Who has a polyester hat?

[Benproof]

Curious if anyone else has a polyester hat preference. What temperatures are you wearing it?

I live in a moderate climate (northern hemisphere) and maybe for a few months, a natural fibre hat will be a real advantage. Otherwise, I'm wondering if polyester has any advantages?

My wool and felt hats all get regular use throughout the year. I've no idea if these can be dry-cleaned but now I'm thinking that polyester panama hats might be ideal in our climate where I can flush it under the sink tap after soiling it on the beach or showery rains.

Any thoughts? Or is polyester just a cheap substitute for linen, hemp or straw weave?

Thanks

 

[alanfgag]

I would suggest nylon. Google Tilley hats. They are machine washable.

 

[Trenchfriend]

I have got an massmarket-Trilby, made of 95% polyestre/5% wool and what should I say? It's just well-made, good-average industrial stuff, good, clean build-quality and not that crappy-made cheap stuff.
It fits very well, the declared size is absolutely correct. So, no problem with it.

This massmarket-Trilbys are available in many fabric-mixtures. I got a further one of these, for summer, made of 55% Linen/45% cotton.

Not bad!

 

[RJR]

I would suggest nylon. Google Tilly hats. They are machine washable.

Second re Tilleys.

 

[Duper]

Tilley model LTM5 is easily washed by hand and air dried. Very light. Venting around the top and a few colour choices. Had one about a dozen years and I still love it. Easy to pack and provides enough sun protection or most circumstances


,,,Mike in Canada.

 

[Benproof]

They look and sound goo!

Unlike our £ currency

Is there much difference between nylon and polyester for hat wearers.

Duper - how come one side of your avatar hat curls and the other side is flat?

That's ideal for the car window where the sun keeps tanning one side too much!

Has anyone found shape retention any different for polyester/nylon vs woven straw/linen etc?

 

[Duper]

Hi Benproof. My avatar is not me. It is Jonathan Qualye Higgens III of an old Amercan TV show Magnum P.I. When I joined the Lounge I selected this character as he co-starred with Tom Selleck who very nearly had the role of Indiana Jones instead of Harrison Ford. And we all know the affect Indiana had on us hat lovers.

As for the hat in the avatar that is an Aussie Slouch hat. An interesting traditional military hat still manufactured by our friends at Akubra. The curled up side links back to a time when a soldier would have carried a long rifle and the clipped up brim allowed clearance for the gun barrel.

My Tilley LTM5 is basically a cloth hat. I can shove it in my back pocket, wear it in the ocean, rinse it out under the sink tap and Let it hang to dry and I am good to go. The nylon makes the hat very light. A typical straw hat would not take this sort of abuse. As for shape retention it is a nylon material. It does not hold its shape like a straw hat.

Hope this helps.

,,,Mike in Canada

 

[Benproof]

Thanks Mike!

I found a friend of mine wears a Tilley but I never noticed. It just looked like a bucket hat that is worn to Reading festival that I never paid any attention to it, but apparently it is UV ray proof for A & B; cosmic radiation and doubles up against aliens broadcasting so it seems like it's a must have.

I looked and couldn't see them with any formal looking hats, well, more formal than a bucket ?! I'm sure there are but maybe in the UK they aren't as well stocked.

The Aussie slouch hat looks good too. I guess I should upgrade my trapper furs, beanies and newsboys with something as practical as yours.

 

[Duper]

Yep, a practical bucket hat,,but a more deluxe practical bucket hat with high tech features. And made in Canada,,,not China.

I must be wearing mine wrong as the alien transmissions are still coming through.

The do have models with more of a solid form. Something like their new TM10B or LTM8 will not be formal but will hold its initial shape better.

,,,Mike in Canada