Life time guarantee.

[Tony]

A Blatant Plug.

If you are disappointed with the general  state of customer service in the land, try this:-

1. 2005 Spring.  Bought sun hat #1  (Due to fear of looking like a Swan Vesta  match after a few hours in Greek sunshine. )  Was useless, sweaty, uncomfortable rubbish and blew off over Erimitis cliff.
2.  2005 Summer. Bought sun hat  #2 from  well-known, manufacturer of sailing gear. Three times the price and just as rubbish as hat #1. Brim flopped over face when wet with spray and channelled summer rain neatly down back of neck.
3.  2006 Spring. Persuaded to spend ridiculous amount of cash on Tilley hat by No. 2 daughter , a nurse (God Help the NHS!) with a thing about skin cancer.
 Initial thoughts?
Me:                     “I look a right wazzock in this thing!”
Daughter No. 2   “Yes, you do. No one will notice any difference.”
Me:                      “ Huh! You’ll have me in pink trousers and a blazer next!”
Daughter No. 2    “...better than those revolting shorts!  No one wants to see your varicose veins!”
4.  2006 Summer. Wore Tilley hat every day for a month in Ionian. Salt spray and washing the sweat out by stamping on it in the shower  gradually took the newness out of it. Started wearing it all year round when sailing.
5. 2013 Summer. 
Wife:  “Don’t you think it’s time you had a new hat? Its got a hole in it! ” (Holding it between finger and thumb, over the bin.)
Me:  “Gerrofit. Nowt wrong with it! Extra ventilation!  Grrrr! ”
6.  2014 Summer. 
Wife: “ Wear what you like on the boat but don’t expect ME to be seen with you!”
7.  2015 Spring.  In the interests of marital harmony emailed Tilley UK complaining that hat was worn out after only eight years of “light usage” . Three hours later Tilley UK sent details of customer returns policy and refrained from calling me a liar. Sent them photo of hat with large letter “R” drawn inside as per instructions. Two days later received brand new Tilley T4 !  That’s their lifetime guarantee for you!
Initial thoughts?
“I look a right wazzock in this new hat!”

[Michael Rogers]

Snap, Tony. Except I seem to have avoided most of the name calling, other than my dear wife objecting to me using the 'chin-straps' to keep it on (rather important above F3: although the hat does float, leading to nifty single-handed 'hat overboard' recovery manoeuvres*) commenting, repeatedly, that the straps make me 'look like an elephant with toothache': unsure how she reaches that comparison.

Having had my hole-y Tilley replaced, they didn't confiscate the old one, so I literally have two for the price of one, and the hat in the rather fetching (I think, anyway) portrait of Cavatina in Water Craft is still the old one.

There is allegedly an elephant keeper at a zoo in the US/Canada whose Tilley hat has been through the digestive tract of a playful elephant, who ate it not once but twice.

Talking to the delightful Tilley UK ladies on the phone, I asked if they have to replace hats often under this generous lifetime guarantee. 'Oh, quite often". How often is that? 'About ten a week'. That's about 500 a year in the UK. I suppose it accounts (partly) for the initial high price. Still, definitely worth it if you use it enough!

Michael

*Tricky word to spell. Quite pleased that I got it right without resorting to looking it up - or is someone going to tell me I got it wrong?

[Michael Rogers]

PS We are talking about 20 + years quite intensive (summer) use here.

[Rob Johnstone]

Glad to hear of the customer service - surely a new one has lost that indefinable patina of use? Not sure how old mine is. 15 years at least. It's been recovered a few times from the sea and the brass eyelets are a fetching shade of green but the tenner in the secret pocket is still there. Not used the sunglasses clip yet, but there's still time.
I do feel a bit of an idiot wearing it in London, with my posh winter coat. But my head gets cold these days and I've lost my dossers thinsulate cap.
I wonder how many they've sold world wide?  '

[Tony]

Hi, Rob.
A Tenner in the "secret" pocket? (A White Fiver would have really proved its vintage qualities)
I have a thousand Drachma note in my old hat - was worth about three quid, Πρε-Εβρο. (Cod Greek!) and, by the look of it, might come in handy for a beer or two this summer!