How to travel with hats

[Tomasso]

this vacation is going to be just over a month. Yay!

You deserve it.

 

[Wildblue]

Some great stuff there, guys. I saw those octagonal western hat boxes on Amazon, and they look nice. So they're decent quality?

And that Bencraft black plastic carrier looks pretty sleek. That might be the way to go, if it's small enough that I could actually use it as a carry-on. That way, I could wear the hat, and then put it in the carrier when I sit down.

 

[dnjan]

For the hat I wear on the plane, I made a strap from the elastic piece from an around-the-neck nametag, along with the clip from a clip on the lapel nametag. (get one with smooth jaws) This goes over either the folded-up tray table or the plastic piece of the seatback in front of me that holds the video-screen, etc. If I am eating, I usually put the hat back on.
hat holder

 

[Oldsarge]

Yeah, twenty-five bucks for the can from Bencraft to hold one and wear the other. That way you are equipped with hats no matter what the weather at your destination. A felt and a panama . . . sweet!

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

I fly internationally from Tokyo to Dallas and back. I just put my hat (usually a Campdraft) in the overhead. If at some point I'm concerned that there may have been some shifting, I can peek and check it. I've never had a problem.

Hatboxes count as luggage, and you can only check one piece now without paying extra.

Felt hats can be run over by a truck and fully recover. After all, their original shape was a cone.

I can't see how you could wear a hat on a flight unless you were 7 feet tall and your head rose above the headrest.

That, in my view, is a brilliant reply, Kabuto.

 

[dnjan]

Perhaps the overheads aren't full on the Tokyo-Dallas, but they are sure stuffed in most of the domestic US connections.

The only time I wear my hat while in-flight is when I am leaning forward eating. I figure that on my head it is above the level of most spills.

 

[T Rick]

For the hat I wear on the plane, I made a strap from the elastic piece from an around-the-neck nametag, along with the clip from a clip on the lapel nametag. (get one with smooth jaws) This goes over either the folded-up tray table or the plastic piece of the seatback in front of me that holds the video-screen, etc. If I am eating, I usually put the hat back on.
hat holder

I really like this idea a lot. Combined with a plastic bag for the XRay machine, it makes one hat easy to travel with without losing a carry on (I already carry a large messenger/computer bag and a backpack, not going to give one of those up for a hat carrier!).

I think for a second hat, I'd go with HatsEnough's solution pictured below, and place it in my large checked bag. If two aren't enough, then one of those tall multi carriers will have to be it, and I'd just have to pay the freight to check the extra baggage.

Quote Originally Posted by HatsEnough View Post
I did a search on the site and found a post by DRB. This is the carrier I was talking about...

 

[monbla256]

Perhaps the overheads aren't full on the Tokyo-Dallas, but they are sure stuffed in most of the domestic US connections.

The only time I wear my hat while in-flight is when I am leaning forward eating. I figure that on my head it is above the level of most spills.

Amen to that ! I haven't taken an International flight since coming back from 'Nam in 70 but do fly alot in my work Domestically and always take just ONE hat and put it in my lap while flying. Have had NO problems in over 30years of flying

 

[Michaelshane]

 

[RBH]

I fly internationally from Tokyo to Dallas and back. I just put my hat (usually a Campdraft) in the overhead. If at some point I'm concerned that there may have been some shifting, I can peek and check it. I've never had a problem.

Hatboxes count as luggage, and you can only check one piece now without paying extra.

Felt hats can be run over by a truck and fully recover. After all, their original shape was a cone.

I can't see how you could wear a hat on a flight unless you were 7 feet tall and your head rose above the headrest.

I have flown to Houston and on to Harlingen many times, I have always worn a hat.
Most times a Campdraft but one time an Adventurebilt.
Never put it anywhere but my head.
Now a really long flight... I would most likely use my lap for part of the flight.

But a rollup felt would be sweet.
I one time rolled a PanamaBob hat and it worked great when I arrived.

 

[Yeps]

I can't see how you could wear a hat on a flight unless you were 7 feet tall and your head rose above the headrest.

Seven is a little bit of an exaggeration, most headrests only come up to my neck, so I can imagine that you could keep wearing a hat on a plane if you were around 6'1" or so by the clearance I have. But for an example for how to wear a hat on a plane, watch Indiana Jones whenever he flies. It is not that tough.

 

[The Good]

I traveled by flight only once having a hat. Two years ago, it was a crushable wool felt Jaxon, and I just wore it on the flight, or had it on my lap. One woman thought I was Catholic for some reason, too.

 

[indycop]

BobC got a nice hat can from ebay when he flew down for our cruise. Packed the can in his luggage. I rolled up an Akubra and packed it in my suitcase.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

I have a policy of not traveling with things I can not easily replace, so my good hats get left home. Instead, I picked up two Foldaway Christys', one felt and the other Panama. In fact I am posting this from lovely Henderson NC, where I am on business. Here are two quick phone snaps I just took of the hats.

Both hats fold up like the Borso shown above. I keep them in a packing cube in my carry on luggage where they ride flat. I have used them on two trips so far and the seem to be working fine. In fact, the more I beat them up and fold them the better they are looking. It will be interesting to see how long they actually last.

 

[Yeps]

I traveled by flight only once having a hat. Two years ago, it was a crushable wool felt Jaxon, and I just wore it on the flight, or had it on my lap. One woman thought I was Catholic for some reason, too.

As a Catholic who wears fedoras and travels... I have no idea what that woman was talking about.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

As a Catholic who wears fedoras and travels... I have no idea what that woman was talking about.

Religion like politics (even ... hats!), some people are obsessed! ;-)

 

[Mr. Bingley]

I fly to Switzerland this may and took my Selentino fedora with me. I wore it on the plane mostly whilst napping or eating and had it on the tray table at other times. I'm 6' and had no real issues with the head rest, fwiw.

 

[scotrace]

There are a great many threads here on what to do with a hat on a plane, train, ship, etc.

 

[wandering-trader]

I made another hat box:

http://picasaweb.google.com/112035090953435902534/HatTin

Materials:
(1) 12" x 7" metal popcorn tin (10 cents)
(1) sheet of poster paper ($0) (insert form)
(1) yd green satin material ($5)
Can of clear-coat (pre-treat inside metal from rust)
Hot glue (fabric to metal bonding)
(5) hours labor

Insert holds up to 9" long by 5" high crown, max brim width 3".

I also figured the scenes looked enough like a paper hat box.

 

[Wildblue]

Thanks to this thread, I did in fact call up Bencraft, and ordered two of the thick black plastic carriers. Got them today--appears to be a PERFECT design, very easy to quick order from Bencraft, quick shipped to me, and all for $25 each. Think this was a great choice.