My new Tilley hat!
Many prospective visitors to the Holy Land ask me what special item(s) of clothing should I bring.
In my last blog, I wrote about the importance about what shoes to bring (and what to leave at home).
Now, with the summer beginning, I think it is time I talk about how to keep safe in the sun. That means wearing a good hat made to
- Keep you cool
- Filter out the harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays of the sun
- Make you look good
As a private tour guide in Israel, I have gone through quite a few of them: Barmah of Australia makes great hats, but they are made out of kangaroo hide and get very hot in summer. Companies like North Face, Columbia and others make good hats for touring outside.
Here are some tips:
- Does the hat have a UV filter rating?
- If it does, is it at least a 50?
- Does the hat have a string to secure it to your head in windy weather (believe me, you will not be chasing hats off of the top of Masada)?
- Does is have a guarantee?
- Does it cover the back of your head and neck?
What not to wear:
I strongly advise not to wear ball caps. Though that White Sox cap does look good on Obama, it won’t do you much good on a hot, sunny day in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Don’t wear a kefiyyah (traditional Arab headdress). You are not a Bedouin. This can sometimes be interpreted as a political statement. Quite frankly, we have enough political statements, thank you very much.
A scarf will not keep out those bad UV rays.
Is there a perfect hat? I think there is: A Tilley hat.
You an purchase one at: www.tilley.com
It has a lifetime guarantee and they will replace it if you lose it.
