How to travel with hats

[TipTop]

I just got back from Montana and stowed it in the overheads out and back on United and US Air (7 planes, including a tiny regional jet). I just wait until things settle down and then find a bin that is packed on the surface, but has some head room, and tuck it in there. I was wearing a 4x4" gambler and had no problems.

 

[cybergentleman]

this solution made me chuckle- the thought that went into this is brilliant.

Flying frequently between Israel and the USA, orthodox, black hat wearing Jews store their hats up top- no real problems. In fact those nice velour hats don't show any signs of wear and tear from being shoved into the overhead either.

I should also mention my hardy sunbody gets stowed in the overhead, 3.5 inch brim, no problem.

I fly a lot, all over the world, with a VS custom fedora. I always have the plastic bag with me, that Art sent with the hat. It folds up very small and fits into the pocket on my cargo pants. When going through security, I take the bag out, unfold it, put the hat into it and put it into the security bin. No problem. On the other side, I take it back out, get all the air out of the bag, and fold it up very small again and put it back into the thigh pocket for next time.

I also carry a white 13 gallon garbage bag all rolled up tight and small, for the flight itself. During the flight, if the seat back is tall enough to be a nuisance, hitting the back of the brim, I'll take off my hat and put it onto the fold-down tray in front of me. When drinks or dinner is served, I take the garbage bag out of my pocket and put the hat into it and stash it below the tray and between my kneees, protecting it from coffee, food stains, etc. After refreshments I take it back out and put it onto the tray.

I use the clear plastic for security so it doesn't look like I'm hiding anything, and the white plastic to preserve the transparent ones longer.

 

[wandering-trader]

What do people think of this maker or product in terms of horizontal storage: http://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Triple...345509536&sr=8-2&keywords=triple+hat+carrier'

With 4 full hats and a flat cap, it's looking mighty appealing.

 

[seabass]

What do people think of this maker or product in terms of horizontal storage: http://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Triple...345509536&sr=8-2&keywords=triple+hat+carrier'

With 4 full hats and a flat cap, it's looking mighty appealing.

be careful that one is for equestrian hats/helmets wont fit a wide brim
probably good for stingys though

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Here is one for Western Hats that holds 8 to 12 hats.
Hammer Plastics Executive

 

[wandering-trader]

Thanks for the link, wiser hatter. I found the same model manufacturer direct for $130 plus shipping.

 

[Panamabob]

Here is one for Western Hats that holds 8 to 12 hats.
Hammer Plastics Executive

Save a boatload from the source. http://hammerplastics.com/newStore/hat-care/carriers/executive-representative-hat-carrier

 

[wandering-trader]

Save a boatload from the source. http://hammerplastics.com/newStore/hat-care/carriers/executive-representative-hat-carrier

After receiving it in the mail, I decided to return it for full refund. The main problem was the bottom used two support bases with adjustable width, and nothing between to separate the columns of hats. This made it a little dangerous for transporting all 4 of my hats, especially the boater. What could have been done better in the design was to make it for fewer hats but use adjustable crown down storage shelves instead of the column bases.

 

[Rogera]

My wife and I are going in October to the East to view the foliage and look at some history. I am considering taking my VS custom. Is this a bad idea? Any airport experiences or cautions? This is my first flight with a nice hat and I don't want any thing forseeable to happen to it. I do plan on having it on my head most of the time.

 

[g.durand]

Rogera--I would have to search the threads to find it, but I remember a conversation on the FL where someone had a Dove VS destroyed on the conveyor of the X-ray machine while going through security. His follow-up recommendation was to take along a plastic bag to wrap the hat, use a separate basket to send it through the X-ray, and then just wear the thing onto the plane. After getting on the plane there is the question of what to do with it. alanfgag had some shots of him wearing his hat on the plane. I suppose I would take mine off and keep it on my lap, or wrap it in the plastic and put it on the floor under my legs and try to avoid stepping on it. I would hate to see what would happen if you put one in the overhead. I rolled a modern '80s Borsalino and took it to Europe in my suitcase once. I reshaped it when I got there and after about an hour sitting on the hotel dresser you couldn't tell it had been rolled, and then I did the same thing on the return trip. This was not one of the rollable/crushable Borsos, either. Whether you could do that would depend on the hat, of course.

 

[carranty]

I've flown to various other counties within Europe (I'm from the UK) and always take my hat (a VS open road clone). It stays on my head or in my lap the entire time, I've never been told it has to go in the overhead compartment or anything. The only time I'm separated from it is at the security checkpoint when it needs to go through the scanner. I just put it in a tray of its own and send it through, get it back about 30 seconds later.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[wine65]

I've travelled with hats on several occasions. I've found when in the airport, putting a hat in the security bin crown down it will occassionally flip out of the basket, crown up no problems.

 

[Blackthorn]

My wife and I are going in October to the East to view the foliage and look at some history. I am considering taking my VS custom. Is this a bad idea? Any airport experiences or cautions? This is my first flight with a nice hat and I don't want any thing forseeable to happen to it. I do plan on having it on my head most of the time.

I've traveled a lot of the world with my VS, and I frequently post pics of it, such as here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...own-amp-Country/page261&highlight=Tibet+china
I always put it into a clear plastic bag when I go thru security, and once on the plane I put it into a white garbage bag in my lap, to prevent coffee being spilled on it (or tomatoes that squirt, etc). That bag has saved it many times. One thing that you just can't fight, though, is the idiots in foreign countries who insist on piling everything into one security x ray tray, with your hat on the bottom. I just about caused an international incident last year in South America because the security lady kept taking my hat out of its own tray and putting it on top of an already full tray. I knew it'd get knocked off going thru the x ray machine (the time it happened, it didn't get messed up, but I knew it was a matter of time until it did). I kept taking it off and putting it back into its own tray, and she kept taking it out and putting back on top of the stack. After 3 or 4 go rounds, her superior stepped up, took it off the top and put it back into the one I had been using all along. I finally realized it was just a matter of time, so I retired it from traveling overseas. I was so glad I did, two months ago when I went to Tibet. I used a $50 oilcloth hat that I got at an Orvis store, and while traveling from one place to another, the guard waved me thru the metal detector, then when my tray came thru (they only let you have one tray in China, and they pile it high), he had put my hat on the bottom, then smashed everything down on top of it. It was flat. But it wasn't fur felt, and so homicide was averted. I am so glad I left my old favorite home.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

+1 to Blackthorn's experience and advise. Excellent advise and my exeriences are echos of the mentioned security scanner process.

I use just a clear plastic bag and it has worked like a charm. Only once, on a flight to the 2012 London Olympic Games, have been asked to put the hat, sitting in my lap, into the storage bins. Even though I protested the most that happened is my VS was semi-squished. That was easily remedied. I have had great experiences flying Delta as they offered to store my hat in the pilots closet after seeing me with it on my lap. On that occasion the pilot spoke to me, after landing, and commented on the hat. I gave him the card that Art Fawcett puts in each VS fedora so he could inquire as to one for himself.

Hats no problem - guitars - BIG problem. Flying with guitars - what a nightmare! Gate check-sometimes and luggage check-in sometimes. My experiences mirror other folks I speak to who fly with their precious instruments. I have aquired a $1,000 hard case just to protect a guitar on the occasions I fly with one. The on-line guitar forums abound with real documented horror stories.

Pleased to travel with my hats, Eric -

 

[tealseal]

I travel with my Blue Smoke VS often and can't say I've ever had any problems. In the United States, I've more often than not received compliments on my hat from the TSA! When departing from the USA I do the following: At security, I put my hat in the same bin as my shoes, crown down; I put my cell phone, wallet, watch, and belt inside the hat to give it some weight, and off it goes; never has it flipped out inside the machine because of this, and as a bonus, all I have to do to get out of everyone's way is grab my shoes, hat, and bag, and move away to put everything back on again! Sure the crown is a bit deformed, but if it's a quality fur felt like a VS, it can handle abuse and I just punch the crease back in it.
Internationally (in this case Sweden, Chile, Peru, Canada, and Spain), I've simply asked the security people to hand-inspect the hat and they have happily obliged.
I've even had the TSA accept, or offer, to hand-inspect my hat instead of running it through the xray.
My $0.02,

-TS

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

This is all great info! I'm heading out of town in a few weeks, and I will, of course, be traveling with my hat(s). I'm concerned about which one to bring!

 

[gtdean48]

I travel with a beater & if I take a nice one, it is in a hat can. Cutdown Resistols make great travel hats, also used Fed4's.

 

[DJH]

Hats no problem - guitars - BIG problem. Flying with guitars - what a nightmare! Gate check-sometimes and luggage check-in sometimes. My experiences mirror other folks I speak to who fly with their precious instruments. I have aquired a $1,000 hard case just to protect a guitar on the occasions I fly with one. The on-line guitar forums abound with real documented horror stories.

Pleased to travel with my hats, Eric -

Of course, well summed up in the famous United Breaks Guitars video...

[video=youtube_share;5YGc4zOqozo]http://youtu.be/5YGc4zOqozo[/video]

 

[Rogera]

Of course, well summed up in the famous United Breaks Guitars video...

:rofl:
Good Video! Sad but good

Thanks for all the input guys. The plastic bag tip for keeping it me during the flight will come in handy. Tom I thought about taking my Fed IV or Stylemaster but dang, the VS wants to GO! I think seperate bin and plastic on the flight will be the way to go. I really appreciate all of the experience and advice!

 

[g.durand]

Live large Roger! If the VS wants to go, then take it! A good choice for a fall color tour.