How do you keep your hathead held high, when it´s windy?

[rauhfell_kid]

Today was a wonderful bright day, springtime in Munich, Germay. Great. So I went for a walk, wearing my akubra lawson. It was exactly the perfect day for such a hat - except for the wind. Not a storm, a bit more than a breeze. But after a few steps I couldn´t walk any further without keeping a hand on my akubra - which was not acceptable. So I returned to my home, changed the hat - and ended upt with a baseballcap. So this walk was kind of spoiled, but all along i thought of asking you how to manage your hat on the head while the wind blows. Experiences, embarrassments?

 

[riccardo]

Hi and wellcome into the lounge,
take a look at www.hatsdirect.com, they have some chin strap for windy days.
I'm sure they are avaliable in other site or hat store,there in Germany.
One question, is your hat's nsize correct?
I never have this kind of problem with my hats, maybe is a wind matter.

Best wishes
stay with us, this is a good place.

Riccardo.

 

[Russ]

On my Akubra bush hats I have a thin flat black leather strap that is tied together inside the hat, and threaded to the outside between the leather sweat band and the felt. I tuck it behind my ears and run it under my chin, where it is pretty snug. I have a black beard so it is practically invisible. On most days I just tuck the chin strap inside the hat.

I don't have a chin strap on my fedoras, though, so I just hold them on my head with my hand in the wind. But the felt is softer than the bush hats, so the brim will more likely flap than cause the hat to fly off. So I try to point my head into the wind. It has become a natural reflex after all these years, and I rarely lose my hat like I did 17 years ago.

If it is a really windy day, I'll bite the bullet and wear a bush hat even in the city. Beats a baseball cap any day!

 

[adamgottschalk]

The all-important "wind string"

Can't remember the exact term, but hats used to come with elastic strings around the base of the ribbon that wraps around the hat and has a button on one end. The idea is, when it's windy, you unwrap the string from the hat (the end without the button is stitched onto the base of the crown under the ribbon) and button one end of the string into a shirt or jacket button hole. Doesn't really keep the hat on your head, but it certainly keeps it from blowing away. Two of my vintage hats (one a Borsalino from the 80s, one a Thomas Begg from the 60s) came with such strings; they could easily be added on to hats that don't have them.

 

[Magus]

Can't remember the exact term, but hats used to come with elastic strings around the base of the ribbon that wraps around the hat and has a button on one end. The idea is, when it's windy, you unwrap the string from the hat (the end without the button is stitched onto the base of the crown under the ribbon) and button one end of the string into a shirt or jacket button hole. Doesn't really keep the hat on your head, but it certainly keeps it from blowing away. Two of my vintage hats (one a Borsalino from the 80s, one a Thomas Begg from the 60s) came with such strings; they could easily be added on to hats that don't have them.

I think its called a "wind trolly"

M

 

[gekisai29]

I'm wondering if hat aerodynamics is influenced by stylle &/or brimsize . in other words will either of these thinggs make a hat more prone to go flying?

 

[ledsled]

Earflaps

First, I must say it's great to see people chatting from all parts of the world. I enjoy learning from everyone's posts.

I have often wondered the same thing about the wind. The one hat I have that I am fairly confident wearing on windy days is a cheap felt that has hidden earflaps I can fold down and use. When I use them, the hat hugs my head and it has to be quite a gust of wind to lift it up.

I've been thinking that whenever I get my custom hat made, maybe I could get those hidden earflaps.

 

[Snrbfshn]

Well, for one thing, it's tougher with head held high...

For me, it's choosing a less-stiff, better-fitting hat that I can pull firmly onto my head. More important, it's how I place it on my head, and the cant of the brim underside away from the force of the wind. Sorta like a sail catching the wind, but in reverse. If the wind's from the front or a front quarter I'll cock my head down, with the brim angled into the wind so it forces the hat further onto my head. If the wind's from the back I'll pull the back of the brim down hard and hold my head up.

This might sound weird, but in a gust I'll hold onto the hat with my head. I tighten the muscles above my ears and temples by clinching my jaw and moving my ears back, which slightly expands my head size.

 

[Baggers]

I don't know about the Lawson, but most Akubras have hooks installed for a chin strap. Look at where the sweatband is sewn to the felt and see if there is a small gap in the stitching on each side. If so, fold down the sweat just over the gap and look for a small, flat, C shaped brass hook mounted to the felt in a grommet-like fashion. It may be hiding under the liner. If so, then all you need to do is buy the style of chin strap meant to attach to those hooks and your problem is solved.

Cheers!

 

[Mr_Misanthropy]

Can't remember the exact term, but hats used to come with elastic strings around the base of the ribbon that wraps around the hat and has a button on one end.

I've heard this feature called a "wind retainer". I have a vintage Borsalino with this feature, but I haven't checked it out too much to see the "mechanics" of it.

 

[Rev Tom]

You might want to check out Noggintops new clip-on wind cord made of hand-braided horse hair.
http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=162

 

[Dixon Cannon]

The Trolley Cord...

Can't remember the exact term, but hats used to come with elastic strings around the base of the ribbon that wraps around the hat and has a button on one end. The idea is, when it's windy, you unwrap the string from the hat (the end without the button is stitched onto the base of the crown under the ribbon) and button one end of the string into a shirt or jacket button hole. Doesn't really keep the hat on your head, but it certainly keeps it from blowing away. Two of my vintage hats (one a Borsalino from the 80s, one a Thomas Begg from the 60s) came with such strings; they could easily be added on to hats that don't have them.

That the 'Trolley Cord', so a gent wouldn't loose his lid on a windy Chicago afternoon. -dixon cannon

 

[mthatter]

Windy Days

erased by mt

 

[astaire]

I thought this is a good thread worth reviving. I'm sure many of us have similar experience on windy days. I know I do. The worst is when there is an unexpected gush of wind that came from nowhere.

I guess the correct fit is important. But then again, most vintage hats were not made exactly to fit my head.

Anyone else with tricks that can keep us look cool on windy days? Perhaps wear a 'tighter' hat?

Thanks everyone.

 

[thetankw/ahat]

i find tilting my head into the wind slightly so the the wind pushes on top of the brim instead of the bottom helps me keep my hat on for those windy days.

 

[feltfan]

I wear one of my tighter fitting hats with a narrower brim...

 

[PeeWee]

That would be one of the advantages of shaving my head. When I put my hat on it's there to stay. It seems that the leather band forms a seal with the smooth skin. Any of you guys who might shave your head know what I mean. My hats really hold their ground even in a mighty wind.

 

[s7eng]

I used to work in a store that sold hats. We sold western style hats to alot of people who rode in rodeos. They used paperclips on the sweat band and a strap to hold the hats on there heads durring events. I was told they lost points if the hat came off. Would work in the wind as well.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

That would be one of the advantages of shaving my head. When I put my hat on it's there to stay. It seems that the leather band forms a seal with the smooth skin. Any of you guys who might shave your head know what I mean. My hats really hold their ground even in a mighty wind.

I know exactly what you mean. I was standing on top of the control tower this afternoon with the wind at 10Kts gusting closer to 20 (according to the readouts), and my Federation didn't so much as budge.