Serious traveling hats

Skin cancer is out. Hats are in. Now, I know some of y'all are thinkin' "I am a serious traveler. I don't want to wear a silly hat." Well, what you need, then, is a serious traveling hat.

So, what sets a serious traveling hat apart from a fashion hat? A few things. You want the hat to be functional, durable -- attractive, certainly, but not frivolous. You want the hat to say "I mean business." You want the kind of hat that you could hide a monkey in, if it came down to it. Well, maybe not.

So, who makes awesome traveling hats? Tilley Endurables. No, seriously. They are good looking, sturdy hats, closely woven for warmth or sun protection where appropriate.

Better still? Secret pocket.

"All Tilley Hats have a secret pocket (shhhhh!) in the crown to safely and securely store any important 'stuff' such as licenses, room keys or $20 (or maybe 20 Euros, 20 Yen or 20 Baht). There have been many stories over the years of some more eclectic items being kept there (fishing lures and once, an engagement ring!). Recently, we have been hearing that MP3 players are finding their way into this convenient spot as well. The secret pocket is an extra handy feature to have when you want to leave your bag behind."

Secretly, that secret pocket also helps keep your head cool.

Their hats come insured against loss, which is pretty handy if you're traveling, and are made in the USA and Canada from a fine selection of materials. Check out the gallery for some great styles -- and even greater 'serious traveler" faces.

Gallery: Tilley Endurables Hats

Filed under: Gear