How long do hats continue to shrink?

[Blackthorn]

What brands of hat jack? I have only tried the common one that you see being massively produced and then re-branded by most any store that offers a selection of hats. Or do you mean which brands of hat have I tried jacking? That would be Dobbs, Biltmore, and Stefano. You've got mostly Stetson's it seems, but I have yet to own one of those, and so I can't really say anything useful about the great American hat brand. (Honest, Stetson is next on my list of hats to get, it really is.)

Thanks, Dewhurst, I was thinking of hat brands. I have 3 Akubras, 6 Stetsons, 3 Christy's, one Scala from when they made them in the US, one VS by Art, one vintage Dobbs and a modern Biltmore that I probably won't wear any more since I'm getting a new whiskey colored one from Art. Getting hats from Art really cuts down on how much other hats get worn, I'm finding. In any case your advice is good for what I'm asking here because you do have a good variety of hat brands. Three is enough to answer my curiosity. Thanks, Dewhurst.

Also, FWIW, I'd steer clear of Stetson, based on the ones I have had. I do like this gray Nostalgia, but I have to admit one reason I like it is that I had been wanting a "beater" hat, and it took no time at all for this to take on a beater look. That's not what most of us want in a hat.

 

[Dewhurst]

Also, FWIW, I'd steer clear of Stetson, based on the ones I have had. I do like this gray Nostalgia, but I have to admit one reason I like it is that I had been wanting a "beater" hat, and it took no time at all for this to take on a beater look. That's not what most of us want in a hat.

Alot of the opinions about modern Stetson's mirror yours and I definitely will take that in to consideration when I end up purchasing one. More than anything else, I just want to say that I have a Stetson.

Having a Stetson is almost obligatory for someone who both loves hats and is an American.

 

[Blackthorn]

Alot of the opinions about modern Stetson's mirror yours and I definitely will take that in to consideration when I end up purchasing one. More than anything else, I just want to say that I have a Stetson.

Having a Stetson is almost obligatory for someone who both loves hats and is an American.

I hear you. Best get the beaver version of the Temple, then (the Pinnacle, if memory serves). At least a beaver hat stands up over time.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

Alot of the opinions about modern Stetson's mirror yours and I definitely will take that in to consideration when I end up purchasing one. More than anything else, I just want to say that I have a Stetson.

Having a Stetson is almost obligatory for someone who both loves hats and is an American.

Might be a great time for a vintage hat. Lots of great old Stetsons out there for much less money than a new one.

 

[The Lark]

My custom VS feels a little snug and I wonder if I might have to stretch it just a little.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

My custom VS feels a little snug and I wonder if I might have to stretch it just a little.

There is only ONE person on the face of the earth you should ask. He's the guy who made the hat!

 

[seed]

My custom VS feels a little snug and I wonder if I might have to stretch it just a little.

Both of mine came in too snug as well. Rather than freak out or be afraid of my own shadow, I went ahead and used a "Hat-Jack"...yes I did. To be clear, I put it in carefully and then twisted the jack to a fair amount. I let it sit like that while I went on a run. When I came back, stretched and showered, I cranked it a little more and let it sit for some more time. After a little while, I cranked it a little more...and so on. After a few hours, I let it loose and it felt loose. Within a couple of hours it contracted quite a bit, but not as much as originally. So I did the procedure again. I did this as many times as I had to with both hats until they finally settled in.

Some here would freak out at what I did, but I'm a hands-on type of person and after reading various threads here and thinking it through, I finally said, "to hell with it" and used the jack. It worked just fine. Art's hats are as tough as they come, but if I somehow caused some sort of damage, I would have just sent it back to Art and paid him for his troubles to repair it. As it is, he is too busy to mess with my hats when all they need is to be stretched a little, which is a very low risk procedure I can do myself. I even have a steamer I can use. But I will say that the next "Art" I get will probably be a size up from the last two.

That said, don't forget that your hats are like anything else...inanimate objects which slightly enhance your life experience. When you start to freak out over their condition, you needlessly add stress to your life. Don't get me wrong, I am a stickler at taking care of what I own, but as I get older I realize two things: first, nothing I own is as important as me or anyone I care about...that is why I eat right and exercise and encourage others to do the same. Second, it is better to figure out how to do things for yourself by taking risks with experimentation, streamlined by reading as much available info as you can get your hands on before-hand to minimize mistakes. If you royally mess up, that is okay and part of the learning experience...the occurrences and severity of mistakes lessen overall over time.

 

[CRH]

If the universe is expanding, aren't all hats shrinking?

Well, they are at least getting farther apart. Some folks around here have collections that require a ladder or a long pole to reach some of their hats.

 

[VitaminG]

That said, don't forget that your hats are like anything else...inanimate objects which slightly enhance your life experience. When you start to freak out over their condition, you needlessly add stress to your life. Don't get me wrong, I am a stickler at taking care of what I own, but as I get older I realize two things: first, nothing I own is as important as me or anyone I care about...that is why I eat right and exercise and encourage others to do the same. Second, it is better to figure out how to do things for yourself by taking risks with experimentation, streamlined by reading as much available info as you can get your hands on before-hand to minimize mistakes. If you royally mess up, that is okay and part of the learning experience...the occurrences and severity of mistakes lessen overall over time.

words to live by :eusa_clap

 

[Dewhurst]

Might be a great time for a vintage hat. Lots of great old Stetsons out there for much less money than a new one.

May be
But not for Me

(Oh, the rhymes, make them stop!)

I'm not interested in the vintage route. Never have been. I don't fight it.

 

[Doc Glockster]

I can attest to the fact that Akubras start out just a hair oversized and shrink to fit within a few wearings. I must have a perfect 59 cm head because I can never get a Stetson 7 3/8 size to fit, but an Akubra 59 cm fits like the maker took hand measurements of my head. I've never had such a perfect fit from a hat!

My Akubra slouch is my favorite. I'm not sure what the designation "Superfine" quality fur means. What concerns me is that I've never gotten an Akubra soaking wet in the rain. I'm almost afraid to--afraid it will shrink enough to be too small since it's such a perfect fit now!

 

[Frunobulax]

I can attest to the fact that Akubras start out just a hair oversized and shrink to fit within a few wearings. I must have a perfect 59 cm head because I can never get a Stetson 7 3/8 size to fit, but an Akubra 59 cm fits like the maker took hand measurements of my head. I've never had such a perfect fit from a hat!

My Akubra slouch is my favorite. I'm not sure what the designation "Superfine" quality fur means. What concerns me is that I've never gotten an Akubra soaking wet in the rain. I'm almost afraid to--afraid it will shrink enough to be too small since it's such a perfect fit now!

The hat is not shrinking, the sweatband is. Akubra designs theirs that way. I've gotten Akubras that are at least a size, maybe more, larger than the listed size. After a while, they "shrink to fit." the best thing to do is wear them often while this process is ongoing so they conform to your head.

As for rain, relax. Akubras love the rain, the snow, the sleet. They thrive on it. Many of us use them as go-to hats in bad weather.

 

[RJR]

The hat is not shrinking, the sweatband is. Akubra designs theirs that way. I've gotten Akubras that are at least a size, maybe more, larger than the listed size. After a while, they "shrink to fit." the best thing to do is wear them often while this process is ongoing so they conform to your head.

As for rain, relax. Akubras love the rain, the snow, the sleet. They thrive on it. Many of us use them as go-to hats in bad weather.

+1

 

[Redfokker]

The hat is not shrinking, the sweatband is. Akubra designs theirs that way. I've gotten Akubras that are at least a size, maybe more, larger than the listed size. After a while, they "shrink to fit." the best thing to do is wear them often while this process is ongoing so they conform to your head.

As for rain, relax. Akubras love the rain, the snow, the sleet. They thrive on it. Many of us use them as go-to hats in bad weather.

Head is swelling with pride in the wearing of a fine men's hat. You should always buy one two sizes too big