Felt hats in summer..

[Lumelux]

I figured it would be too hot but just thought I'd ask in case there was some etiquette for summer months. To the first question, I'm in Oakville Ontario but we're moving to the US in a couple of months. Sorry I can't sell this one. It is actually better than I was expecting and fits perfectly. If all hats are like this one, I'll be buying more soon. At first I thought I paid too much but a new hat would be just as much or more. Thanks for everyone's input so far.

Mike

 

[Rick Blaine]

I figured it would be too hot but just thought I'd ask in case there was some etiquette for summer months. To the first question, I'm in Oakville Ontario but we're moving to the US in a couple of months. Sorry I can't sell this one. It is actually better than I was expecting and fits perfectly. If all hats are like this one, I'll be buying more soon. At first I thought I paid too much but a new hat would be just as much or more. Thanks for everyone's input so far.

Mike

Yeah I can see that Ontario would get too hot & humid for felt. My wife is from Calgary & AB. is dry enough that you might get away with it all summer. However evaporative cooling is a concept we cannot quite master down here in Dixie...

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

To me, it's all about the humidity. If it's hot and dry, I wear my lighter felts, as I think they offer better sun protection. If I hold my Panamas up to the sun, I can see a lot of light getting through.

If it's muggy, the Panama is the weapon of choice.

As for sweat staining, keep a spray bottle of water handy, and if the ribbon gets sweaty, spritz it all around to wet the entire ribbon evenly. That'll dilute the sweat and prevent those lines of salt and whatever from forming.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Honestly... my linen newsboys are the coolest. Not a lot of shade but, I was surprised how cool they are. No wonder they were a fave of golfers.

And a newsboy is a cap that shades the ears. A common complaint about baseball caps.

I got my first linen newsboy about two months ago, a NY Hat Co. one. I have to say I'm rather pleased with it. I like the style, how casual it can be, and how comfortable it is as the heat increases.

 

[grey ghost]

Living in Fla and near the beach I find wearing felt a bit challenging as to mix with the normal beach wear,,,,,,tommy b shirts and such...the panama's and straw seem to be the norm....

obviously the heat and humidity in the summer make felt a bit hard to wear.

However I am going to take a few felts with me to the west coast of fla on vaca,,,,,

I like them so I will take them,,,,,,,,,

 

[Tomasso]

it's all about the humidity.

I agree, when the dew point climbs past 60° it's time for me to lighten up.

 

[Colby Jack]

Welcome to the lounge!:eusa_clap
Where ya moving to in the US?

 

[59Lark]

too hot for felt in ontario.

yesterday in ontario , we had a humid day and i wore my straw hat, milnano straw, today it cooled down and i throw a felt fedora back on. The leather band really starts me sweating if the temp is up, and the salt stains from the band. But you fellas, dont have old dirty hats to put on, for rain and such, having worn hat day in and out, i always have last years model for a rough second. The only thing that i desire is a nice milano straw hat, the one that i bought last year isnt a good fit, this large and extra large stuff is poop, i person needs to know their size, i hate hat companies that sell hats that generally sized. 59Lark.

 

[Alon]

Before I knew anything about fedoras I bought myself a cheap Bailey's wool to take with me on a backpacking trip to Italy... in summer! Yes, it was hot, but the shade it provided was well worth it. It really depends on you, on the wardrobe, and how dutiful you are to fashion.

 

[Tomasso]

It really depends on you, on the wardrobe, and how dutiful you are to fashion.

How does fashion come into play?

 

[Nick D]

I wear felt in all weathers, including summer heat.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I wear felt in all weathers, including summer heat.

Mad dogs & Englishmen!

 

[59Lark]

fashion has to have a motive

The only time i wear a hot felt fedora in the heat, is the exception of a funeral, black biltmore, black double breasted pin striped suit, tried this outfit on the weekend last for a wedding and it was too tight, time to cut back and loose weight and get the schwinn cruiser bicycle out. Other than wedding and funerals the felt hat stay on the shelf in the heat. 59Lark

 

[MrFusion]

Sweat stains are my main concern. So I prefer a cheap, disposible hat of any sort if I'll be working up a sweat. And for better or worse, dark colored hats, although hotter, show the stains less.

I have the same concerns. I have packed up my felts for the summer and I am just itching to wear one.
Trying to save for a PanamaBob hat now.

 

[Viper Man]

I usually switch to straw in the warmer months but I've been wearing my "Artlite" daily. It's not quite summer here yet. In fact, it was 75 degrees on Monday but when I woke up on Tuesday it was only 42! [huh]

As soon as it warms up for good I'll be bringing my favorite felts to Optimo for cleaning & blocking.

 

[trummy]

Felt Hat is a Year-Round Hat

The rules are simple.

1) A fur felt hat is a man's standard headgear year-round for business or in town.

2) Cloth caps or hats are appropriate for sport or the country.

3) From May 15 to September 15 you may substitute straw for fur felt.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Well, straw hat season is upon us here in NC. I wore a tan felt Open Road yesterday and it was decidely too hot. Today I wore a straw and with the clouds and showers that are upon us, it's a tad on the too cool side. I should have swapped the days I wore which hat. Hindsight - isn't it great?? :eusa_doh:

The first day I wore a straw hat down here this year was Easter Sunday, but I'd say I've had a straw on maybe ten days total so far. When not actively farming that, is. When doing the farm chores I've been wearing straw since the beginning of March. I was baling hay last evening and even a straw hat was too hot until the sun went down.

We're fast approaching the end of felt hat season here, though. I figure it's about time to box up all the felt hats and pull out all the straw ones - I have about six of each. I've still not been too badly bitten by the Hat Bug - yet - or so I keep telling myself! lol

I have a new Montecristi Panama from Bob out at Art's for a custom fitting job. I can hardly wait for that one to come back. At the time I ordered the Fino from Bob I also ordered a Grueso as my new farming hat. I like that Grueso so much more than the ancient straw farming hats I've used for 30-some years that I'm really looking forward to having a nice one as well.

In the meantime I have a couple others - a Dobbs 2-tone and a vintage Stetson straw Open Road - that I really like. I can wear those until the custom fitted one returns. That's one thing I have learned well from here - a custom fitted hat is *the* way to go!

Oh, and on the subject of sweat, here's what I do. I have an odd sized head (7 1/16 semi-long oval) so I usually get hats one size large (i.e. 7 1/8 reg oval).

I take a strip of 4" duct tape cut to fit the circumference of the hat. I double the tape over sticky to sticky. This forms a 2" high moisture barrier strip. You can use something else, of course, but I find that duct tape works well and certainly is cheap and easy to find.

This strip I put inside the hatband. Sometimes this strip is enough to pad the sweatband and sometimes not. If not, then I take some 4" x 4" gauze surgical sponge pads and cut them in half. This forms 2" tall x 4" long sizing pad strips. Some folks use felt strips, and those ought to be fine as well. I put these between the leather sweatband and the duct tape.

In practice, the duct tape prevents a lot of the sweat from migrating into the hat material. The gauze strips sometimes get pretty damp, but it's easy enough to pull them out and replace them. Gauze is cheap.

Later!

Stan

 

[ADHD librarian]

I laughed until I stopped

Now that I have uncloaked I might as well post on this thread, which I find funny.
I lived for many years in Central Australia so I can say I have worn a fur felt when the ambient temp was in the high 40 C. (that's about 3000 in Fahrenheit I believe)

An ugly black 'The Arena' which I found by the side of the road was my choice for going out bush or a 'Cattleman' for around town (both Akubras).
The shade from a broad brim is worth it, although I do also have a Brigalow straw number but I much prefer fur felt so that just sits at home.

 

[Tomasso]

I take a strip of 4" duct tape

It's amazing how many problems duct tape solves. lol

 

[KY Gentleman]

I'm watching a documentary on Sam Peckinpah's Western films and all these guys are trekking through the desert wearing felt hats.
If it was good enough for "The Wild Bunch"........you get my drift.