I say if people wanna hat chase let them hat chase. I agree with Zoo people wouldn't put the work in if their wasn't a reward at the end of the day. Granted it does suck when you are there from the very begging or join when the guild only has several hundred hours of tower time and stay to 1k or beyond and you get the same prize as the 300 people that show up to help at 750+ hours and on till 1k.
It makes you think why do all that when you can jump in a guild that's around 800 hours,and get a hat for only maybe a months work. I certainly don't wanna put in the time and effort I put in towering for UFO and have people who put in only 1/4th of that get the same reward again.