Boater assistance

[Dinerman]

I'll be interested in your experience when you receive your Olney. I have a similar issue tho in a different direction: I'm something of a wide oval. In order to get a boater that will fit abeam, I'll need a larger one and shim front and rear.

I'm told that Baron Hats can make me custom boater in any oval shape needed. It seems like a nice hat and may be my best (tho pricey) choice. I think I was born 50 years too late....

http://www.baronhats.com/biograph.htm

Doug.
CB.

Talk to sunbody hats. It looks like that Baron is made of the same palm theirs are.

 

[Mr E Train]

Talk to sunbody hats. It looks like that miller is made of the same palm theirs are.

Did you mean Baron instead of Miller?

I don't see anything on Sunbody's website that looks anything like a traditional straw boater. They might be able to make one, but it'd probably come out something more like this (a Capas Panama straw "boater" available at hats-plus.com for $75)

than like this (an Olney, with a black band, which you can get for about the same price, including shipping)

 

[Dinerman]

Err, Don't you needa boat to wear a 'boater? Why else would you need one? If you don't already have one (the boat), it could run the expense up quite a bit to get the full effect. Just my .2 cents worth.

 

[Dinerman]

Did you mean Baron instead of Miller?

I don't see anything on Sunbody's website that looks anything like a traditional straw boater. They might be able to make one, but it'd probably come out something more like this

than like this (an Olney, with a black band)

Yes, the Baron. It's made of the same inexpensive palm as the sunbody hats, just blocked differently. A good knockabout hat, but I wouldn't buy it- not at the price they're asking for it.

They just don't make boaters like they used to. Even the Olney one doesn't match the beauty and variety of the weaves that were once available.

I do have one, a "temple xxx" from the 1920s, which is soft, but it has a triple ply brim to give it rigidity.

At one point they even made boaters from cork!

 

[Mr E Train]

Yes, the Baron. It's made of the same inexpensive palm as the sunbody hats, just blocked differently. A good knockabout hat, but I wouldn't buy it- not at the price they're asking for it.

They just don't make boaters like they used to. Even the Olney one doesn't match the beauty and variety of the weaves that were once available.

Oh, definitely. There's no comparison. If you look through the Boater Faction thread, many of those vintage ones are stunning in their intricacy and craftsmanship. I'm just saying that Olney does a better job of capturing the vibe of the vintage ones better than many of the new ones that are much more expensive.

 

[Dinerman]

Oh, definitely. There's no comparison. If you look through the Boater Faction thread, many of those vintage ones are stunning in their intricacy and craftsmanship. I'm just saying that Olney does a better job of capturing the vibe of the vintage ones better than many of the new ones that are much more expensive.

I agree completely.

 

[Sir RBH]

Boaters tend to be worn whilst punting.. round here anyway!!!

 

[John Galt]

Orvis makes a very nice Panama Boater that is relatively flexible while maintaining traditional shape & general dimensions. I love mine, and it is a lot more comfortable than my vintage version. I bought my Orvis on sale for $34.00. Great deal, but D/K if they have gone back up to around $80, at which price you can probably find a vintage boater.

Edit: Not presently available on their web site, but great reviews. I'm sure there are some out there to find.

 

[John Galt]

The aforementioned Orvis Ecuadorian boater:

 

[splintercellsz]

That is a nice boater. I am sad to have to let mine go, but the wind here makes it impossible to give it proper head time!

 

[skyvue]

Orvis makes a very nice Panama Boater that is relatively flexible while maintaining traditional shape & general dimensions. I love mine, and it is a lot more comfortable than my vintage version. I bought my Orvis on sale for $34.00. Great deal, but D/K if they have gone back up to around $80, at which price you can probably find a vintage boater.

Edit: Not presently available on their web site, but great reviews. I'm sure there are some out there to find.

I wish I could say I was sold on their boater, but it doesn't quite work for me (though I've not seen it in person) -- there's a slight inward curve to the crown (in the photo, at least) that doesn't appeal to me.

Does anyone know of a US retailer who offers Olney boaters?

And how about sizing a boater -- do you guys generally go with your usual hat size when buying a boater, or does the fact that it sits a bit higher impact the size you choose?

 

[ManofKent]

I don't know about US sources for Olney boaters, but if you do get one I'd advise sizing down 1 or 2 sizes - I sized down one and it still needs a bit of padding under the sweatband. The straw is thick and stiff - very much a traditional rigid boater, and made in England, but the sweatband is synthetic. They're decent for the price, and there aren't easily obtainable good alternatives in the UK at least.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Levine's Hat shop in Saint Louis had boaters a couple of years ago. They were rock hard, is this what they're supposed to be like? I didn't like the way they felt at ALL. They were pretty expensive (in my opinion) and weren't as comfortable as the Styrofoam versions that Shakey's Pizza used to hand out back in the 1970's.

Later

 

[ManofKent]

Hi

Levine's Hat shop in Saint Louis had boaters a couple of years ago. They were rock hard, is this what they're supposed to be like? I didn't like the way they felt at ALL. They were pretty expensive (in my opinion) and weren't as comfortable as the Styrofoam versions that Shakey's Pizza used to hand out back in the 1970's.

Later

Yes - fairly heavy and completely rigid - thickly woven straw that's been heavily lacquered. That's the traditional English boater.

 

[1961MJS]

Yes - fairly heavy and completely rigid - thickly woven straw that's been heavily lacquered. That's the traditional English boater.

Jeez, the first style of hat I don't want. Good for the wallet.

Later

 

[John Galt]

I wish I could say I was sold on their boater, but it doesn't quite work for me (though I've not seen it in person) -- there's a slight inward curve to the crown (in the photo, at least) that doesn't appeal to me.

A couple of points about this photo, which I grabbed from the Orvis web page. First, the crown of the hat is stiffened a bit, but is made of toquilla straw so it is still much thinner, softer and lighter than that of a vintage boater. If the issue is the crown dipping down a bit in the photo, I do not think that it really does. It is flat, straight edged crown. At any rate, it could easily be made stiffer.

If the issue is a slightly egg-shaped oval, I believe that you are correct. I did not dig my hat out but recall that it does slope in slightly at the front.

I really like the hat because it looks classic, and is lighter & more comfortable than most vintage boaters.

 

[skyvue]

No, I'm talking about the sides of the crown; they don't look entirely vertical in that photo. There's a bit of an inward curve to them (perhaps it's an optical illusion).

Doesn't much matter, I guess; as you say, the hat's no longer available on their website.

 

[John Galt]

No, I'm talking about the sides of the crown; they don't look entirely vertical in that photo. There's a bit of an inward curve to them (perhaps it's an optical illusion).

Doesn't much matter, I guess; as you say, the hat's no longer available on their website.

Alas, 'tis true. But I'll bet there are still some to be had. At any rate, I agree about slope-sided boaters - I personally don't like them either. This one, however, has straight vertical sides.

John

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Steaming a Straw Boater

What is the best method to steam a straw boater? I recently bought a beautiful Cavanagh, and when it arrived the front of the brim was pushed up just slightly. I tried steaming it like I normally do with felts and Milans, but because the palm is so wide and stiff it is hard to keep a flat profile.

Should I apply water directly to the straw, liberally, of course? Say, with a damp cloth? I'm sure the trick is to soften the inside layers of straw. What about weighing it down with something?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Hello. Boaters have not yet arrived in port here in our place...but...I would have to ask you for you to think about a few things before you do anything to the hat. How "clean" is the surface and is this boater (the straw) colored or a natural finish? Some straw hats can "bleed" if you get them wet, and any white that has been applied may fade out from being wet, is why I ask.

I would tend to think if you put some flat towel on your ironing board, (protect the bottom of the brim from being on the actual ironing board)then place the hat crown up, on that towel, and then use a smaller towel to place on the hat brim itself, so that you are ironing through the towel and use a steam iron that can really puff out some steam and iron it, it should flatten it back. I would leave the hat laying flat until the steam or moisture dries. Someone else may say use some light water spray, but I tend to think it may make the straw "fatten" up from drinking some water?