Your preference: Billed cap or full-brimmed hat?

[Glenn Rowe]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

 

[Saint Mike II]

Being of Anglo-Celtic stock (so reasonably fair) and being also Australian - meaning I get lots of skin cancerous growths removed each year I wear a full bring hat (actually this year it will be a Tilley) that keeps the sun of my face - nose & ears and also protects the back of my neck.
BUT - I guess it depends upon what you are use to wearing & the time of year you walk. A good layer of a factor 50 sun-block is also recommended.
(Great question). Cheers

 

[Bradypus]

Full-brimmed hat. Works well under the rain hood of my jacket as I just fold the back part of the brim out of the way. The forward brim stops the hood from slipping down over my eyes too and helps direct the water off my face in the rain. Having had very bad sunburn across my neck on my first summer walk across the meseta I have sometimes thought that the ideal headgear for the Camino might be a French Foreign Legion kepi "Beau Geste" style.

 

[Bradypus]

Being of Anglo-Celtic stock (so reasonably fair) and being also Australian - meaning I get lots of skin cancerous growths removed each year I wear a full bring hat (actually this year it will be a Tilley) that keeps the sun of my face - nose & ears and also protects the back of my neck.

Corks? Would look great with the bike and the Lycra...

 

[alaskadiver]

I've hiked in both ball cap and large brimmed hat. I have an Outdoor Research waterproof hat that works great for sun and rain. I just roll up my rain jackets hood and stow it. My problem is that I eventually get too warm and end up taking the hat off and just opt to get wet or pull on the jacket's hood. I haven't decided which one I'm going to take with me in May. It will depend on how warm it is, I think.

 

[Ahhhs]

On my first Camino I took both. Always seemed to wear the ball cap...lighter, less hot, and as mentioned it does well under a hood. Wore the sun hat one day. So the next year I brought the same ball cap and a lightweight rain hat. Wore the rain hat once. Now I just take the ball cap. We do all (eventually ) learn what works for us.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I like a Tilley hat.
They have a full brim, yet it's floppy enough to wear under my ALTUS hood.
It keeps the rain off my face and the sun off my neck.

And then there's my parasol/umbrella...

 

[Mark Lee]

I carry both. Which one I wear depends on the day's weather.
I have an Under Armour runner's type ball cap (lightweight, synthetic, can soak it down with water, wring it out and back on your head on hot days). The bill of the ball cap comes in handy when you wear your poncho or raincoat and have the hood over your head.
My full brim hat is a lightweight, civilian copy of a military "boonie" cap (cover). It's lightweight, ripstop cotton and can be soaked down and worn as well. I bust that one out when it's really warm and sunny.

 

[VNwalking]

Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

Depends. A soft brim can be folded up.
I definitely go for the full brim because as you say it protects the neck and ears. Otherwise these get fried.
There's a third option--either ready-made or jury-rigged. The jury-rigged version is a cap with a handkerchief tucked under the back, so your neck is covered--but you can buy more fancy versions that have a piece of fabric hanging from the back that covers both neck and ears.

 

[HedaP]

I wore one of those silly looking foreign legion caps thinking it would offer the best of both worlds as well as being very lightweight. In late September & October the sun is getting lower in the sky. I found that the sun came in at an angle over my left shoulder for most of the time while walking. My foreign legion cap shaded my neck and right side of my face but even with the peak it did not shade the left side of my face. This was the main reason I bought an umbrella fairly early into my camino.
Next time I am taking a hat with a wide brim as well as an umbrella.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Corks? Would look great with the bike and the Lycra...

Never had a had with those "corks" and no bike or lycra this Camino - I am walking from St Jean from 1st May. Cheers

 

[Deleted member 43985]

I haven't tried one of these but like the fact that the cape is removable when not needed/wanted. Don't imagine the cape is waterproof but great protection from the sun!

 

[Mike Savage]

Depending whether you are coming from Portugal or Eastern Spain the sun will be hitting you from the back or side a vast majority of the time. If you are wearing a hat to help protect from the sun then you should choose or wear the hat appropriately to block the sun.

 

[Lance Chambers]

I take a brimmed hat and I sew velcro around the back, sew a piece of thick white material so it has an edge and sew the other part of the velcro to it. This allows me to add and remove the 'sunshade' from the rear of the brimmed hat. One hat, two uses.

 

[Mark Lee]

Depends. A soft brim can be folded up.
I definitely go for the full brim because as you say it protects the neck and ears. Otherwise these get fried.
There's a third option--either ready-made or jury-rigged. The jury-rigged version is a cap with a handkerchief tucked under the back, so your neck is covered--but you can buy more fancy versions that have a piece of fabric hanging from the back that covers both neck and ears.

I've done that too, with my ballcap and a thin, cotton bandana. Worked great, and the bandana can be wet down and is a multi-function piece of kit.

 

[VNwalking]

Just goes to show that cheap can be better!

 

[trecile]

I took an umbrella. Kept most of me shaded, and I didn't get too hot from wearing a hat.

 

[MTtoCamino]

It was brimmed for me with a rain cover designed for my cowboy hat worked fine for the Tilley. It did not breath though when raining so just attached it to my pack & used my billed hood. Perfect thought for the hot sunny days it has the upper half in mesh.

 

[Robo]

Full brim with neck flaps. A 'billed' hat only provides minimal sun protection And that's only at the front.

In may 2015 I was even hunting out a Shemagh! As even with the full brim hat I needed lots of sunscreen on the sides of my face and neck. Well left side anyway.....

Look at third video on this link. I got sunburnt even on a cloudy day.
http://robscamino.com/7th-of-may-the-way-to-navarrete/

 

[JohnMcM]

Hey all!

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

Hi Glenn,
Having recently had a couple of bits of me cut out from behind my ears and the back of my neck due to sun damage, I say wide-brimmed with lots and lots of good sun block cream too.
Buen (safety-first) Camino

 

[GettingThere]

View attachment 32504
I haven't tried one of these but like the fact that the cape is removable when not needed/wanted. Don't imagine the cape is waterproof but great protection from the sun!

I bought one of these and think it would probably have worked well. But I was struck by an attack of vanity just before departure and decided that once on my head it was the most depressingly ugly accessory ever created, so refused to wear it! I found most full brim hats would catch on the top of my pack, which tended to give me a stiff neck from trying to avoid this, as well as being annoying, so ended up with a floppy full brimmed hat which worked a treat, protected my neck and face. Had almost no rain so that wasn't an issue.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Wide brimmed (Tilley) hat with the mesh insert band. Keeps the sun off of ears and back of neck, with added option to turn shirt collar up. In LLanes (Norte) we bought very cheap 'baseball' caps with front peak to wear under our rain-hoods. Now we always take both.

 

[Jenny267]

And what to wear under a helmet cycling?? I'm thinking I'm going to have to put vanity aside and buy a legionnaires style cap with the bits down the sides and back. Tried various styles on but just can't do it yet lol

 

[linkster]

I live in southwest Florida and have spent countless days on the boat. The sun can be brutal. I have ballcaps, Tilleys, Bora Bora Booneys, and Cachalots (foreign legion type). So what do I wear all the time ... my Tilley or Bora Bora Booney with a buff around my neck. The cachalot provides sun protection for the top of my ears (critical), but just seems to be a hotter. There is a newer version, the CoolHead Cachalot has omni-freeze built in that might be worth a look; however, I have no experience with it. If it is anything like my Frogg Toggs Chilly pad it might be a good option.

My first choice for use with a rain jacket would be a ballcap because of the bill or visor with the rain jacket hood pulled over the top. I have been in all day rains in a canoe and that was the best combo for me. Second, would be my Seattle Sombrero and roll the hood down high around my neck. This provides additional ventilation but depends on the amount of rainfall.

 

[Lance Chambers]

Peaked with an attachable back flap. Easy, less weight than two separate hats, and practical. looks a little silly in the pics but it isn't.

 

[Lmsundaze]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

I wear a Tilley hat and when it rains the hood of my rain jacket goes over my hat and keeps my face and my glasses dry. I am very fair and a sun cancer risk, would not consider going out in the sun without a full-brimmed hat.

 

[tillyjones]

I walked the Frances with not one day of rain, so I have zero rain experience. But, Lord, it was hot, and I ended up purchasing a brimmed 'Columbia' hat enroute and shipping my ball cap home. I can say that the brim definitely did bring some relief from the sun.

 

[tomnorth]

As you can see in my profile photo, I wear a wide brimmed hat--a Henschel breezer. It protects my face, ears and back of the neck. Because it breathes, my head doesn't get hot.

 

[txpeah]

I started with a brimmed cap and ended up buying a sun hat with a larger brim. My mistake was not traveling with a collared hiking shirt, so my neck got sunburned immediately and it was challenge to keep sun off my neck after that. Next time I will go back to my ball cap and use a better hiking shirt. I also only had two days of rain, so that was not really a factor for me. My raincoat has a small brim built into the hood to keep rain off my face. Between the two, I was fine.

Best of luck deciding.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Full-brimmed or whatever with similar neck protection.

 

[Oravasaari]

I've used my Tilly hat on both of my caminos. On Frances I have the sunny side (south/left) brim down and the right side up. It is thick enough that the sun doesn't seem to heat it up too much and is "water resitant" even in a downpour. Has always protected my neck and sides of face well. It also has a handy internal pocket I use for emergency bar cash and a copy of my passport etc. I must have a poncho and rain jacket that both have generous hoods because it fits snuggly inside both. The Tilly can also be a talking point since it is guaranteed for life and they will even replace it if you lose it (sttac)! Not cheap tho...approx 60€.

You can always pick up a baseball cap anywhere so maybe go with a good brimmed one first and see how it goes.

 

[alipilgrim]

Sunday Afternoons makes a large variety of different types of sun hats. This style, the Adventure hat, is the most popular hat in my desert hiking club. It's a wide brimmed ball cap with a drape in the back. I'd post a link to the website but it seems to be having issues at the moment

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Thanks for all the comments, suggestions, testimonials, etc. They really help. The reason I'm working on this decision now (for a 2019 CF) is that I wear a U.S. size 8 (XXXL) hat. Whatever I choose I'll have to bring it with me because a replacement/substitute is likely to be difficult to find along the Camino.

My initial thought was to bring both an unstructured ("soft") baseball cap and my trusty ol' Akubra Cattleman. It has protected me from the sun throughout the American Southwest.

================================

Of course, I could wear this one....

 

[Richard P]

Hey Glenn
As you can see from my profile pic: I'm a Tilley man and have been since 1980 when they first came out. It is the only hat (I have found ) that stays on when sailing or as I was at various times of my life - a commercial fisherman. The amazing thing about Tilley hats is that they are guaranteed for life. Soon after I returned home I walked into the Tilley store in Victoria (BC) and the woman behind the counter looked at my hat, looked at me and said "You need a new hat".
The brim was almost separated from the crown by then.
I chose another Tilley "Classic" and if this one wears as well I'll be 102 before I need a replacement.
Good topic as my hat was often commented upon as I walked.
cheers

 

[Saint Mike II]

And what to wear under a helmet cycling?? I'm thinking I'm going to have to put vanity aside and buy a legionnaires style cap with the bits down the sides and back. Tried various styles on but just can't do it yet lol

Hi Jenny - I have what you are referring too - a mesh head cover (allows head to "breath" under my safety helmet) but also has a flap that covers the back of the head/neck & parts of the ears. Unfortunately the Australian importer/manufacturer (appears) is no longer in business or at least not responding to my emails & phone calls. Cheers

 

[Saint Mike II]

Thanks for all the comments, suggestions, testimonials, etc. They really help.
My initial thought was to bring both an unstructured ("soft") baseball cap and my trusty ol' Akubra Cattleman. It has protected me from the sun throughout the American Southwest.

Hi Glenn- an Akubra - wow I am impressed. So please where did you obtain this Aussie icon?? Buen Camino - 2019 - lots of time for training. Cheers

 

[mla1]

Ball cap for rain, wide-brimmed hat and button-up shirt with fold-up collar for sun, and umbrella for either sun or rain. Last year on the vdlp in the spring I used them all. It seems like overkill - but I would do it again.

 

[Latecomer]

I also believe in good sun protection. On the VdlP, my inexpensive Sun Protection Zone Unisex Booney Hat, about $15 from Costco, was great 90% of the time. However, when walking on the road, it was very annoying when big truck would almost rip it of my head (expect for the neckstrap).

 

[Jay Campbell]

I walked in September/October and brought a Tilley and a Ballcap. I found the Tilley to be more cumbersome in the wind and the rain with a hooded poncho. Also, the Tilley was enough more valuable that I was worried about losing it ( which I did) . Much simpler to wear a ballcap. That is all I am bringing this April.... I would probably bring both if walking in summer though.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Hi Glenn- an Akubra - wow I am impressed. So please where did you obtain this Aussie icon??

An online store in Seattle WA -- David Morgan. I like Akubra for many reasons, not only for the quality but also because Size 8 is part of their standard offering. Not so with American hat makers.

This is actually my second Cattleman. The first was in the trunk of my wife's car when it was stolen back in 2001. We recovered the car but not the hat.

 

[hecate105]

Tilley - the only hat worth its weight in salt...

 

[Kev]

I brought a Sahara Cadet Cape Hat that I purchased at REI and loved it. It had a vent to let air flow when the back flap was down... Sadly I lost it at the albergue in Laguna de Castilla.

 

[Jacobus]

My full brimmed Tilley Air Flow has seen me through 8 Camino's. SPF 50. Full disclosure...its made in Canada. Just like me

 

[JillGat]

I had problems with the back of my full brim hat hitting the top of my backpack, so went to a ball cap. Anybody else have that problem?

 

[DebandPeter14]

View attachment 32504
I haven't tried one of these but like the fact that the cape is removable when not needed/wanted. Don't imagine the cape is waterproof but great protection from the sun!

Used one of these in 2014. Found it excellent and removed the flap when not so hot.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

And what to wear under a helmet cycling?? I'm thinking I'm going to have to put vanity aside and buy a legionnaires style cap with the bits down the sides and back. Tried various styles on but just can't do it yet lol

Try a Buff in the Sahariane style under the helmet - with my current hairstyle (see avatar) I can get burnt through the holes in my bike helmet without it. Plus you can wet it down.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Full brimmed Tilley or boonie for me - you can get a sun burnt left ear on the CF. A hood will pull over the Tilley in the rain.

Or, of course, my silver umbrella.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I had problems with the back of my full brim hat hitting the top of my backpack, so went to a ball cap. Anybody else have that problem?

That's a very common problem with hats having a stiff full brim, and can be an annoyance even with full-but-floppy brims.

The top of the backpack cannot come above, say, one's jawline (or a tiny bit higher) without intersecting the back of the brim.

 

[Maureen McGovern]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

I live in Australia and am very fair skinned so need to wide brimmed hat. I purchased a wide brimmed 'cooling' hat prior to travelling as it was light and cool to wear. I purchased a Buff and used this when the sun was not a problem or the temperature was cooler. Very versatile.

 

[Elizabeth_B]

I have a Sunday Afternoon hat as described earlier, but don't wear it often as it doesn't travel well (can't crush the brim) and, well, it looks just awful on me (yes vanity I know). I have worn a very light packable Outdoor Research ball cap which works well, coupled with my Euroshirm hiking umbrella for both sun and rain.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

So many of you mentioned Tilley hats that I went to their website. No Size 8, in any hat I would wear on the Camino. 7 7/8 is as large as they come, which translates to a circumference about 0.4" too small. While I could possibly jam one down onto my head, pounding headaches would inevitably follow.

 

[Martyduc]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

i take both !!!

 

[Lance Chambers]

I had problems with the back of my full brim hat hitting the top of my backpack, so went to a ball cap. Anybody else have that problem?

Yup. Same issue for me so got a ball cap, added velco around the back, cut a rectangle of white cloth, edged it, sewed the 'other side' of the velco to it and put the flap on when needed and took it off when not.

 

[linkster]

So many of you mentioned Tilley hats that I went to their website. No Size 8, in any hat I would wear on the Camino. 7 7/8 is as large as they come, which translates to a circumference about 0.4" too small. While I could possibly jam one down onto my head, pounding headaches would inevitably follow.

You must have a planetary system swirling around your head . I looked and it seems that Columbia and OR max out at 7 7/8. Have you actually tried on a Bora Bora Booney? They are not as stiff as a Tilley and have some stretch with an adjustable draw cord. Sounds like a hassle, but maybe you could wet it and stretch it over something to expand the headband. FYI, there are a bunch of youtube videos on stretching hats. One guy used a bench vise and looks like he expanded the hat size by about 1/2".

 

[Glenn Rowe]

You must have a planetary system swirling around your head .

A-haah! THAT'S why my parents called me son!!

Yup, I'm kinda hard to fit on both ends -- size 8 hat and size 13-EEE shoes (EEEE in some). As I mentioned in an earlier post, my experience is that American hat makers only do size 8 hats as a custom order (read as 'costly') -- if they make them at all.

The Bora-Bora Booney's largest size is 7 3/4. The Outdoor Research hats max out at size XL (about the same). They sit on top of my head like clown-hats. Stretching fabric hats has a drawback; once wet, they tend to re-shrink as they dry.

Should I decide to take a full-brimmed hat with me, it'll most likely be the Akubra.

 

[zzotte]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

No hat at all, I use an umbrella it's good for the Sun or rain

Zzotte

 

[JabbaPapa]

A-haah! THAT'S why my parents called me son!!

Yup, I'm kinda hard to fit on both ends -- size 8 hat and size 13-EEE shoes (EEEE in some). As I mentioned in an earlier post, my experience is that American hat makers only do size 8 hats as a custom order (read as 'costly') -- if they make them at all.

The Bora-Bora Booney's largest size is 7 3/4. The Outdoor Research hats max out at size XL (about the same). They sit on top of my head like clown-hats. Stretching fabric hats has a drawback; once wet, they tend to re-shrink as they dry.

Should I decide to take a full-brimmed hat with me, it'll most likely be the Akubra.

I'm a big-head too, though it's not quite as big as yours -- you could possibly try the Stetson Diaz outdoor cotton hat ; max hat size is listed XL, though I'd say it's more like XL/XXL -- possibly too small, but it does stretch, and stays stretched when it has ; of course, you'd need to find somewhere convenient that had it in stock, and try it on, not a good idea to order it online ...

This seems to be the best size 8 hat I could find online : http://www.tilley.com/us_en/tmh55-mash-up.html

Alternatively, there's always Army Surplus -- and try searching on Amazon

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Somehow this thread has moved away from my original intent -- discussing which type of hat folks preferred -- and now seems centered on finding a full-brimmed hat that fits my enormous head. And, I suspect, this may be my fault.

To be clear, I have a full-brimmed Akubra that has filled the bill nicely. Its sole drawback is that it is not "packable," and I already know how to compensate for that. I'm just trying to decide whether to bring it along at all.

May we return to the question of full-brimmed hat, billed cap, or other options? I promise to behave myself this time!

 

[Hiawatha]

I have worn Akubra Cattleman and Snowy River hats for over forty years , I would never be without one at the farm from choice .
I did take one travelling once , it was the biggest pest imaginable , especially on the aeroplane , other passengers seemed to purposefully want to crush it under their cabin luggage .
The remedy , at least for me , is an Australian cricket hat , white canvas with an anti glare green lining under the fairly flexible wise brim . There are also Australian made yachting hats, ' Southern Cross ' brand, that are similar in design with even wider brims , some with stings attached also . Both come in very large sizes .

 

[Richard P]

So many of you mentioned Tilley hats that I went to their website. No Size 8, in any hat I would wear on the Camino. 7 7/8 is as large as they come, which translates to a circumference about 0.4" too small. While I could possibly jam one down onto my head, pounding headaches would inevitably follow.

Hey Glenn, me again
One of the beautiful things about the Tilley is that if you soak it, I mean really soak it then drape the inside band over one knee while holding the opposite side in your hands you can stretch it out. You could contact Tilley about gaining that 1/8 inch and I'm pretty sure they would say "No problem".
cheers

 

[Glenn Rowe]

You could contact Tilley about gaining that 1/8 inch and I'm pretty sure they would say "No problem".

Thanks, Richard, my hat has already been taken care of.

BTW, 1/8th of a hat size is more than 1/8th of an inch in circumference. Though this is not exact, one can generally determine the approximate circumference of a hat by multiplying its US size times 3.14.

7 7/8 is approximately 7.87, so 7.87 times 3.14 equals 24.71 inches
(Size) 8 times 3.14 equals 25.12 inches

The linear difference in circumference is 0.41 inches

 

[Joziane]

Simply wondering has anyone used a Frogg Togg hat?

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Simply wondering has anyone used a Frogg Togg hat?

I haven't, simply because I know their "one size fits most" doesn't include my enormous head.

Now, with that said, their full-brim hats all seem to be rain-hats. This suggests that they may not be as breathable as other choices. Note that I'm not saying this is true; only that you need to make sure of their suitability in other -- non-rainy -- situations. From personal experience I can tell you that wearing a non-breathable rain-hat in dry, sunny, warm-hot conditions is not exactly a pleasurable event....

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Based on the experience of getting my beloved Akubra through the "airline gauntlet" to central Europe undamaged, and observing fellow travelers during our tour, I decided to dig a little deeper for a Tilley hat that would fit my enormous noggin.

I found one on the Tilley website. It's their Hiker Hat, model T4MO-1, in a lovely grey. Its maximum size is 7 7/8, but my direct observations of/experiences with fellow travelers' hats suggest that it may work.

More later.

 

[Tio Huero]

Hey all!

This is one area where I've been going back and forth, back and forth. Both types of head-gear have their advantages and disadvantages.

The billed cap keeps sun (and rain) out of your eyes, and works nicely with the hoods of insulating gear and rain gear. But said cap does nothing for your ears and back of your neck.

The full-brimmed hat also keeps sun and rain out of your eyes. Plus it protects your ears and back of your neck from the sun. Unfortunately the full-brimmed hat does not play well with hoods, either insulating- or rain-.

So what say you? Speak up in favor of your chosen headgear and say why you prefer it to others, etc.

-- Glenn

A full brimmed canvas hat is durable, washable, keeps the sun off the ears and neck and gives one a rather rakish look. Don't you think? This foto ain't on the Camino, by the way.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

A full brimmed canvas hat is durable, washable, keeps the sun off the ears and neck and gives one a rather rakish look. Don't you think? This foto ain't on the Camino, by the way.

<------ Neither is mine. I'll stack my "rakishness" up against yours anytime ....

But I've just ordered a Tilley "Hiker's Hat". When it arrives I'll check its form/fit/function and -- oh yes -- its rakishness too!

 

[Glenn Rowe]

Okay, I wore my new Tilley Hiker's Hat this weekend to the Ojai Music Festival/Pottery Show on Saturday, and to the Ojai Wine Festival on Sunday. Saturday wasn't much of a test because it was overcast with temps in the high 60s. Sunday was slightly better with sunny skies, temps in the low-to-mid 70s, and a fair amount of wind.

It was comfortable on the noggin, and seemed to keep everything cool. The brim seemed a bit too floppy, but I'm accustomed to wearing my Akubra and other -- significantly "stiffer" -- felt hats. I needed, but didn't care much for, the Tilley chin-and-back-strap method of securing hat on head. I changed it midway through Sunday to a more traditional back-strap-only. (I simply HATE a chin-strap.) Will be working on this a good bit more.

Now, as for its "rakishness", the jury is still out. It will have an uphill battle to best my trusty Akubra.

Will also be conducting additional tests on my daily walks, the occasional bird walk, and upcoming day hikes.

-- Glenn

 

[JabbaPapa]

I needed, but didn't care much for, the Tilley chin-and-back-strap method of securing hat on head. I changed it midway through Sunday to a more traditional back-strap-only. (I simply HATE a chin-strap.) Will be working on this a good bit more.

I don't know how effective just the back-strap would be in a very strong wind, but I've personally found that for anything less the chin-strap kept long and loose rather than actually strapped is sufficient to stop the hat blowing away in 99% cases -- tightening the strap during genuinely strong winds only is not much of a bother nor too much discomfort, in my experience.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I don't know how effective just the back-strap would be in a very strong wind, but I've personally found that for anything less the chin-strap kept long and loose rather than actually strapped is sufficient to stop the hat blowing away in 99% cases -- tightening the strap during genuinely strong winds only is not much of a bother nor too much discomfort, in my experience.

When properly rigged and correctly used, the back strap is quite effective. That's what I've used on all of my full-brimmed hats over the decades, including my Akubra. Under the alias of "Daniel Nighteyes" I was active for many years in the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting, so I've had a number of big-brimmed hats. (Of course, when I did it, it was "Indian Action Shooting"...!)

Of course, the back of one's head should be shaped just-so. To each his/her own, I guess.

 

[notion900]

I had a Tilly and I was glad when I lost it, I thought I looked a bit daft in it. Then I had a nice OR hat, but lost that as well. I think I may have lost another one after that, but memory is hazy. Now I have a little floppy brimmed hat I bought in the flea market in Madrid. Moral of the story - don't spend a lot on a hat. It doesn't matter that a Tilly can be ingested and excreted by an elephant without damage if you leave it on the bar after a few chupitos.

 

[Glenn Rowe]

It doesn't matter that a Tilly can be ingested and excreted by an elephant without damage if you leave it on the bar after a few chupitos.

Words fail...!

 

[Glenn Rowe]

"Rakish?" Nope. It looks too much like the "Sorting Hat" at Hogwarts....

 

[Glenn Rowe]

I started this thread but, because of my personal big-headedness [], it quickly became one of "Yes, but does it come in Size 8?" (Or at least Size 7 7/8.)

Should we bring this thread to a close?