Hi, My outdoors hat is a Columbia Coolhead Cachalot (it might be an older model but practically the same). I use it whenever I'm in the sun and quite often it is when I'm at the pool/beach. It is light, dries quickly, easy to store in a cargo pants pocket, and can be used with the neck guard or flipped in a second to be a baseball cap - being able to transform it into a regular baseball cap is a huge advantage. It is a good hat just really ugly, especially with the back folded down. So I want a replacement. At first, I was looking into other hats with a neck guard but then I changed my mind and went back to search for brimmed beanies. So the first thing was to check with Columbia where I picked the Bora Bora II as my preferred pick. Also light and fast-drying that will be good for the pool, but not a great looker. Another big plus - it costs $20-$30. Then I did the mistake of searching this forum which brought up two new contenders - the Shelta Seahawk and the Tilley LTM5. Both cost around $70 which is much more than the Columbia, but they look like they are worse it. The Seahawk will cost me over a $100 because of shipping charges (for some reason, the condor does not have this shipping fee). The Seahawk looks better IMHO and I like the fact it has a size cinch, a feature I love in my current hat, and makes ordering online safer size-wise. The LTM5 has the advantage of being easier to store as it doesn't have the no-flip plastic in its brim. It will cost me about $40 less than the Seahawk. TL;DR; So my questions to you are, If you have either of the two: How is it in the water? I am talking recreational swimming and pool games, with a lot of dipping. How hard are they to store? You can easily flatten both into a suitcase but what about a pocket of a fanny bag? And finally, if you had tried out both: which one did you like more and why? I am open for any input and suggestions for any hat that can serve my needs. Thanks for reading, D
I like that Columbia Coolhead. This one doesn't seem to have that oversize brim that others have. I'm ordering one for myself. Thanks for the idea. Personally, I'd also go for the Tilley. The others are boonie hats, which don't fit the shape of my face, and I hated wearing them even when deployed to the desert.