OF COURSE hats are mandatory! When you get to hotel room, gather wallet, lanyard, keys, all visible hotel pens (and any other potential usable crap) and put into hat. At wake-up call (5 min before bus leaves), throw on clothes, gather hat-crap, throw hat into suitcase or flight kit (until in next hotel room), and run. Hat is always worth 3-4 minutes extra sleep. Hat is ESSENTIAL! Sam