space down to one inch. After I began working with the hat to see if I could get the top to stand up or any part of the hat to stand up and take some kind of shape, nothing done would help the hat hold any changes made. I ordered this T4MO thinking that cotton would be a better material than the 'nylon-like' Nylamtium material that is used in several of the other Tilley products. The Nylamtium fooled me, it does not look like a synthetic material at all. My mistake, the T4MO hat made of cotton will just fall down, droop, and not hold much shape at all. This I shipped back with no problems at all by Amazon, which is how all my Amazon orders have been so far. I soon received my new LTM6 Tilley Hat and it is identical in appearance to the other hat I had returned, except it stands up by itself and holds some of the adjustments you can make with the brim, back, and sides. This hat is the only one I have ever seen that I actually liked as much as I did to buy it for myself. Going through Amazon saved me a sizeable chunk of change that came to about one-third off and both hats were delivered on the date that had been given at the time I placed the order. If you want a hat that will last you a lifetime, Tilley Endurables will replace it free if it is worn out. They also have a warranty on the loss or destruction of your Tilley Hat, , so if you forget it somewhere when out and about or your dog eats the hat, just have your receipt and Tilley will replace your lost or destroyed hat for ½ price of a new hat for up to two years. This insurance policy and warranty are very good, and you even get an Owner's Manual with your Tilley. Their web site reads like something geared to sell to yuppie-types and that buying their hat will be a life changing event. It tells you everything you ever needed to know about your Tilley Hat including how to put it on your head #!# and hat tips and info from the Tilley Endurables web site. Search Google for 'tilley hat' and the results will likely also give the site for a 'Tilly' site without the 'e' in their name, close but no cigar. I really enjoying owning and wearing a useful and damn good looking hat even having a full head of hair still on my noggin. Tilley tells you over and over not to buy a hat that is too small. They tell you how to measure your head an give a conversion chart to use in choosing your hat size. The ideal way is to be able to try them on as Tilley recommends that you should be able to put two fingers between your forehead and hat. Mine is not that loose, but feels right and is not too loose to blow away readily, and not too small to be tight. It was no problem at all swapping out the hats as Amazon took care of everything with zero hassle, gotta love how they do business. If you want to step up from ball caps or wear something different for a change, the Tilley Hats are great and I would readily and strongly checking out Amazon's large selection of these very cool hats. I have become a hat wearer for life. 5/5 Stars!

Mr PeabodyUnited States

Great hat

Update: These hats are no longer made in Canada. My review is for the hat of Canadian manufacture. I cannot vouch for the new ones made in China. I love this hat. I've worn one regularly for well over a year and it's still in great shape. I've recently ordered another as the size I originally got was just a shade too small. They are very well made and durable, and lightweight (Tilley says 4 ounces.) Please note before you buy that Amazon's product description is inaccurate when it says the hat is "designed with a medium brim that snaps up Aussie style." As you can clearly see in the photos, there is no snap on the brim. It does not snap up. (Also, the brim is "wide" in the manufacturer's parlance, not medium; the one with the medium brim is the LTM5.) The brim on the LTM6 offers good sun protection for the face and neck. It measures 3 1/2" in the front and back, and 2 1/2" on the sides. Ventilation with the mesh strip is adequate for hot weather, and the sweatband does a good job of wicking away moisture. But it is a hat, and you will sweat in it. Wash it often to keep the sweatband from staining (also, the brass grommets around the holes where the straps enter develop a patina that will cause a green discoloration on the straps if you don't wash the hat regularly to remove sweat). It does shed water well if you encounter light to moderate rain, but it is water repellent, not waterproof. The dual strap system is excellent for keeping the hat on your head where it belongs in windy weather (I've worn mine on roller coasters with no worries about losing it). It's nice to have the flexibility of using the rear strap only (light wind), front and rear (heavy wind) or no strap. The brim stands up to windy weather. It is flexible, but much stiffer than a typical floppy bucket hat. There is some kind of an insert in the rim (probably plastic) that helps it retain its shape, but the brim can't be shaped as you can with a wire rim. If you size the hat properly, it will sit low on your head and be less than snug. I highly recommend that you check out the manufacturer's sizing instructions on Tilley's web site. Amazon won't let me link to it, but it's Tilley dot com, and click on the link that says "Sizing is important." (Pay particular attention to the part about being able to slip two fingers between your forehead and the front of the hat.) I wish I had done so before ordering my first hat. The new one fits perfectly with no headaches The interior pocket is a nice feature. It's large enough to stash cash, credit cards, licenses or a key. There is a lightweight layer of closed-cell foam in the crown that helps the hat keep its shape and also allows it to float if dropped into water. I was a little hesitant to buy my first Tilley hat when I saw the price, but it is worth every penny, and Amazon's price is the lowest I've seen.

John Mc.United States

Worth every penny

I purchased this hat for a week long Walt Disney World vacation in June, hoping to keep the sun off my follicle challenged head. I have had a Tilley T3 made of cotton for 10 years, but the cotton would have been too hot in the Florida sun. Plus it was an excuse to buy another Tilley hat. The airflow mesh worked as expected, keeping the hat relatively cool. The mesh is woven in multiple layers, so air can get through, but very little sunlight could sneak through to hit your head. But I applied sunscreen at the start of each day just to be on the safe side. The mesh is firm enough that it doesn't affect the integrity of the crown of the hat. Being out in the Florida sun for hours caused my head to sweat, and eventually the sweat would bleed through the sweatband and be visible from the outside. Without cleaning, the sweatmarks would be visible even after drying. But with a quick rinse in the shower of the hotel room at night, the hat would be clean and dry in time for an early morning departure. The nylon material is very lightweight, cool and comfortable to wear. But being a lighter material, the brim is not stiff. Now I didn't observe the brim bouncing around as I walked, but I suspect if I was galloping on a camel or driving a jeep with no windscreen, the brim may have blown down or up. I packed the hat flat in my carry on, and upon arrival pulled it out and pushed out the crown. Ready to wear, no issues. I chose the olive color hoping to make it less likely for stains from dirty hands to show on the hat. I don't think going with the slightly darker color made the hat any warmer in the sun. The hat may seem expensive but in this case you get what you pay for. Check out the Tilley website for fitting instructions to make sure you order the right size. It is a very comfortable hat when sized properly. Also check out their excellent warrantee and replacement programs. All in all a great hat. I am sure I will still be wearing it 10 years from now.

JasonUnited States

Still very well made

I've always wanted a Tilley hat but couldn't justify the cost. Well I managed to find a great sale price, so I decided now is the time. I agonised over sizing before ordering. My head measures 57 cm which puts me at a 7 1/8" size but that would've be a great mistake. I added 2 cm to my measurement and bought the 7 3/8" size and it's just right. The hat should fit loose enough to easily slip onto your head but not so loose it would fall off if you bend over. I also "tested" two colours. I bought the Olive and the rockface. The olive is a dark colour and when I put both in the direct sun in 90F weather for a few minutes the olive hat measured about 10F hotter than the light coloured Stone Face both on the top of the hat and underneath it. Even after 10 minutes the rockface coloured hat remained ~10F cooler than the olive. Since this is a sun hat I decided to go with the lighter colour, though I really like the olive. I've tested the hat out in direct sun and the brim is wide enough to mostly shield the face and neck. I'd still recommend some sunscreen or using a cape on the back of the neck, especially if you're fishing and looking downward a lot. I didn't feel like I was any warmer than using a ballcap and was even cooler than no hat at all because it blocks/reflects a lot of the sun from reaching my head. Alas, I still sweat heavily wearing it and the built-in headband wets out fast. I can fit a thin additional sweatband under the hat, but not a thicker cotton sweatband. I'm still wondering if I should've gone up to a 7 1/2" to accommodate a thicker sweatband. Either way, a great hat and even better if you can get it on a good sale. They might not carry quite the same quality that they used to, but they're still a high quality item worth buying.