Fedoras And The Sun

[hatflick1]

Summer is approaching.
And I have always wondered how punishing it is for fur felt to wear a fedora in the sunny months, especially here in Los Angeles. In fact, I have a favorite
I wear to the beach. So...
A couple of quick questions:
-Does the color of the felt fade? (I assume the ribbon does)
-Does the hat start to lose its shape?
-Does it affect size?
-Is there some damage/consequence I am not thinking of?
I realize farmers and cowboys have, throughout American history, worn fur felt hats on the range, across the desert and in the fields during all sorts of weather to include intense sun. I'm just curious how a hat will hold up.

 

[DarthBish]

Well, if it's an Akubra...

REEEEEEEEALLY WELL!!

 

[Edward]

I'd be more concerned about ma hied holding up to that sort of heat under furfelt!!

 

[navarre_au]

One of my Akubra"s has so far passed through approx 23 years of Aussie summers - apart from a few wrinkles of age - no issues with fading or sun damage.

 

[Feraud]

A decent hat will hold up. I've worn felt in warm weather. Bear in mind you might be handling the hat a lot more in the heat to wipe your head.

If you have the opportunity to acquire a lightweight felt, straw hat, or a linen cap I recommend these in the summer months.

 

[Edward]

The only felt I have really worn extensively in hot climes is my customised Akubra Riverina. Not as ideal as a straw in real dry heat, but it has proven the perfect all-rounder when travelling as an 'only-hat'. On a single trip, I've worn it on the hot, muggy streets of Beijing, in searing afternoon heat on the Wall or at the Terracota Army, cruising down the Li River in Gui Lin, and during the worst rains in 124 years in Hong Kong, and it handled all with aplomb. The only 'problem' is a small, orangey stain on the underside of the brim at the back of my head, and the white lining turning reddish-brown in patches - I believe the result of me sweating the dye out of the leather band on that first trip in 2008. I'd still reach for a Panama first on a hot Summer day here in Blighty, but for a hat that you're going to want to stand up to rain, this is ideal - and just, IMO, dressy enough to wear with a suit while teaching, or to the opera of an evening after a day out and about sightseeing.

I'd second Feraud's suggestions for home use. Next time I go travelling in China, the Akubra will go too, though I might also be tempted, if space is not at a premium, to pack a folding straw and a rollable felt just to have a couple more options.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Nothing wrong with a felt hat in the summer. I wear mine year round. But I don't live in Los Angeles, Where I live its a dry heat with highs of +35 Celsius in the summer.
Will the colour fade? That can depending on the hat. I have never had this happen to an Akubra or a VS (Art) But I do have an old blue/grey Robert Hall that did fade. With that said the only way you can tell is looking behind the ribbon or under the brim.
Does it loose its shape? No it shouldn't.
Does it affect size? If you sweat and the head band is made of leather then yes the leather will shrink. So use a hat-jack to keep its shape.
My two cents worth.
Johnny

 

[hatflick1]

Many thanks.
Some great tips based on extensive experience and exotic travels.
Interesting to note the references to Akubra that made fir felt hats for the Brits and Aussie troops who braved WWII jungle combat throughout the Pacific. Yanks, on the other hand, wore pitch helmets or HBT cotton twill caps.

 

[The Good]

I'm actually contemplating wearing my Akubra Federation often during this summer, and I do live in the same general area as the original poster, L.A. County. It can get quite hot here at times, but as I live nearer to the coast, it can definitely be cooler than more inland. I have a straw Panama-type fedora too, but I have to admit I'm more of a fan of the fur felts. Depending on my budget, I may try to acquire an Akubra Campdraft as well, in silverbelly. Now in regard to hat brim width, I actually prefer wider brims because of the increased protection they can offer from the sun. I like the way that shorter brims look too, but I don't think they are very protective from the sun, especially for the ears and parts of the face/neck. I would say my personal, ideal brim width is anywhere from 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches, for a fedora. Western hats and the Australian types, though, are almost always wide to begin with... and I like that (I used to wear one frequently between the age of 8 to 11), but I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to go for a quality cowboy hat yet for my collection.