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Constant 95F temps and outdoors - which fedora?

blatman23

Familiar Face
Messages
50
So this will be my first hat, I need something that will be able to protect me daily working outside at 95F from 6AM to 5PM while maintaining some sort of style. (The middle east is a nightmare in the summer)

I will browse around the brands myself, but regarding materials for such sweaty temp....

I came across wicker/straw type ones with all kinds of "Drifit fast dry" type fabrics or the cotton classic ones.

These are my top priorities:

1. Able to be hand washed from all the sweat once a week
2. Able to breath well enough - Again, it's super super hot, and I won't be using it for any indoor activities at all - outdoor use only
3. maintain reasonable style, so that I don't turn into "mr. functionality" only

Thanks for any tip between straw and cotton! sorry if those are noob questions, but that's why i'm here


Thanks for any tip!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
So this will be my first hat, I need something that will be able to protect me daily working outside at 95F from 6AM to 5PM while maintaining some sort of style. (The middle east is a nightmare in the summer)

I will browse around the brands myself, but regarding materials for such sweaty temp....

I came across wicker/straw type ones with all kinds of "Drifit fast dry" type fabrics or the cotton classic ones.

These are my top priorities:

1. Able to be hand washed from all the sweat once a week
2. Able to breath well enough - Again, it's super super hot, and I won't be using it for any indoor activities at all - outdoor use only
3. maintain reasonable style, so that I don't turn into "mr. functionality" only

Thanks for any tip between straw and cotton! sorry if those are noob questions, but that's why i'm here


Thanks for any tip!


If not for the washable requirement, I’d look at the hemp Akubra hats; you could probably hose them off, but I wouldn’t call them washable. The “straw” Stratton hats are also a great option. Their uniform hats are intended for years of hard use by law enforcement and others and they hold up well. The more I think of it the more I think the Stratton would be my choice…I’d be tempted to add more ventilation though.
 

blatman23

Familiar Face
Messages
50
Right, the straw strattons look good at about 150 from what I can tell! You think I can submerge them in detergent once a week?

I dig the chinese hat if all else fails :)
 
Last edited:

itsallgood

One of the Regulars
Messages
179
Panama hat with a clean hankerchief under it and wash the hankerchief regularly.

Pith helmets are made for those conditions.

If you insist on washing, Tilley hats seem to be indestructible.
 

jdbenson

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Cincinnnati, OH
You should also check out Sunbody hats:
https://www.sunbody.com/

Woven from palm leaf and with cotton/terry sweat bands, the are nearly indestructible. I hose mine off weekly after working in the yard. Every other week it gets dunked in hot soapy water and scrubbed with a brush. Bash it back into the desired shape and hang it up to drip dry. Done.

I will say, they are very casual, and somewhat heavy compared to a real panama hat. I sweat just thinking about going outdoors in the summer and have ruined a couple of good panamas, simply by sweating buckets in them.

You can always buy a Polypropylene straw hat. Again, a little heavier in weight, but can't really be ruined by sweat or water.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,793
Location
New Forest
So this will be my first hat, I need something that will be able to protect me daily working outside at 95F from 6AM to 5PM while maintaining some sort of style. (The middle east is a nightmare in the summer)
Thanks for any tip!
Working hats do differ and I concur with the use of the pith helmet. However what I first wore when working in Saudi Arabia in years gone by, was a Legionnaires type of hat, giving protection from the sun on the neck as well as the head. They come in many fabrics, the cotton one being a favourite, and no problem washing it.
legion ha.jpg

I was out in Saudi Arabia much longer than the planned time. Eventually I went native and wore the Throbe.

throbe.jpg

This is not me, in fact the only photo of me wearing the Throbe is on celluloid, I was bearded too.
 

vintagewool

Familiar Face
Messages
89
EDIT: Sorry, I missed that you specified "fedora" in the post title. Still, some of the points below remain relevant.


Choices, including some already mentioned, for at least almost-all criteria:

Panama hat
Cowboy hat
Australian outback hat
Fishing hat (often with all-around-band, fabric, screen vents)
Boonie hat (military style with round, screen vents)
Pith helmet
Kepi (with neck cover)
Sombrero

Other features to consider:

Material
Color

Albedo of colors/materials:



I once saw a nice-looking Trilby-style fishing hat, my recollection is something like beige with a plaid band, but of course that was short-brimmed.

The Pith helmet is effective, but rigid and bulky--and might provoke another Sykes-Picot-Era revolt.

The straw hat is effective, but relatively rigid and fragile and might fail the washing criterion.

The boonie hat might be the most practical and versatile, washable and crushable, and cheap, but might fail the style criterion.


The best match might be a 100%-cotton white outback hat with vents.

A 100%-cotton white or tan boonie hat with vents might be a good, cheap back-up.


Some links I stumbled upon (style names on the internet are not always accurate):

 
Last edited:

shopkin

One of the Regulars
Messages
110
EDIT: Sorry, I missed that you specified "fedora" in the post title. Still, some of the points below remain relevant.


Choices, including some already mentioned, for at least almost-all criteria:

Panama hat
Cowboy hat
Australian outback hat
Fishing hat (often with all-around-band, fabric, screen vents)
Boonie hat (military style with round, screen vents)
Pith helmet
Kepi (with neck cover)
Sombrero

Other features to consider:

Material
Color

Albedo of colors/materials:

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I once saw a nice-looking Trilby-style fishing hat, my recollection is something like beige with a plaid band, but of course that was short-brimmed.

The Pith helmet is effective, but rigid and bulky--and might provoke another Sykes-Picot-Era revolt.

The straw hat is effective, but relatively rigid and fragile and might fail the washing criterion.

The boonie hat might be the most practical and versatile, washable and crushable, and cheap, but might fail the style criterion.


The best match might be a 100%-cotton white outback hat with vents.

A 100%-cotton white or tan boonie hat with vents might be a good, cheap back-up.


Some links I stumbled upon (style names on the internet are not always accurate):

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Now I want a Tyvek hat.
 

shopkin

One of the Regulars
Messages
110
Thank you. I have something like that for beekeeping. This makes me realize that while Tyvek does not absorb much heat (per the table above) it does trap a lot of body heat inside and gets sweaty quickly.
 

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