How to travel with hats

[zetwal]

I want one of these.
link

That's really something.

 

[Neophyte]

I remember that one! Art brought it to FedoraFest3. It's truly stunning in person.

 

[HatsEnough]

I got one of those Bencraft plastic carriers. I love it.

 

[Wildblue]

Flying and Cruising Internationally with hats

Hi, all. We're booked on our first luxury cruise, as a Transatlantic on Oceania Cruise Lines, Rome to Rio this Nov/Dec. Adding in some extra time in Mallorca and Rome pre-cruise, and Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires post-cruise, with travel time this vacation is going to be just over a month. Yay!

In the last few years, as I've been getting more into fine men's hats, I usually do fly domestically with a fedora, and either hold it, or put it in the overhead compartment. (but then ONLY after I'm POSITIVE it's not going to be smushed)

Seeing as how we're doing a fine cruise, it'll cross the equator into South America's summer, and it'll be longer in duration, I'd like to bring a couple hats. Particularly, my Montechristi Panama straw fedora, (BBB) and my Akubra Lawson. The Panama will be primarily for lounging outdoors, or walking tours, with an attempt at doing so in style. The Akubra is a little more rugged, so that will be for things like hiking Iguazu Falls or the Rock of Gibraltar.

The problem is, these hats are not crushable, so I can't stick them in a suitcase. Bringing more than one, I can't wear it on the plane, and even if I did, I'm much more nervous about them being crushed by an uncaring fellow passenger that thinks all hats are like baseball caps, cheap and not mattering if they get smashed. Flying a few hours in the states is one thing, but doing 16 hours of travel internationally, including sleeping overnight on the plane where I can't keep my eye on things is another. I don't own a hatbox, but am open to purchasing one if someone has a good suggestion. Of course, it'd be nice to avoid fees for extra checked baggage, but I'm going to have some sort of consequence or another if I decide to bring a hat!

SO... the question (finally) is whether anyone has suggestions on what to do about doing big international travel with hats. Do you have a sturdy hatbox you use that can survive multiple rugged checked luggage trips? Or do you have better tricks on how to pack or carry hats? I'm absolutely open to buying/ordering a good hat box for travel luggage, if I need to.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Personally, I've always limited my travelling to no hat (so I can buy one en-route) or just one hat. But that's no reply to your question. I would try to get a hold of one of those sturdy (plastic, fiber...) travel hat boxes, possibly evev carefully telescoping two hats into one box, after all, felt is not a fragile material...

I've had it happen to me, oui Messieurs, at Paris De Gaulle aéroport de France, noblesse oblige, that the hat on my head had to go through the scanning machine. So I put my silverbelly into one of those trays, and it comes out smeared with some black smudge, fortunately not anything that turned out to be permanent... So, whatever you do, have a large plastic bag in your pocket, to put the hat you're wearing into!

 

[Shangas]

I think a traditional hatbox is your only choice here. I've worn hats (both good & not-so-good, crushable & noncrushable) on long journeys and I just keep them on my head. But if that's not an option, a hatbox to protect the hat's shape seems to be the best option.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

http://stores.ebay.com/Hat-Carrier-Outpost
What you wlll want is a hat carrier.

 

[SpeedRcrX]

I've had it happen to me, oui Messieurs, at Paris De Gaulle aéroport de France, noblesse oblige, that the hat on my head had to go through the scanning machine. So I put my silverbelly into one of those trays, and it comes out smeared with some black smudge, fortunately not anything that turned out to be permanent... So, whatever you do, have a large plastic bag in your pocket, to put the hat you're wearing into!

That's why I asked Art to make me a hat for travelling. So he make me one in a Art lite felt so it is crushable and in black, that way I don't have to fear to dirty my hat too much.
In french you have to say the name this way : à l'aéroport Paris - Charles de Gaulle

 

[vintage68]

So I put my silverbelly into one of those trays, and it comes out smeared with some black smudge, fortunately not anything that turned out to be permanent... So, whatever you do, have a large plastic bag in your pocket, to put the hat you're wearing into!

I second that. Get a hat carrier if at all possible. Short of that, be sure to bring a plastic bag that will be large enough to cover your hat completely so it will go through the scanner without getting gunked.

 

[HatsEnough]

If I can quote myself in another thread...

I did a search on the site and found a post by DRB. This is the carrier I was talking about...

 

[Yeps]

Your solution is the optimo creased panama. It rolls and all that. I flew to Rome with one felt hat and one straw, packing one in the luggage by putting clothes in and around it. It didn't work real well. Rolling a panama might go well, if you have the tube it goes in.

 

[alanfgag]

There are usually a bunch of nice vintage hat suitcases on ebay... that would be the elegant way to go on the cruise part of the adventure. Stetson 100 cases work nicely too.

Sounds like a great trip!

 

[1961MJS]

Personally, I've always limited my travelling to no hat (so I can buy one en-route) or just one hat. But that's no reply to your question. I would try to get a hold of one of those sturdy (plastic, fiber...) travel hat boxes, possibly evev carefully telescoping two hats into one box, after all, felt is not a fragile material...

I've had it happen to me, oui Messieurs, at Paris De Gaulle aéroport de France, noblesse oblige, that the hat on my head had to go through the scanning machine. So I put my silverbelly into one of those trays, and it comes out smeared with some black smudge, fortunately not anything that turned out to be permanent... So, whatever you do, have a large plastic bag in your pocket, to put the hat you're wearing into!

Thanks for the tip on the plastic bag Pablo. I'm heading back to Seattle sometime this year and will be sending a hat through the machines of the TSA. I haven't taken a hat yet since it was summer last time I was there and my summer hats have a Boy Scout lapel pin in the hat's ribbon. I didn't want to be arrested for taking a 1/4 inch weapon onto the plane.

Later

 

[1961MJS]

http://stores.ebay.com/Hat-Carrier-Outpost
What you wlll want is a hat carrier.

HI

I have the three hat one, and a larger Western hat carrier that's not shown on that site. They're made by Hammer Plastics and are on Amazon.com as well. I'd suggest getting the slightly larger Western version and plan on checking it.

http://www.amazon.com/Large-Western-Hat-Carrier-Brown/dp/B0012570S2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1314715531&sr=8-4

These hold a 5 inch brim and larger crown. If you ever plan on owning a Western type hat, then this is the one to get, no sense in buying two...

Later

 

[hatophile]

Thanks for the tip on the plastic bag Pablo. I'm heading back to Seattle sometime this year and will be sending a hat through the machines of the TSA. I haven't taken a hat yet since it was summer last time I was there and my summer hats have a Boy Scout lapel pin in the hat's ribbon. I didn't want to be arrested for taking a 1/4 inch weapon onto the plane.

Later

Yeah, those lapel pins can be lethal!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Pretty much, it's a sturdy hat box or a new hat that can be rolled. When I took the train from coast-to-coast, we were in plane-like coach seats to Chicago for nearly 17 hours. I wore a felt Penman, which I kept in my lap until after we were moving. Then I moved it to the overhead rack. I never left it unattended, except while sleeping. However, if somebody gets close enough to me in an aisle seat to swipe it, I'd notice. I also had a rolled polystraw - the Joe Fedora - in my carry-on.

So, while that worked out for me, I think I'd like to get a multi-hat carrier. A 2 or 3 hat capacity - 3 hats for the price of one piece of luggage!

 

[zetwal]

We're booked on our first luxury cruise, as a Transatlantic on Oceania Cruise Lines, Rome to Rio this Nov/Dec. Adding in some extra time in Mallorca and Rome pre-cruise, and Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires post-cruise, with travel time this vacation is going to be just over a month. Yay!

Sounds like a wonderful trip! :car:

 

[1961MJS]

...So, while that worked out for me, I think I'd like to get a multi-hat carrier. A 2 or 3 hat capacity - 3 hats for the price of one piece of luggage!

Hi, I keep my felt hats in the 3 banger all Winter, and my straws in it all summer. The single one may go in the back of the car this fall, but I'm not sure yet. You can get two or three felt hats in the single case depending on crown height. If you are planning on traveling with the hat carrier, I'd get a single. You aren't getting the double or triple on the plane as carry-on and they are pretty big for the trunk.

Just my limited experience.

 

[jlee562]

If I can quote myself in another thread...

Yup, call Bencraft and order one of these hat cans. I had one with me on my last trip to D.C. Wore one on my head, and carried the other.

 

[HatsEnough]

Yup, call Bencraft and order one of these hat cats. I had one with me on my last trip to D.C. Wore one on my head, and carried the other.

That's what I do. I figure for a 4 or 5 day trip two hats can be just fine.