How to travel with hats

[1961MJS]

The rain hat cover was just too bulky to fold up into something small and compact enough to keep handy in my jacket pocket.
If I can't find anything better, I will cut down a dry-cleaning bag. But I guess I was (optomistically) assuming that thin hat bags existed and were readily available.

Hi again Don

I was supposed to be in your neck of the woods in a couple of weeks, ALL WEEK, but the customer (USAF) ran out of travel money. When I've traveled to Seattle in the past, I wear a Gortex jacket with HUGE pockets. The hat rain cover folds small enough for outerwear, but probably not small enough to look good in suit coat pockets. I do buy a size larger, I tore a ribbon loose once.

I'm betting that the local dry cleaners will give you a couple of their bags is you ask.

Later

 

[dnjan]

The dry cleaner bags I have. And yes, I generally travel with a sport coat (or similar), and so the pocket space is a bit mre modest.

 

[BR Gordon]

I was in the airport after many hours of flying and waiting. I just had a brian freeze. I realized what I had written while at 37,000 feet.

 

[1961MJS]

I was in the airport after many hours of flying and waiting. I just had a brian freeze. I realized what I had written while at 37,000 feet.

Hi, for a few years, our range officer would close the relay with "Cease Fire, Clear and Ground your weapons, actions open, magazines out, guns on the bench, IUD's installed." We have ECI's, Empty Chamber Indicators. Obviously we need to get out more catching little stuff like that.

Later

 

[Blackthorn]

Most of the overheads on flights I've been on recently wouldn't have fit a collapsed top-hat!

Does anyone have a source (other than Art) for thin, clear plastic bags for hats?

The nice thing is that you can get one for $385 from Art. And then he'll throw in a brand new custom fedora for free.

 

[DJH]

And a nice box.

 

[dnjan]

The nice thing is that you can get one for $385 from Art. And then he'll throw in a brand new custom fedora for free.

Actually, I just did that. (will post pictures in Art's thread soon) But the bag is so expensive I think I will keep in tucked into the sweatband of the hat to protect it.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Where to put it? If not on your head, under the seat in front. Hats are robust enough to take a little bit of getting stepped on. Some of my most prized vintage hats have been to all corners of the globe in this fashion.

bk

 

[dnjan]

Not a good plan for the summer straw, however.

 

[ShrunkinCowboy]

I flew back home yesterday.
My Fedora safely sat on my lap the entire trip.

Steve

 

[hyhats]

For air travel, I swear by a fur felt fedora from Christys' London, The Foldaway. I use the cardboard tube it came with to roll it up if I want to store it my carry-on, but can also slip it into a pocket. The hat isn't as heavy as many felt hats, but the convenience factor and its handsome appearance more than make up for this, in my opinion.

 

[Tango Yankee]

There are a number of different threads on this subject but I decided to revive this one as the title is a general one.

I like to take more than one hat when traveling, but even when traveling by car I worry about the safety of my hats. I might put them on top of everything else, but they still might slide off onto the floor, or shift and slide down between things. I do have one of those larger "hat cans" that seem to be made for western hats, but those are rather bulky. I therefore jumped when I saw a different type of hat travel container on e-Bay. Once I received it I found that it holds a fedora very nicely; I could put a couple into this if I am careful about putting the crown of one inside another. I might even be able to put it inside a suitcase and pack around it. It is suitable for use as a carry-on but not as checked luggage.

It came with it's original source printed on the top, which I will share here. It's from a company called Hat Box Mens Wear. I have not looked around the site extensively yet, but they do sell hats as well as shoes, clothing, and accessories for men and boys. The link to go directly to the hat box is here. It does run $40 from their site, which I think is about the same as one of the western hat cans.

No affiliation, etcetera. Just thought it might be of interest!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Aureliano]

Those are great, Tom. I own a couple. One I bought at Bencraft a number of years ago.

 

[BR Gordon]

Has anyone tried to pack two hats in this hat carrier? I thought about it for my trip south, but didn't try it.

 

[Aureliano]

I've done it. Got to be careful as one of the hats has to fit inside the crown of the other and the ribbon could get wrinkles if it's too tight.

 

[alanfgag]

Wear the fedora and pack a cap... or two.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Ale,

I'd never seen them mentioned in any of the various threads on transporting hats, just the octogonal ones. It's just what I'd been looking for. It'll get a lot of use, and I may need to get another!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[BR Gordon]

Wear the fedora and pack a cap... or two.

I've never been into caps. I'm going to have to try and change that.

 

[BR Gordon]

This extended trip has started me thinking about rollups. They're easy to pack.

 

[Sam Craig]

I've posted this before ... but at my age you don't mind repeating yourself.

I've posted this before ...

Anyway, several years ago I became acquainted with the members of the western swing group "Riders in the Sky" and at one of their events I asked the guys how they travel with their beautiful and expensive Western hats.
They said they gave up on trying luggage and they just wear the hat they will perform in.

Not much help ... though I think I agree with Alan ... wear the fedora, pack some caps if you are traveling by air.

If you're in a car, just toss the extras in the back and "knee cap" anyone who messes with them.

Sam