>>in real sunny conditions I will drape a bandana across the back of my head and place the cap over it to keep it secure. If it's hot, I'll wet the bandana first plus wear a wet bandana around my neck<<<br><br>Uh… ok. To be honest, I think I could use similar work-arounds to justify wearing a fez, if I wanted to… but that doesn’t make it a wilderness hat. :-) <br><br>There are some advantages to a brimmed hat that are rarely mentioned. Obviously, they provide shade, and having a high and/or insulated (Tilley) crown shields the head from the beating sun (and there’s one advantage of a fez over a baseball cap, if you want :-)... but also a disadvantage of “boonie” hats). In cooler weather, though, the trapped air in the crown is insulation, and (with no wind, at least) the brim delays the rising flow of air warmed by the body so that it forms a thicker layer of warmth around the head and face, where most heat loss is. More than most designs, it tends to moderate both ways- much cooler than you’d be without it in the hot sun, warmer than you’d be without it in cold weather. Like a boonie, the sides of a Tilley snap up- sometimes useful to keep it clear of a slung rifle, often useful to clear hearing protectors when shooting- and the back of your neck doesn't get burned when shooting prone.<br><br>They do require a strap or cord for wind.. but if you’re someplace where you’ll be in real trouble without a hat (the desert, high country, or sailing), it had better have some sort of retainer whatever type you wear. The Tilley has an unusual arrangement that works, but takes some getting used to. When not needed, I just keep the cord velcroed up in the crown… there’s this little pocket.. it’s easier to see than describe.<br><br>In the end, hats are probably as personal as knives, and I doubt that we'll reach much more of a consensus.<br><br>My workplaces tend toward suits rather than leather jackets, and it’s very unusual to see a man in a suit with a hat these days, especially without an overcoat.<br><br>I’ve had no back or other problems with the shoulder pouch, wore it (well, one very like it) on a combined drive/subway/walk commute daily for two years. I usually leave it as a shoulder pouch for easy on/off, but this particular one does have straps behind a zippered panel to convert it to a light pack, if I’m facing real distance- like walking out of the city into the suburbs.<br><br>For short distances, I just sling it over the shoulder on the side it's riding on. For longer distances, I'll often sling it across my chest, which seems to balance better. I haven't had to use it as a pack yet.<br>