Cannot decide which Tilly hat to get - T3, LTM3 or LT3. Need your suggestions.

O

OmegaA

Joined
Feb 13, 2004
Messages
282
For my birthday my wife got.. herself a Tilley hat LT5 - she intended to buy me one, but there was none of my size so she got one for herself. However, I got confused totally. At least now I know that I want T3 type hat, not T4 or T5, but which T3 type - that's the question! :confused:
T3 is a normal hat from cotton duck, it weighs 5.4 oz. LT3 and LTM3 are made from light material, therefore weigh only 4 oz. I cannot find LT3 or LTM3 in the UK because apparently they were discontinued, but I can easily import from Canada or the USA. I heart that Nylon would not hold it's shape well in strong rain & winds and the brim would be floppier than T3 hat from cotton duck in rain/windy conditions. LTM3 has mesh instead of holes for ventilation (it has better ventilation, but some argue it is not as waterproof as hats without mesh). T3 is cheaper.
Which one would you go for? I will use it everywhere around the globe - soon I am going to Tunisia, then I am going to Brazil with a week in jungle, then - who knows, but definitely far from home. Though mainly it will be used in the UK.
Since Tilley gives lifetime warranty, it is hard for me to decide what hat I should for because it will be "the hat" for a very long time. LT3 is only 1.4 oz lighter than T3, but when I start thinking that I might end up wearing extra 1.4 oz on my head for many years, it becomes a big deal and i lean towards LT3, but when I think about some strong rain with wind, I start thinking T3 is better. T3 is cheaper, but in a long run what is a difference? A few pence a day, so it doesn't really matter.
So, I am confused and need advice - which one (LT3 or T3) would you say a better choice as a universal hat for travels, but which will be used a lot in the UK? :confused:
Thanks,
 
I have a T3 used mainly in the UK and am perfectly happy with it and would recommend it. I don't find it heavy at all. It's also been comfortable working hard in hot weather. I think the T3 is better suited to the UK climate, which is why the LT3 and LTM3 are not sold over here.

As the LT3 and LTM3 are nylon based would there not be a risk of aquiring holes from embers from camp fires? I find mine useful for fanning fires.

You also get the choice of khaki or olive with the T3 whereas the others only appear to be available in 2-tone :barf:
 
I don't care for the LT's because they are TOO light -- if you wear your hat looser rather than tighter, an LT can get blown off bc it has no weight to stay on your head in even mildly strong wind. The +1.4 oz or whatever -- it's enough to keep the hat on your head in conditions that require the strap w/the LT. (In any case the difference is moot compared to a "real" hat like an Akubra Cattleman.)

I also find the LT brim floppier and "squeakier." It must have some sort of foam inside to give it shape, and it can be, well, "squeaky."

I had a T3 but now wear a khaki T4 bc it offers a slightly broader and lower-profile brim. Its brim is also pretty flat w/a very slight slope, not nearly as pronounced and archlike as appears on the Tilley website. It's a poor seller due primarily, I think, to those hideous pics.

One more thing: If you order online, ask the seller if he or she can check the size of the brim before selling. I've found that there can be fairly big discrepancies between the brim measurements online and "in-hand."
 
I have the LTM5 Airflo hat. I got it last year. I like how light it is and it is becoming my favorite summer hat. I wear it loose as they suggest and it is much cooler than other hats I have. If it does get windy it can blow off easily, but they have pretty good straps that you can use and then the hat is nearly impossible to blow off of your head.

I would try to actually try the hats on before buying one. I had to get a size a little larger than I thought I would need. Good luck!
 
I had an LT5 and left it on a bus:mad: Oh well, I got it at a garage sale for $0.60! I was in Vancouver Canada and made a pilgrimage to the Tilley store to get a replacment. I liked the LT model for it's weight and water repellancy, but all the store had was the cotton model. I went with that and it works great. It is a bit heavier, but we're only talking about a few ounces. The cotton is comfortable and cleans up well. I hand wash the hat whenever I get it sweat soaked and hang it to dry. Looks like new afterwards.

I would only get the mesh hat for hot country travel. You can wear the cotton hat all year in the UK. I live in a cool rainy climate too.
 
I never cared for the T3, but do have the T1, T4, LT6 and LTM6. Protection from the sun is my primary reason for wearing a hat and I live in a hot and humid climate.

I find the LT6 to be more comfortable than the T4. I also find it survives being crushed to fit in luggage or a pack better than the T4 and dries more quickly. It has survived nearly 3 years of almost weekly washing. I hardly ever use the T4 any more and would not buy another, but use the LT6 almost every day.

The LT6 does lose its shape after a while in normal use, but washing (or rinsing) and drying restores it. And the LT6 brim does blow around a bit in the wind, but usually not enough to bother me and the T4 is not all that much better. The T4 is heavier, and will not fly off your head suddenly in a breeze if you are not wearing the chin straps (which I hardly ever use) like the LT6 will.

I do like the T1. Its short brim works well in the wind and the short brim and heavy canvas construction are also nice in brushy, thorny areas.

I have just got the LTM6, I should have an opinion about it in a month or so. It does seem to be cooler than the LT6.
 
Big thanks to everyone. Today, I went to the shop to buy T3 and bought.. LT5. They both were of my size (7 7/8), and I was sure I would buy T3 because when I previously tried LT5 of a bit smalled size, I found LT5 not interesting. However, when it is of the right size and colour, many things change.
Hopefully, now I have a hat for the next 20 years!
My recommendation now would be to try one in the shop, maybe you will change your mind in the last moment as I did.
 
I just bought the LTM6 Airflow and I really like it. I was really tempted to buy one of the cotton or hemp models but really got the impression that your head would cook because the material is so thick which is why I bought the light model with mesh ventilation. Can anyone give me their opionion on these others or how they compare to the Airflow models as far as summer heat goes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top