The Outdoor Adventure Giving you tips, tricks & recommendations to help make adventuring in the Outdoors fun, safe & exciting for you and your kids.
I’ve had a Tilley hat for over 3 years now. It goes with me everywhere. It’s the perfect hat for summer weather to keep sun and rain off my head. It breathes well too keeping my head cool in hot weather. That’s excellent for late spring to early fall, but it’s no good for winter. As a result I found myself looking for something to handle winter, but that offered the same comfort and versatility as my Tilley Nylamtium® Hat. Needless to say, I was happy to have the opportunity to get my hands on the Tilley Tec-wool Winter hat.
The Tilley Tec-wool is a medium brimmed wool hat that comes with earwarmers that tuck out of the way when you don’t need them. It’s a versatile hat that can serve for outdoor and urban adventures.
 |
| Me in my Tilley Nylamtium summer hat. |
First off, I need to explain why you’d put down $105 on a hat. It’s a lot, I know, but look at what you’re getting. A LIFETIME warranty. If it wears out in your lifetime they’ll replace it for free! That means you’ll literally never have to buy another hat. If you lose it within two years of purchase it’s insured against loss too! Add to that the fact that it’s great fitting, great looking and extremely functional and you’ll start to see why it’s worth dishing out a bit more for a Tilley.
The Tec-wool hat is extremely comfortable. I chose the same size as my other Tilley and this one fits perfectly. I quickly retired my old Tilley for the cold weather and pretty much always wear the Tec-wool, except in hot weather. The Tec-wool is treated for rain and snow so it is at least resistant to inclement weather. I’ve been out in a snow and rain storm in the hat and in light rain it’s great. Extreme rain storms are a bit too much for the hat, but you’ll be wanting something waterproof in those conditions.
 |
| Hiking on Huayna Potosi in Bolivia at 17 000+ feet |
As I said, the Tec-wool comes with built in ear warmers that fold away when you don’t need them. With the earwarmers folded up or worn down, the hat stays very comfortable. Better yet, you’d never know that it had earwarmers when they’re folded inside! You can still look fashionable when you don’t need your ears warmed!
When I have needed the earwarmers, I’ve found them to work really well. They’re big enough so that they easily cover your ears completely and don’t allow wind or cold in. They’re not just a gimmic. I hiked up to a glacier in Bolivia at 4 AM one morning and my ears never got cold, despite the wind and below freezing temperatures. I’ve taken them up to over 17 000 feet and stayed comfortable all the time. No brain freeze!
When I have needed the earwarmers, I’ve found them to work really well. They’re big enough so that they easily cover your ears completely and don’t allow wind or cold in. They’re not just a gimmic. I hiked up to a glacier in Bolivia at 4 AM one morning and my ears never got cold, despite the wind and below freezing temperatures. I’ve taken them up to over 17 000 feet and stayed comfortable all the time. No brain freeze!
Another cool feature of the Tilley (besides the cool secret pocket inside the hat) is that it’s crushable and packable. No need for hat boxes here. If someone sits on it or if you need to shove it in your pack or pocket, you don’t have to worry about damage. For the Tec-wool it means I don’t need to worry about taking it outside and using it on my adventures, which is good as it’s my wife’s favourite hat for me.
 |
| My Tilley on the start of the Choro trail (a 4670 meters or 1531 feet). |
The only downside about this hat is that it’s dry clean only. It is wool after all, but it’s still a bit of a downside when I can wear my other nylon Tilley in the shower or throw it in the laundry machine to clean it. That said, it’s a small price to pay for a hat that’s both functional and fashionable.
Conclusion
…continued below video
…continued below video
If I would have to choose one hat, I’d definitely choose the Tec-wool. It’s great for almost all weather (it insulates in cold weather and breathes well in warm). The brim does a good job of keeping the sun off your face (although the Tilley wide brim hats are unbeatable for that). It is a incredibly good looking hat that is just at home with dress clothes as it is in your hiking wear. Finally and more importantly, when it comes to hats it’s incredibly comfortable to wear. Add this all up and I can tell you that I’ve never had a better hat!
Head out to your local outdoors store and check out this and the other Tilley hats. You’ll be impressed with everything about these hats.
Do you have your own Tilley or know someone who does? Leave a comment below! We’d love to hear what model it is and what your/their model is and what your opinion is of it!
