Tilley: My sailing hats are making a comeback for yard work
Posted By RichC on June 9, 2026
Just like buying many pairs of boat shoes during my life, I’ve purchased and owned a number of sailing hats over the years too (and way to many caps to contemplate). In the early years I often cheapened out on both 
the boat shoes and the sailing hats by purchasing a discounted or knockoff brands. For the most part, they were all fine (and I still wear a knock-off branded Tilley around the pool – photo 2020).
In recent years (decades), I’ve opted for Sperry branded shoes (multiple posts) and migrated back and forth between the wider all-around brim sailor’s hat for the sun protection, but in recent years have been just wearing caps … except the comfortable ventilated wide-brim hat that I use when cleaning the pool. But for the most part it is a ball cap when working around the yard or walking … and depending on the weather, I’ll either wear the heavier caps or when it is really hot, a lightweight thin breathable cap (super cheap as I recall).
This brings me to my mistake in replacing a Tilley-branded Endurable T3 classic hat (left) that has seen better days with a new Tilley TWS1 Rain-repellent hat (right).
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I replace it for a couple of reasons … primarily to test the lifetime warranty. The snaps were corroded. It has a couple holes and was “beyond floppy” but still comfortable. To test the lifetime warranty, I figure I’d go through the motions to see just how far gone a hat needed to be? First I sent them a photo and they came back, “no problem.” Put an X through the label and pick out the hat I wanted. They shipped me a new one for the cost of shipping … to which I added two 1776 American Flag premium caps for our country’s 250th celebration. 😊
The mistake on my part was to replace it with a more expensive Tilley (the TWS1) and thinking it would be even better. Nope, it is much warmer than the canvas duck cloth originally and doesn’t keep my head cool. I should have pick an AirFlo version or stayed with the original T1. That said, it is still a nice hat for cooler weather — so much for walking on the beach in Florida with it!
Tilley is a Canadian company
The company was founded by Alex Tilley in 1980 in Toronto.
How it started
Alex Tilley was a sailor. He couldn’t find a hat that met his needs for:
- Sun protection
- Staying on in the wind
- Floating if blown overboard
- Durability
- Washability
So he designed one for his own sailing use. Other sailors started asking for them, and what began as a practical boating accessory turned into a business. Many of the features still associated with classic Tilley hats came directly from those sailing requirements:
- The wind cords
- Buoyant construction (many models float)
- Wide brim
- Ventilation grommets
- Tough cotton duck fabric
Why people think it’s Australian
Several factors contribute:
- 1. The shape
- * The classic Tilley has some resemblance to Australian bush hats and outback hats.
- 2. Outdoor image
- * Marketing often showed adventurers, travelers, safari settings, and wilderness activities.
- 3. Similar function
- * Australian hats and Tilleys solve many of the same problems: sun, heat, rain, and wind.
- 4. The broad-brimmed style
- * North Americans often associate wide-brimmed outdoor hats with
Australia, even though similar designs have existed in many countries. The “Made in Canada” era For decades, Tilley built a strong reputation because many hats were manufactured in Canada and backed by an unusually generous lifetime guarantee. That Canadian-made heritage became a major selling point. In recent years, ownership changed, production expanded globally, and not all products are made in Canada anymore. The brand itself, however, remains Canadian in origin and identity.
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