Before last year, I was not a hat wearer. I was brought up in the 70's and 80's when men's hats were not popular outside the ubiquitous baseball cap. I borrowed my father's Tilley a year ago while on a fishing trip in Mexico to protect my head from the blazing sun, and realized how nice a good hat was in avoiding getting cooked. That summer I bought a LTM6 for myself, and was truly impressed by the function and quality of Tilley's summer hats. When I discovered that Tilley made winter hats, I needed to give one a try.The Tec-Wool hat is a step up in dressiness from your typical stocking cap. However, it is not as formal as a dress hat. It wouldn't look out of place with a suit and overcoat, yet it goes well with my wool pea coat in more casual situations.It does a fine job of keeping your head warm, and as Tilley claims, the Tec-Wool breathes when your head warms up. I've not had to take the hat off when I take my morning walks due to an overheated head. The ear flaps are wonderful--a feature that you'll really appreciate when it's really nasty out. On less brutal days, you can stuff them up and out of the way. Interestingly, Tilley added a strip of fabric that attaches to the the back of the headband with velcro that can be removed to give you a tad more room when the ear flaps are tucked up and not in use. (It can be stowed in the discrete compartment in the top of the hat when not in use.)The main reason I like this winter hat so much is the function of the brim. It does a nice job of keeping rain and snow off your face and neck--something my usual winter stocking cap can't do. It also helps deflect wind from those areas, too. The fabric repels precipitation nicely--I've not had a wet head even on rainy days.The build quality is typical of Tilley--it will last a long, long time if you take care of it. My only criticism of the hat is that I wish it was a tad stiffer--the front of the crown can occasionally have a few wrinkles if you don't put it on just right. Also, a really strong wind will flip the brim up. However, I believe the concept of the hat is that you can flatten it if needed to stow away and not worry about ruining it.Tilley's aren't cheap, but you definitely get a quality hat for your money. Check out the reviews and you'll see that they have a loyal following.