fur felt in hot weather?

[DarthBish]

Mine just survived a couple of weeks in Fiji..
Hot, Humid, Cyclonic and raining....

Came through in flying colours

 

[tealseal]

I am trying an experiment. While lots of people on the Lounge like straws, I cannot be counted among them. I find them uncomfortable, unable to withstand day-to-day wear and tear, and too high maintenance. To boot, I just don't feel like I look good in them, so I find my confidence dwindles when I don one. The prevalent argument on the lounge in their favor is their ventilation, however the most comfortable one I have is so tightly woven that it hardly ventilates at all, so it might as well be a felt. The Akubra felts are tested to resist UPF 50, and therefore provide superior radiation protection as well as shade.
I developed this opinion while living in the temperate, and slightly humid climate of southern Ontario. Now that I have moved to Tucson, I've decided to keep wearing my felts (Federation particularly), to see how they work out. So far, the temperature has only reached 95F, and I can safely tell you that I wouldn't have rather had anything else on my head! I'll keep it up, and report back with more results once it actually gets hot.

To remain objective, let me add that there are many, many straw hats posted here by many of the fine gentlemen who frequent this ephemeral place, and many times I really like what I see. Those of you that find comfort, convenience, and style in straw hats get my sincerest congratulations, you all look amazing! They're just not for me. Oh well, while all y'all are buying up straws, that leaves the felts for me!!

 

[scottyrocks]

I like liners in my hats for two reasons: they take head and hair abuse that would otherwise end up on the fur, and hats don't look or feel 'complete' without them.

One thing that can be done with a liner that has plastic over the insignia in the crown is to remove and replace it with a generic liner sans plastic. My Fed III, which I received very well-used (and rebuilt), has a plasticless liner in it. The hat is, or at least I think is, cooler than my Fed IVs with the plastic in the liner.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Felt in temps over 70 degrees make my head feel like I have a furnace on my head. It you do not like Panama hat's try Milan's. In Texas your brain is going to fry in the summer.

 

[jbucklin]

I second that statement regarding felt hats in Texas heat. I too have a tendency to view straw hats as a necessary evil, but I will soon have a custom VS milan made for me by Mr. Fawcett. I'm confident that it will be a hat I'll be proud to wear.

 

[Blackthorn]

I'm comfortable wearing felt until at least 80 degrees, and prefer felt to straw, if at all possible. I do own Panamas, and a Capricorn, because sometimes it's just too darn hot.

 

[BR Gordon]

I'm comfortable wearing panama hats and I wear them most of the time during the summer, but after 6:00pm I prefer to wear felt. The Artlite is for those times. In new Mexico it typically cools down a little in the evening and in Chile I'm limited to the few hats that I can travel with.

 

[kaosharper1]

Oddly the more expensive panamas with tight weaves are too hot for me too. I have an Art Fawcett with a "brisa" weave that has little ventilation holes woven in. That works great. I also think that stingy brims defeat the purpose so I like panamas to have at least 2.5" brims.

 

[Lando]

I dont mind panamas but I prefer wearing silverbelly or whiter fur felt hats. Maybe it's a mental thing but I do feel like the whiter hats are cooler in the high temperatures under that sun. In the evenings I will switch to darker hats and stingy brims, but white hats all day long in the summer. That white beaver mix hat that Akubra does has been great so far. Each to his own though.

 

[jlee562]

For myself, I can go with either a straw or a felt hat. I've worn felt hats in hot and humid conditions (such as walking around Antietam and Southern China), and it was so hot, that I feel like the difference between fur and straw at that point would have been negligible. It's hot, you're gonna sweat anyways. My $.02 anyways...

 

[jbucklin]

I dont mind panamas but I prefer wearing silverbelly or whiter fur felt hats. Maybe it's a mental thing but I do feel like the whiter hats are cooler in the high temperatures under that sun. In the evenings I will switch to darker hats and stingy brims, but white hats all day long in the summer. That white beaver mix hat that Akubra does has been great so far. Each to his own though.

Lando, what's this Akubra beaver mix you speak of?

 

[Blackthorn]

For myself, I can go with either a straw or a felt hat. I've worn felt hats in hot and humid conditions (such as walking around Antietam and Southern China), and it was so hot, that I feel like the difference between fur and straw at that point would have been negligible. It's hot, you're gonna sweat anyways. My $.02 anyways...

Having spent time in southern China myself, I think that's an accurate observation, Jlee.

 

[Lando]

Lando, what's this Akubra beaver mix you speak of?

http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=1422

Pro30X Beaver Akubra. It's more of a western hat but I just reshaped mine and it has a nice big brim for the sun. The furfelt feels lighter to me than their other hats but more substantial, which is saying a lot since I put Akubra's rabbit fur felt over many production line beaver mixes.

 

[DJH]

It has been warming up nicely here in New Hampshire and I've been enjoying my lightweight felt hats from Art Fawcett an awful lot.

Very light felt body, no liner and ventilation holes makes for a great warm weather hat.

Today was about 80F and I was comfortable out and about in my Silvermist ArtLite

I was wearing my Garrison Indy hat earlier in the day out with the dogs - I don't mind if this one gets messed up with sweat stains - I bought it to be my go to outdoor fun hat.

I'll still be wearing my straw hats when the days get warmer as the year progresses.

 

[tealseal]

First triple digit day for the experiment. Hit 101F yesterday where I am. Took the straws out to see how they felt (in case I've been wrong all along). For the first time ever, I noticed that the straws itched while I wore them; even the one with the leather sweat, and this was only after about 30 minutes outside. Never had a hat itch before. Went back inside and grabbed a couple felts for comparison. Since I just grabbed the closest ones they were my Tawny Fed and Stetson Lamont. Both felt (no pun intended) much better to me, and once I sweat a bit they conformed very nicely! Sure, it was hot, but it was also hot in the straws (difference being the straws were hot and uncomfortable). The heat was easily mitigated by lifting the hat off my head once in a while to let the air escape, or, to be more awesome, occasionally producing my handkerchief to mop my brow before returning it to my blazer pocket. Both these mitigation strategies I employed while wearing the straw, but they're just not right! If I'm going to be hot anyway, I might as well wear a hat that I like, fits, and is comfortable. I know I have decent straws...but I'm starting to get the feeling I'm missing something....what is it about straw that is better than felt? Is it just because of the "tradition"? [huh]
@DJH: Love that Artlite! Would it make a noticeable difference if it didn't have the holes? I really like the idea, but I'm curious as to the balance of form/function on those. Wear it in good health, sir!

 

[Mitral]

It`s related to humidity. In a dry hot climate (like Australia) felts are fine at 40 degrees C, but with humidity even at 20 degrees they feel uncomfortable. As soon as you sweat with a felt on, you`ll want to switch to straw...

Good point daizawaguy. It's not always the heat but the humidity! Here in the upper midwest it rarely gets above 100 F but the dew point often climbs above 70 F. That's when I really start sweating! A straw isnt going to save me then. Also, when the dew point is that high, it's only a matter of time before the rain comes......

 

[Blackthorn]

Wow, it is indeed a small world! I lived near Aborn and Capitol for 2 years, now I'm near Blossom Hill and Almaden Expway.

Thanks Goose, now only question is, do I order from Hats Direct or someone else? I'm so excited, my first Fedora!

It's kinda fun looking back at one of my first few posts, about getting my first fedora. Wow, times have changed. That seems like such a long time ago!

 

[Mitral]

DJH, Sharp looking VS! I'm in the process of my first VS creation and I'm leaning towards a lighter felt for summer. I like the idea of the vent design quite a lot. However, I am one to sweat quite a bit regardless of temperature so I'm somewhat concerned about a felt sans liner. I'll talk to Art quite a lot im the next few weeks but are their different weight liners he can use? I'm imagining your hat but with some sort of light breathable liner to protect the hat from sweat stains.

 

[Hoyt Clagwell]

Everybody is a little different, but for me anything over 65-70 ,and out come the straws. Oh yeah, there is a difference!

 

[BR Gordon]

I wore my Artlite yesterday. It was 92F and the hat was nearly as comfortable as any of my panama hats.


I have to admit that I was surprised at the comfort. I'll have to order additional Artlite hats for next year, once Art gets the new batch of bodies.