OK, I will come clean and readily admit - I probably own too many Tilley hats!! I have always liked the fact that Tilley hats come sized to fit - as someone with a hard to fit, kind of large head, the "One Size Fits Most" and "S, M, L, XL" tags usually means the hat is not going to fit me. Since Tilley offers hats in 1/8 sized increments is one up on most hat makers - then the fact that the quality, workmanship, materials, etc are second to none results in a hat that is hard to pass up!! So... due to this, I own five different Tilley hats which I use for different endeavors such as yardwork, casual wear, hiking, boating.... What makes the hemp stand out? Well, the mere fact it is made out of a natural material, and not nylon or other synthetic, is already a plus for me. Then, the fact it has a unique characteristic of being a HEMP hat, and then a hemp hat with style and made so well..... that is a nice combination. Then, couple that with a hat that wears so comfortably in most climates - even warmer weather - as the Hemp seems to breath better than the Tilley cotton duck hats, and definitely better than their Nylon offerings. (my head temp runs way too hot for most Nylon hats, mesh panels or not). Finally, the Hemp hat has a nice stiff brim that holds its shape, and the dome will also hold its shape nicely if you want it to and take care not to store it crushed, etc. Note - if you are one to stuff this hat in your pack, it will come out wrinkled - look at Tilley hemp hats like those Linen garments you wear - they look great when you care for them, keep them pressed - but will look frumpy and wrinkled if treated as such. Bottom line - as a Tilley T3, T5MO and other Tilley hat owner, it took me a long time to try out the Tilley Hemp offerings. Now that I did, I am sold. It also offers a unique look compared to the basic Khaki, Olive colors, and it is a hat I can easily wear out to the store, or any other casual settings. The hat has a nice appeal, and even my wife has noted how much she likes it... after initially being sure she was going to hate it!! If you already own a Tilley hat of the Cotton or Nylon variety - consider this hat if you are looking for a different look and feel, but still want the Tilley quality. If you are new to Tilley and thinking of the Hemp as your FIRST hat, ask yourself what you are going to use it for, and if this type of hat is for you. IMHO, these type of hats are more of an "acquired taste" and one has to be prepared for the pro / con for this type of hat - for instance, if you like your hats to always have that pressed, clean and pristine look, with no wrinkles then the Th5 may not be for you. Sure, you can maintain it with a clean, unwrinkled look, but you will always have to be cognizant of how you store it. However, if you are looking for a versatile, all weather hat for hiking - I would say there are other hats more tailored to the weather that fit the bill better for that endeavor. For instance, in warm weather hiking, a T5MO or T4MO in organic cotton might be the ticket for you - or even a Nylon hat with mesh cooling panels if you are one that can withstand nylon on your head in warm weather (I cannot). Some swear by the hemp hat for warm weather hiking too, so YMMV. Then, for more mild weather hiking, you might consider a hat of the cotton duck, or waxed cotton variety.... or even this hemp hat. It is one of the most versatile Tilley hat in terms of suitability for most dry weather climates - and why it sells so well! As far as wet and rainy conditions.... I say forget it, there are clearly better choices out there. The Hemp holds water, period. So in summary, if the hat fits, and you are someone that does not mind a Hemp hat - I say give it a try!!! I did and love it! EDIT: One thing to note - it took me two attempts on Amazon to buy this hat - the first time not only was the wrong style hat shipped in the wrong size (I was shipped a T4 in 7 1/4) and in a TH5 bag - but the hat was shipped completely flattened and stored so long that way that I deemed it beyond repair for my collection. So if you get one shipped poorly, you could contact the seller and try again. Also note - Tilley hats being slightly wrinkled / mis-shaped during shipping is not a disaster - if you mist / wet the hats, they are easily re-shaped and the wrinkles removed. I typically periodically mist and reshape my hats when I think they need a pep up - I also have a couple of those department store Styrofoam heads that help me during the process so the hat can dry on something shaped like a head!! It really helps...
