[Philmont]: Pith helmets

Well, there's pith helmets and there's pith helmets...

The cheap, easy-to-find styrofoam knock-offs sit squarely on the head, and
so do not ventilate. Good protection from rain and sun, but not from
self-generated heat. They have some redeeming aerobic capabilities which
lend the brim a well-chewed appearance after a few rounds of pith frisbee.

The stiff basket-weave version has a conventional helmet headband, which
works with the mesh to make it well-ventilated, but no protection from rain,
and poor protection from sun. Allowed to get wet repeatedly (we are talking
about Philmont, right?), it tends to soften and lose its shape somewhat.

The original pith helmet is hard to find, but a worthy piece of headgear.
The headband allows the hat to stand away from the head for ventilation,
while the solid body shields the wearer from both sun and rain. It's durable
enough to withstand a lot of abuse.

My father-in-law is a Christmas tree farmer in Ohio and is outside a lot,
year-round. He has all three types (plus hats for hunting and other
activities) but never goes outside in the warmer seasons without his trusty
pith helmet. He gets around ten to fifteen years of use from them before
they expire.

It's a style I guess, like a lot of things. My nephew spent last summer
working at a nursery, wore his Chinese coolie hat all day everyday, and said
it was the best thing for keeping cool in the sun. Either hat would be good
choices for Philmont, as long as the chosen hat doesn't hit the pack while
hiking, and is actually worn when in the sun. However, that being said, Mr.
Hudson agrees with Mr. Palmer and is not likely to rest something other than
his Tilley on high (or hiking shorts around the middle...)

>Ched Hudson
ASM Troop 994
Fairfax Station, VA
Philmont '67, '04, '06

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com]On
Behalf Of David Palmer
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 11:55 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: [Philmont]: Not Kilts

Good evening.

I have a Scout who wants to wear a pith helmet at Philmont. Actually, he
wants the whole crew to wear pith helmets at Philmont, but Mr. Palmer will
wear his Tilley hat, thank you.

Can the group think of any pros and cons of this headgear, the pith helmet?

Hey, this question is no more unusual than the discussion of kilts.

Thanks.
David K. Palmer
Scoutmaster - Olympia (Wash.) Troop 266
Every Scout Absolutely Matters
www.olympiatroop266.com

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Received on Sat Mar 18 14:50:07 2006