Tilley Hats
I’ve owned just about every Tilley hat made over the past 30 years—from the original bucket and duck styles to today’s hemp and microfiber versions.
Rim Chung’s longtime fishing favorite has always been the T3, in white with a green underbrim. I started with that model as well, but I never liked the white color—it stood out too much while fishing or shooting. Rim, however, says “it made him blend in with the clouds.”
My personal favorite was the LT6 in khaki with a green underbrim. It was ideal for both fishing and shooting, but it’s no longer made, and even used ones are hard to find—like this one on eBay: Tilley Endurables LT6 Hat Khaki Tan w/ Green 7-3/8 Outback Straps Wide Brim.
I’ve gone through phases with other hats too—fedoras, safari hats, cowboy hats for hunting—but I always come back to Tilley. They work year-round, except on the coldest winter days.
The T4 duck hat, with its brass ventilation holes, was more attractive than the current LTM6 with its mesh crown. I’ve also tried both larger and smaller brim versions. In practice, they don’t change sun protection much—the longer brims tend to be floppier in the wind, while the shorter ones are more stable and easier to keep positioned for shade. Still, none of the newer models match the look of the original T4.
If I had to choose from current models, the T5 or LTM6 is better than the long-brimmed LTM2, which is very floppy when you’re moving around. The original duck canvas also looked better than today’s microfiber versions, though it did show dirt more easily. I’ve owned them all—my daughters often “borrow” them—but they clean up well in the dishwasher’s top rack (no heat dry), then air dry and can be reshaped while still damp.
The newer hemp model is probably the best-looking of what’s currently available, though it still uses the mesh crown I’m not fond of. Functionally it works well, but visually it feels less like the classic military or safari-style hats with brass rivets and more like a generic travel hat. The old rivet-hole design had more character.
Bring back the brass rivets—and lose the mesh crown.
And why not round it out with an Hermes scarf?
