The Tilley Hat
My first Tilley hat travelled with me to over 50 countries including 2 wars and an attempted coup (not my doing). Two years ago it vanished with my bio-diesel landrover which was stolen and never recovered.
I was more upset that my size 7 & a half Tilley T3 hat had gone than the truck. The hat had been a great traveling companion. Outside of protecting me from the sun and rain it also was a great talking point and as other Tilley owners will know the hat's little secret got me out of trouble more than once.
I have a new Tilley hat now. Not faded and worn-in like my old one. It will take me a few years and even more miles to get it looking and feeling as good as my lost one.
As my address and phone number is inside the stolen hat I still hold out a hope that someone will come across it and return it. It's travel stories span two passports. It's strange how we get attached to inanimate objects. Especially clothing.
My new hat has a memory card stashed inside with return details, email address, an offer of a reward and a small video of me asking nicely for the hat back.
Geeky yes.. but it's my own kind of insurance for a piece of kit that has more than the obvious uses and once again was easy for me to grow attached to. Incidentally Tilley Endurables off you their own insurance of 50% off a new one should yours get robbed or lost.
I recently spotted a new Hemp Tilley hat on the head of @MarkSpoff & I am sourly tempted to grab one for the summer months when I try to pack light. The softer hemp hat would fold up into the smallest of places.
In the meantime, I am sure there is a head somewhere out there adding new adventures (possibly some of them less than legal) to my old hat as I add my own adventures to my new one.
Not enough people wear hats. I am glad that they don't look out of place in the rain or out in the wilds. It's just a bonus to me that a hat offers you protection.
As Margo Nickel said.. "Whenever you wear your hat, your day will be special."
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