As I was looking at Tilley hats online, I saw "their best selling style" which was a medium brim Aussie style hat where one side or the other can snap up.

I'm hoping someone can tell me the logic behind wearing a hat in this manner. Ideas?

Preference.

I like them when I'm shooting- keep the sun off the back of my neck and the top of my head, but doesn't get in the way of bolts and scopes, or get knocked off by a scope during recoil.

That being said, my summer knock about hat is a boonie hat with both sides up, because I like having my peripheral vision and an unburned scalp.

QUOTE: "...a medium brim Aussie style hat where one side or the other can snap up. I'm hoping someone can tell me the logic behind wearing a hat in this manner. Ideas?"

Ors,

With one side snapped up it is a "Daktari" sort of thing. It just looks cool. The classic Brit on safari motif. It is a symbol of adventure and swagger. The idea that one side flipped up gives clearance to my trusty rifle just adds to the alure. I freely admit to purchasing my own "one side up" classic safari hat at MGM/Disney in Orlando. I'm still breaking it in to fit my head for an upcoming Cub Scout resident camp with a safari theme. I found pith helmets fit poorly and are too hot in their modern incarnations (styrofoam inside with bogus outer shell). Just the same, I am curious as to the genesis of the pith helmet.

LIke Ironraven, I have worn hats like this in the past with both sides snapped up. It keeps the sun off my face, noggin, and neck, but still provides good peripheral vision (along with sunburned ears).

TR ( I must have watched too many jungle adventure movies as a kid.)

Having the right side of the hat snap up is from a military style digger hat. The idea was that if the soldier is at right shoulder arms the wide brim of the hat would not get in the way. You can see the same thing on US Army Hardee style hats from the pre thru civil war

I can also tell you from experience that if you are wearing such a had and want to practice your archery skills, you will be very happy to have those snaps.

Otherwise, the bow string keeps knocking your hat off.

Also, it is not as wind sensitive with less brim down to catch the wind.

I am not one to wax rhapsodic about a hat, but I love my Tilley. Also handy that they are available in real sizes and not just too big and too small.

As I posted a while back, I have a large noggin, and I was so happy to see on Tilley's website that not only did the size calculator not explode when I put in my head size, but that they make sizes that are TOO BIG for me <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

where would an average guy get a chance to shoot wild game on safari wearing such hat? Gun crazed america has too many guns with no game. the only place is australia.
Besides women might think men are strange by wearing aussie hat. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Umm, let's see. Bear (black, brown, & grizzely), wild pig, moose, elk, deer (white-tail & mule), antelope, coyote, bobcat, cougar, rabbit, squirrel, sheep (Dall & big horn), ducks, geese, pheasents, quail, turkey, dove, praire dogs, nutria, rattlesnakes and assorted international imports.

And let's not forget rapists, violent felons, enraged ex-spouses, assorted gang members and looters. Of course, maybe if we told the criminals we loved them they'd be nice to us. It doesn't work in Europe, but maybe it'd work here in the US of A. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

-Blast

I used a similar hat while surveying in Northern Idaho; turn it 90 degrees (miner 49'r style) and you can look through a scope uninhibited by the hat brim.

Evidently, you haven't been to the States lately... there'r more deer here now than before Columbus washed up, turkey are becoming common road kill, and coyote numbers are up (a sure sign that there's plenty for them to eat). America won't ever have too many guns, and it's become damned hard to find a long gun to hunt with in Australia.

NRA for life,

Troy

America is spelled with a capital A. Some of us are proud of that, and our Right to bear arms.

QUOTE: "And let's not forget rapists, violent felons, enraged ex-spouses, assorted gang members and looters. Of course, maybe if we told the criminals we loved them they'd be nice to us."

But I do love them. I love them all. Prepared properly, they taste like chicken. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

TR

I don't think felons, rapist, pedophiles taste like chicken at all. They taste more like gamey house cat meat. Its too stringy with no meat. the skin is all wrinkles and dried like desert cactus. of course , they serve as good target practice for the newbie marksman.

It is too bad America law doesn't allow citizen to do annual hunt of felons release into desert. Any hunter who shoots a felon receive a decent reward. It must be a good kill with rifle or knife. Cheating isn't allowed. That should be the way to get rid of the low life crap in our society. Why should we pay our tax dollar to feed, house these despicable scums.

Well, let's see....

In the past five days I've seen a bull moose (VERY destructive and violent when in rut), about a dozen deer, and a momma fox with her kids. And one very confused and unhealthy acting woodchuck that was either interrupted while brushing it's teeth or was rabid. And thats in my front yard.

The moose are over thier carrying capacity, as are the deer. Starving to death is much less plesant than one behind the ear, but I haven't had a hunting liscence in years.

The fox I have no beef with, becuase the cats are only allowed outside in a enclosed area.

And the woodchuck is how I spent my afternoon today, talking with Fish and Game. Not the first time I've had to deal with a rabid animal around here, and the next time they tell me to do something more than bury or burn the body will be the first.

So, I would say we have game, sport. Don't try to [censored] people off, becuase you've been around long enough to know that this is something that if your statement is inflamitory here.

Oh, and the hat is described as dashing. You should see the leather one with the plume in it that I wear at ren faires.

Actually, they will taste like pork with a slight beef undertone.

Being an Aussie, I can say that it is a military style diggers hat as others have already said. As they have also said, it doesnt get in the way while using a riffle.
When viewed worn by the military, it also has insignia badging on the folded up side.

No, its not hard at all to find. But it is getting harder to own and find a place to shoot.

Hence the term, long pig <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

I'm not a pig. They're almost cute, when they are at the spit-able size.

I'm a boar. Much grumpier.

Guys. we had better get back on-topic before this thread gets locked...


Grrr. Tell me about it. I have a Tilley clone where the sides snap up. My wife HATES that hat. It is very practical.

My wife does like this hunter-green baseball cap. I must admit that the cap makes me look as dashing as I can possibly get <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> But it offers no protection for my neck and ears. In the rain, my glasses are more likely to catch rain drops <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> But you can't argue with women. Much better to look great now and get a melanoma later...

My wife is a hat hater too. "You look goofy" and "You embarass me when you wear that" are common phrases, especially during summer months when I wear those "embarassing" hats. I do get sunburned quite easily, and she is less resistant when she remembers that. I think a Tilley is on my wish list now so if she likes it or not, if I'm spending that much on a hat, I'm darn well going to wear it!

I tell her "At least I don't still wear the Vision Street Wear berets I wore as a skater!"

Regarding your tag... yeah, that's somethin' aint it??? I lost a bunch of my count a while back, along with my original date coming on board...oh well, we all pretty much know the old hands any way <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

Get yourself a good leather tricorne, and add a plume to it. She'll think either you've lost your mind, or that it is dramatic. Maybe a little too much so for the grocery store, but what can you do. We live in a society where a gentleman walking down the street with his sword on is arrested.

I wore a plume once...of course it was for a marching band uniform. If I did that now, I think my wife would blankly stare and then grab the Yellow Pages and look under "Divorce Attorneys"!

I've never been arrested for having my sword on, but I was almost arrested for getting my freak on! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Not everywhere. When we do Cowboy Action Shooting (period correct clothing and firearms) up in VT, we would all go out to dinner together afterwards. Most of us would keep our outfits on, sidearms and all, as open carry is legal there. The saying always was, you could tell the locals from the tourists because the tourists would ask "Are those guns real?" and the locals would say "What's up with the funny clothes?".

Let me guess, on Rte 2, between Marshfield and Plainfield, there is a bridge as part of the driveway? The ability to carry freely is part of why I'm not moving unless that taxes go insane.

I don't know I've told this story here or not, so here goes....

I go to ren faires. I'm in full dress, including my sword, a couple knives, and my quarterstaff. Across from the parking lot is a bank. While the rest of my crew is suiting up and arriving, I decide that even though I've got the promisary writs of Master Card and Lady Visa, I should have some more coin of the realm. I go across the street to the bank across the way, in search of the Deamon Ah-te-em to ask a favor of it. With said staff, sword and knives still on me.

Oops. Not one of my wisest actions ever. That ranks right up there with almost getting stepped on by a percheron. (They make a clydsdale look like a morgan with fuzzy socks on.) Which was the same day.

Ironraven,

Been there, done that. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />


Though maybe I should put this in the "Survival Hat" thread... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-Blast