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[Lefty]

You can get a panama in pretty much any brim length.
What's your size and price range and does it have to be a new hat or can it be vintage?

 

[jlee562]

There's nothing wrong with Shangtung straw. It is what it is. It's just not real straw. Most milans these days are Shangtung anyway.

 

[GamaH]

You can get a panama in pretty much any brim length.
What's your size and price range and does it have to be a new hat or can it be vintage?

Preferably new. I know Vintage hats are usually better in quality, but I am idiosyncratic like that.. unfortunately.

7 1/8, no price range. I would go straight for a custom made, but I am far too indecisive for that.

On that note.. are Borsalino Straws genuine? Also, what is "Panapore straw"?

I'm currently looking at these:
Marco and Borso Panama.

Marco

Cuenco Panama Borsalino

Heck, the Rialto says it's made from Panama straw. Does that make it a Panama too?
Rialto

 

[Lefty]

I know this goes against your stingy brim desires, but I'd be all over this Tesi parabuntal from Bencraft. With any Borso, you're paying a significant price for the name. That panama is probably two to three times what it would cost without the name.

I don't know about panapore.

 

[GamaH]

Is the Rialto considered a Panama hat though?

The description says that it's made of "Genuine Panama Straw." I'm a little "paranoid" now that "Genuine Milan Straw" isn't all that genuine at all.

 

[Lefty]

Steven from Bencraft is a member here and very open and honest about what he sells. Your best bet is to call him (I've read that it's better to call than email or pm) and ask.

 

[GamaH]

Steven from Bencraft is a member here and very open and honest about what he sells. Your best bet is to call him (I've read that it's better to call than email or pm) and ask.

Sounds good. I'll call tomorrow. They don't open on Saturdays.

 

[jlee562]

Is the Rialto considered a Panama hat though?

The description says that it's made of "Genuine Panama Straw." I'm a little "paranoid" now that "Genuine Milan Straw" isn't all that genuine at all.

You're a bit confused my friend.

Milan is the type of weave. Straw can be woven into a Milan, as can Shangtung (paper) straw. There's nothing wrong with Shangtung straw hats. I have a Stetson Latte which is a Shangtung straw hat, and its served me well.

Likewise, "Panama" is often used to describe the type of weave. But they are not generally a synthetic straw as Shangtung is.

Basically, I wouldn't write off a Milan on the basis of it being a paper straw.

 

[GamaH]

You're a bit confused my friend.

That would be an understatement.

Milan is the type of weave. Straw can be woven into a Milan, as can Shangtung (paper) straw. There's nothing wrong with Shangtung straw hats. I have a Stetson Latte which is a Shangtung straw hat, and its served me well.

Likewise, "Panama" is often used to describe the type of weave. But they are not generally a synthetic straw as Shangtung is.

I see now. The thing about me though, is that I've got this mindset that "natural" = better. It runs through the family really; I prefer brown sugar, and I drink organic teas. I guess that kinda carried over to non-consumables as well. Anyway, back to the topic on hand.

So, if Milan and Panama is used to describe the weave, and it's just that Panamas are *usually* genuine straw, does the straw itself have quality differences?

What about Parabuntal; is that a weave or a material? Lastly, someone on another forum just told me that Panapore is a soft kind of straw. Can I assume that a hat that says it's made of "Panapore straw" is genuine rather than synthetic straw then?

 

[Lefty]

That's true today. Traditionally, milan is both the braid and the wheat and a Panama is paja in one of several weaves. What Stetson (or more properly, what RHE Hatco) and other modern manufacturers call their hats is marketing. It's like calling Sunny Delight (or the like) a "juice drink".

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a plastic hat. No natural straw is going to handle the rain like a plastic hat. However, if you want a natural straw hat, rather than a petroleum based one, Shantung (rolled, plastic coated paper) is not what you want.

 

[GamaH]

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a plastic hat. No natural straw is going to handle the rain like a plastic hat. However, if you want a natural straw hat, rather than a petroleum based one, Shantung (rolled, plastic coated paper) is not what you want.

I gotcha now. Which brings me to the next question (sorry =p)... Is there a way to tell if a hat is natural or synthetic when buying online, by how it looks etc?

It seems to me that most of the hats you told me were Shantung, have this very "uniform" look to them. Almost like it's too perfect to be natural kind of look.

 

[Lefty]

Not really. Some paper hats don't have much of a plastic coating and can look like real straw. That's why you're better off dealing with someone like Steven. He'll tell you if what you're considering is overpriced, a good value, synthetic, natural, etc. I trust a guy who describes some of the hats he sells as garbage -as he has on this site.

 

[GamaH]

Not really. Some paper hats don't have much of a plastic coating and can look like real straw. That's why you're better off dealing with someone like Steven. He'll tell you if what you're considering is overpriced, a good value, synthetic, natural, etc. I trust a guy who describes some of the hats he sells as garbage -as he has on this site.

Yeah, I was planning on buying from Bencraft too. So, when I call them, do I just ask for Steven or will anyone in his store assist me just fine?

 

[Lefty]

While I'm sure that everyone who works there knows hats, I'd stick with the name we know here.

 

[GamaH]

While I'm sure that everyone who works there knows hats, I'd stick with the name we know here.

Alright, thanks for all your help. (And putting up with my seemingly bottomless pit of questions =P)

 

[laotou]

Hmm, that's disappointing. Well if I were looking for a Summer hat, what are some reliable makers? I would go for a Panama, but they seem to have 3inch brims, and being short and petit, I wouldn't be able to carry that wide a brim off.

Sunbody would be worth a look.
SunBody Hats imports palm leaf hats from Guatemala and Mexico.
More robust than a Panama,or Milan. Good in the rain and will stand up to abuse.

 

[GamaH]

Sunbody would be worth a look.
SunBody Hats imports palm leaf hats from Guatemala and Mexico.
More robust than a Panama,or Milan. Good in the rain and will stand up to abuse.

Palm leafs are the Panabutal hats aren't they?

 

[Lefty]

To me, the Sunbody hats look a bit rougher, like outdoorsy/beach hats, but skyvue certainly made his quite nice.

If you really have no price range, get a custom milan or panama. You can always have the ribbon changed out to change the look.

 

[laotou]

To me, the Sunbody hats look a bit rougher, like outdoorsy/beach hats, but skyvue certainly made his quite nice.

Lefty,
Are your Sunbodys the the regular or the fine palm?

 

[Lefty]

I don't have a Sunbody, it was just an observation based on that thread and the Sunbody site.