Felt hats in summer..

[Detective_Noir]

fur felt fedora during the summer?

i always fur felt hats all year round, and was wondering if they would last well and not shrink in the summer, being hats from nearly a century ago.

 

[Historyteach24]

I would ASSUME (assume being the important word here) that they would shrink with excessive sweating. I would suggest turning down the sweatband often.

 

[Detective_Noir]

that could work but i dont sweat that much during the hot days and stay relatively cool for some reason. even my other hats have no perspiration marks on them

 

[casechopper]

Hot weather and sweat will wear on the sweatband faster than winter weather but it's not really a big deal. I wouldn't turn down the sweatband as this does put a lot of stress on the leather and the stitching. Rotating between hats is probably a good idea so as not to have the sweatband be constantly soaked in sweat. Also wiping the sweatband down to remove the salt would help to prolong the life of the sweatband.

 

[BR Gordon]

In addition to what casehopper said, I would store the hat on a band block. That will keep the hat the correct size and shape.

 

[danofarlington]

I am skeptical that any shrinkage would happen wearing very old fur felts in the summer, other than to the sweatband only. If you have an interesting vintage sweatband, then you might want to protect it by not sweating it up. If you replace it with a new sweatband, no worries. However, I would say this: If you're going to sweat into the hat a lot, assume that it's going to get a little beaten. So when I wear fur felts in summer, such as an old Open Road for long walks, I use a beater. If we're talking about a nice hat, I restrict use to when it's not going to get too much sweat, to keep it crisp. "Crispness" and "sweating a lot," plus grubby hands in the summer, don't go together.

 

[RBH]

Try this sometime... it does work

 

[jlee562]

Detective, you seem to have undue concerns about your hats falling apart....

 

[Detective_Noir]

i know, its a knack i have with all my vintage things.... maybe its OCD but im always constantly taking care of my hats yet i freak out and think they will fart apart with the slightest touch....

 

[Detective_Noir]

and the hat i wear is a light weight felt, very floppy and feels thin so thats what makes me wonder alot.

 

[hatophile]

Remember, in the old days, guys wore their hats constantly. The only difference now is that it may be hard to replace that nice old vintage hat.
I do wear my furs in summer, but as the others said, try to keep excess sweat off the band, and wear a beater if I'm doing major physical activity.

 

[Parsa]

Are there fur felt hats that are cooler? I would think lighter felt and ventilation might help. Does anyone have experience with something like an Akubra Cattleman that has no lining and come with vent holes? Is it cooler even though it's rabbit felt? I know some folks on here say they even use them in their work as supplied work hats. What other felt hats would be cooler in warmer weather?

 

[RBH]

... yet i freak out and think they will fart apart with the slightest touch....

I would worry about that too.

 

[Detective_Noir]

they seem very durable ive had them for a year but since im still new in the world to getting vintage things and learning how to take care of them im just seeking help from you guys on if it would last in the summer if i wore it every so often in the summer

 

[Rick Blaine]

Has your hat ever had that "not so fresh" feeling?

here :eeek:
...18 f/ 8.99+ shipping

72 f/ 7 bucks at the grocery... um, I am told, that is.
I wouldn't know, of course, I asked the little woman, of course...


tho' I hasten to point out, I was doing this last summer, by gum!

...and I'll be honest. Yes, OK, it DID make me feel quite pretty! What of it? lol

 

[DesertDan]

I live in the desert southwest and wear my felts all year.
I carry a hankerchief as a normal part of my wardrobe and use it to wipe the sweatband whenever I remove my hat.
I also have several hats and rotate them more frequently during the hotest months.

 

[gtdean48]

Are there fur felt hats that are cooler? I would think lighter felt and ventilation might help. Does anyone have experience with something like an Akubra Cattleman that has no lining and come with vent holes? Is it cooler even though it's rabbit felt? I know some folks on here say they even use them in their work as supplied work hats. What other felt hats would be cooler in warmer weather?

Art Fawcett has a featherweight fur felt that is perfect for year-round wear, especially if you get him to put vents & take the liner out during the hot months.

 

[-30-]

"...and I'll be honest. Yes, OK, it DID make me feel quite pretty! What of it?"
QUOTE: Rick Blaine.

C'mon Rick, you are just a hat in wolf's clothing.
(LOL)


Regards,
-30-

 

[DiverAdam]

...and I'll be honest. Yes, OK, it DID make me feel quite pretty! What of it? lol

As long as they leave you feeling 'fresh'

Good way to make use of whats available

 

[Rick Blaine]

I live in the desert southwest and wear my felts all year.
I carry a hankerchief as a normal part of my wardrobe and use it to wipe the sweatband whenever I remove my hat.
I also have several hats and rotate them more frequently during the hotest months.

If you lived in the jungle of the Southeast you would encounter a place where 'evaporative cooling' is but a dream, two words strung together in meaningless sequence. This is where mold & mildew spores out number people 900 m./1 and where people turn to powder at >30% humidity.

That high desert, it must be something else... literally.