What—if anything—is on your head when you’re on the water? And let us know your specific detailed preferences (color, vents, straps, lanyards, etc.) in the comments below.
In summer months I wear a vintage wide-brim waxed hat from the late, great Watership Trading Company of Bellingham, and in winter a 40-year-old insulated cap with short brim and ear flaps, made by the company Because It’s There, founded way back when by mountaineer Jim Whittaker. (Not sure why my favorite hat companies always go out of business…??)
Tilley with vented band around top and dual straps front chin back of head. It does not blow off in reasonable winds. I have been wearing them for about as long as them have made them. I even have replaced two of them free with there guarantee. Wonderful comfortable and they also float.
I wore my first Tilley out, it was an incredible hat. I ordered a new one last year and it’s total garbage by comparison! It’s no where near the quality, and they changed some key design features that were important to function as a sailing hat. Super disappointing! I’ll buy cheap knockoffs from now on, because that’s what I consider this to be now. Way to go, Tilley. 👎💩
Tilley has been owned by a private equity company since 2015. Two different ones: it was first sold in 2015, and re-sold in 2018. In my limited experience, private equity firm-owned companies are a poor fit for people looking for quality made products. I try to avoid these companies -- it gets increasingly difficult, unfortunately. (Source for their ownership: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilley_Endurables)
I see a lot of Tilley fans and I, too, wore one for a number of years confident that the foam flotation in the top was important. I do find the Tilleys are quite expensive and seem to be getting more so. Presently I can buy 3-4 Stetsons bucket hats for the price of one Tilley. I lost my first Tilley when I washed it and it shrunk two or three sizes. I still have my second one but prefer the softer Stetson. Each to his own but don't overlook the Stetson. BTW, These Stetsons are not felt cowboy hats.
Stetson makes several sun protective hats in both bucket and brimmed that have two features amenable to sailing. The first is a chin strap to prevent chasing your hat across the waves and the second is a hidden neck flap to protect your neck when the sun gets lower. The neck flap rolls up into the brim when not needed. In addition, the hat is treated with a proprietary "No fly Zone" treatment that repels flying insects from around your head. I don't recall their SPF rating but as I recall is quite good. The bucket hat is particularly handy in that it can be rolled up and stuffed in a pocket when not needed and the front brim can be flipped up for you to check the set of your sails when needed. Unlike the popular baseball cap, it protects the sides of your face and ears from the sun. It won't protect you as well as the very large Life Guard hats but its smaller size makes dodging in and around lines and spars a good deal easier.
In nice weather, baseball cap, polarized sun glasses that wrap around a bit with a neck strap, and lots of sun screen on my neck, ears and face in addition to on other exposed skin.
In summer months I wear a vintage wide-brim waxed hat from the late, great Watership Trading Company of Bellingham, and in winter a 40-year-old insulated cap with short brim and ear flaps, made by the company Because It’s There, founded way back when by mountaineer Jim Whittaker. (Not sure why my favorite hat companies always go out of business…??)
Nothing like a Tilley !
Tilley hats float!
Tilley with vented band around top and dual straps front chin back of head. It does not blow off in reasonable winds. I have been wearing them for about as long as them have made them. I even have replaced two of them free with there guarantee. Wonderful comfortable and they also float.
I wore my first Tilley out, it was an incredible hat. I ordered a new one last year and it’s total garbage by comparison! It’s no where near the quality, and they changed some key design features that were important to function as a sailing hat. Super disappointing! I’ll buy cheap knockoffs from now on, because that’s what I consider this to be now. Way to go, Tilley. 👎💩
Tilley has been owned by a private equity company since 2015. Two different ones: it was first sold in 2015, and re-sold in 2018. In my limited experience, private equity firm-owned companies are a poor fit for people looking for quality made products. I try to avoid these companies -- it gets increasingly difficult, unfortunately. (Source for their ownership: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilley_Endurables)
Tiller in the North Carolina Summers, a wool blend watch cap made by my wife in weather below 55 degrees
White Tilly hat in the summers.
When cold, a dark blue Basque beret made from Merino wool; when hot, a cotton canvas bush hat with wide brim.
Agree they float but will still BLOW away !
Loss three over the years, one was found and returned about 10 days later.
Am guessing that the other two found a new home on someone's else head.
Do not forget to write your name and phone number inside the hat
Not wearing a hat with this hair LOL!
I like the (cheap) wool 'crushable' fedora styles. I add a brim wire, earflaps and tie-down lanyard.
If you want the full blab, I wrote more here:
https://triloboats.blogspot.com/2012/01/durn-good-hat.html
Tilley here.
I see a lot of Tilley fans and I, too, wore one for a number of years confident that the foam flotation in the top was important. I do find the Tilleys are quite expensive and seem to be getting more so. Presently I can buy 3-4 Stetsons bucket hats for the price of one Tilley. I lost my first Tilley when I washed it and it shrunk two or three sizes. I still have my second one but prefer the softer Stetson. Each to his own but don't overlook the Stetson. BTW, These Stetsons are not felt cowboy hats.
Stetson makes several sun protective hats in both bucket and brimmed that have two features amenable to sailing. The first is a chin strap to prevent chasing your hat across the waves and the second is a hidden neck flap to protect your neck when the sun gets lower. The neck flap rolls up into the brim when not needed. In addition, the hat is treated with a proprietary "No fly Zone" treatment that repels flying insects from around your head. I don't recall their SPF rating but as I recall is quite good. The bucket hat is particularly handy in that it can be rolled up and stuffed in a pocket when not needed and the front brim can be flipped up for you to check the set of your sails when needed. Unlike the popular baseball cap, it protects the sides of your face and ears from the sun. It won't protect you as well as the very large Life Guard hats but its smaller size makes dodging in and around lines and spars a good deal easier.
Depends on the season/ location
Depends on the weather. In Ireland not uncommon to get four seasons in a couple of hours so pack plenty of headgear!
In nice weather, baseball cap, polarized sun glasses that wrap around a bit with a neck strap, and lots of sun screen on my neck, ears and face in addition to on other exposed skin.
I wear a wide brim hat during the day. And a toboggan at night. Especially this time of year in the summer just a wide brim hat.