Best Crushable Hats

[Neil]

Well. . . .

Even though everybody dumps on Borsalino, I ordered their grey Allesandro packable from Village Hats.
Here's the thing: Akubra's Casual is nice, but Akubra can be a pain, because the best outlets are halfway around the world, and shipping is a fortune, and can take a really long time, and the outlets here in the States are lightly stocked.
Village Hats, on the other hand, accepts returns and provides refunds if you aren't happy. And that is a service for which I am willing to pay.
We'll see. If it's not suitable, I'll return it and buy the Christy's "foldaway" from Hornet Hats in the UK.

 

[Blackthorn]

Even though everybody dumps on Borsalino, I ordered their grey Allesandro packable from Village Hats.
Here's the thing: Akubra's Casual is nice, but Akubra can be a pain, because the best outlets are halfway around the world, and shipping is a fortune, and can take a really long time, and the outlets here in the States are lightly stocked.
Village Hats, on the other hand, accepts returns and provides refunds if you aren't happy. And that is a service for which I am willing to pay.
We'll see. If it's not suitable, I'll return it and buy the Christy's "foldaway" from Hornet Hats in the UK.

I don't know what the shipping from the UK will be, but I think you can just order the Christy's from Amazon.com. Hopefully they have a supply in the US and maybe you can avoid the long shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/Christys-Lond...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1253486070&sr=8-1-fkmr1

 

[ValEag]

Casual

I have the Akubra Casual. It is my everyday hat. I really did not purchase it for the crushable feature, just liked the looks of it. Of all my Akubras it did shrink just a little more than the others, and this was discussed in another thread not too long ago. (Here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=42606)

I would purchase one slightly bigger if I were to order another, a 61 rather than a 60. I little time on the stretcher works fine now though. Here are a couple of pics of the Casual beside my Akubra Fedora. The Casual is on the left.

I had to raise the crease slightly on mine, about 1/4", to get it off the top of my noggin. All in all I am well pleased with it.

 

[ValEag]

Thought I might add this as well.

Here's the thing: Akubra's Casual is nice, but Akubra can be a pain, because the best outlets are halfway around the world, and shipping is a fortune, and can take a really long time, and the outlets here in the States are lightly stocked.

My personal experience with Hats Direct is that I have usually received my hats within a week's time, sometimes sooner. Shipping is higher than within the states but prices are typically lower so that is a wash. I cannot address Akubra being a pain as I have not dealt with them directly, but the customer service at Hats Direct has been excellent as well.

 

[gtdean48]

Why do some sites have the Christy's Foldaway at a 2 1/4" brim but the photo & others have it at 2 1/2"?

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

I don't know what the shipping from the UK will be, but I think you can just order the Christy's from Amazon.com. Hopefully they have a supply in the US and maybe you can avoid the long shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/Christys-Lond...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1253486070&sr=8-1-fkmr1

Shipping to the U.S. from Hornet Hats is approx $32.00. Buying from Amazon would cost over $70 more.

 

[Duper]

I own an Akubra Casual. I like the hat very much. Light as a feather and soft. I wish I could find another offered for sale in the brown tone. I picked it up from Noggintops in the good ol' US of A. They had very favourable shipping costs when sending items to Canada. I like that incase there is some problem and I needed to return an item.

Here is a shot of me on the way out the door this morning to the dog park. Also I was long overdue to provide a picture that ValEag had requested back in my original post when I was requesting info on the Casual.

As per ValEag's and Goose's recommendation you might want to order 1 size up. It worked for me!

 

[billyspew]

Why do some sites have the Christy's Foldaway at a 2 1/4" brim but the photo & others have it at 2 1/2"?

I believe resellers can specify the specifics themselves.

 

[Neil]

A woman at Hornet Hats

Named Miss Hind is checking the question directly with Christy's.

 

[Duper]

I had contacted Hornets Hats to ask about the Foldaway a few weeks back. Here is the response I got on the brim size.

Duper:
Hello, is the description correct. The dimensional brim is listed as larger on the sides (2 3/8``) than the front and back (2``).

Hornets Hats:

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately we haven't got a Foldaway here to measure but Christys inform us that these measurements are indeed correct.

 

[Neil]

That's just too weird

Who ever heard of a dimensional brim that is longer on the sides than the front and back. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around? As with Stetsons, or with Art's hats?

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Christys' site does state 2'' by 2 3/8"

This would be the result

 

[avedwards]

Whatever has been said about the Foldaway being larger on the sides is wrong. It's 2 3/8" on the sides but 2 1/2" at the front and back, making it a normal dimensional brimmed hat, albeit so slightly you don't notice it. I've seen one myself (which was not modified but the normal dimensions) and I can say this for definite. The ordinery crown height is 5" and the ribbon is 1". The sweat band is cloth and there is no liner. The crown is very soft and can be dry bashed when unrolled, but the brim is very stiff (though it can just abouts be snapped up and down and rolled).

 

[Blackthorn]

Shipping to the U.S. from Hornet Hats is approx $32.00. Buying from Amazon would cost over $70 more.

WOW! I had no idea. It pays to look at all options, doesn't it?

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Whatever has been said about the Foldaway being larger on the sides is wrong. It's 2 3/8" on the sides but 2 1/2" at the front and back, making it a normal dimensional brimmed hat, albeit so slightly you don't notice it. I've seen one myself (which was not modified but the normal dimensions) and I can say this for definite. The ordinery crown height is 5" and the ribbon is 1". The sweat band is cloth and there is no liner. The crown is very soft and can be dry bashed when unrolled, but the brim is very stiff (though it can just abouts be snapped up and down and rolled).

Thank you excellent description......:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[avedwards]

Thank you excellent description......:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

I'm sure others may be able to elaborate as the way a hat is in a shop can be quite different to how it is in the rain. However that's what I could tell in the five minutes I examined it at Hornets in London.

 

[Neil]

Well. . . .

I'm trying the Borso Allesandro first. Buying transcontinental can easily eat up the price of the hat if it has to be returned for some reason.
Sending back the Borso to Village Hats would cost eight bucks. And they provide a refund if you aren't happy, and from the looks of that hat, I think I'll like it.
By the way: I saw a rather ugly little crushable Borso at Brooks Brothers the other day.
Three hundred and ninety five dollars.
BwAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And you know what? They'll sell some.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

WOW! I had no idea. It pays to look at all options, doesn't it?

On my budget it does. That's why I like the Akubras.

 

[ValEag]

Also I was long overdue to provide a picture that ValEag had requested back in my original post when I was requesting info on the Casual.

As per ValEag's and Goose's recommendation you might want to order 1 size up. It worked for me!

Thanks for the pic Duper - looks great!

 

[Aureliano]

I own a borsalino rollable. Don't know how old. Not vintage that's for sure but, contrary to dinerman, mine performs. I've rolled it, tucked it in my back pocket; I've sat on it (accidentally :beer: ) It has been soaked wet by rain and Always pops back into its shape. I love it.

You can see it here along with one of Dinerman's beauties.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=1915&page=4

I also own a new Christy's Foldaway and I'm loving it. A good, sort of dressy, light and comfortable hat. Mine has 2 1/2 inches brim. I rolled it once and, the very same night, got wet. It returned to its shape as well. You can see it here almost at the end along with Gene's jaw-dropping Borsalino.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=1915&page=5