How to travel with hats

[Flying Scotsman]

Actually, I tossed out my expensive David Clark in favor of a much more comfprtable Telex. The DCs made me feel like my head was in a vise.

Did you try the DC 10-13.4's? I have those, and they're great...lightweight, moderate clamping force, very good noise reduction (but not ANR...I want to get the upgrade to ANR that's sold by a third-party..my neighbor did his and it worked *great*).

 

[staggerwing]

Did you try the DC 10-13.4's? I have those, and they're great...lightweight, moderate clamping force, very good noise reduction (but not ANR...I want to get the upgrade to ANR that's sold by a third-party..my neighbor did his and it worked *great*).

Actually, I'm quite happy with the Telex, although it occurs to me that it's not exactly vintage! I've never used ANR. Seems like overkill to me. Can you still hear things you want to hear, like sudden but subtle changes in engine noise?

 

[Flying Scotsman]

Actually, I'm quite happy with the Telex, although it occurs to me that it's not exactly vintage! I've never used ANR. Seems like overkill to me. Can you still hear things you want to hear, like sudden but subtle changes in engine noise?

I've not flown with them enough to answer that, but since I fly constant-speed prop planes, you don't get any change in RPMs anyway (and yes, I once scared myself when I let it get nose-high while I had my head buried in a chart, and didn't realize it because there was no change in engine/RPM noise...I didn't stall it, but I learned a valuable lesson). I don't know if you'd hear something like pulsing or such. Good question.

Vintage headsets...hmmmmm...I'll bet they were *awful*, in general!

 

[Vintage Betty]

There's another option which probably isn't as good, but might be helpful if the hat can isn't available in time.

Go to any craft store, and they should sell singles or sets of hat cases. Most of the time, they are standard brown cardstock and have a rope handle.

You could decorate them with vintage travel stickers or appropriate generic paper and place your hat inside. I used one of these to place my ladies hat inside on an oversears trip, and it came out fine. The cardboard is sturdier than it looks.

Ross also has decorated ones.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned: Be sure to label your case with a travel tag, just in case it gets separated from you.

Vintage Betty

 

[staggerwing]

Back on topic - sort of...

After my original post, I remembered that a couple of aircraft I used to own, one built in 1960, the other in 1973 (not exactly golden era) both had what the owner's manual refered to as a "hat shelf" at the rear of the passenger cabin.

 

[Flash Gordon]

Thanks, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm heading to Spain tomorrow and will let you know how things fare without a hat box. Unless I chicken out and wear one of my tweed eight-panel caps.

As always, you're a font of fine information.

Hasta pronto!

 

[Cacklewack]

Be safe, Flash Gordon! Do not give in to the tweed: Be strong and wear the fedora. Bring us pictures.

Matt

 

[funneman]

People are far more friendly here than the nation is led to believe.

Yes, the folks in Marlboro and Brunswick are wonderful people. Ran into a gentleman wearing a beautiful brown Dobbs fedora with a handsome wide brim in the coat check room at a banquet hall.

 

[Jim2903]

Crushing blow

Crushers are a necessity for me because I fly for work so often. For my more urban destinations, I wear my gray Dorfman Pacific crushable C-crown from the Beau Chapeau in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. For more casual locales, it's generally my brown Bailey Fairbanks Litefelt that I bought at Meyer the Hatter in New Orleans. For the West, it's often my brown Pendleton, which has more of a western look with a lower crown and wider brim. They all look great with my Burberry trench, which is indestructable after much crumpling in overhead compartments.

In the summer, it's almost exclusively my Broner Casablanca, a tan straw C-crown that, while not crushable, is flexible enough to resist a little squeezing overhead or under seat.

Jim Dudlicek
Hoffman Estates, IL

 

[feltfan]

Hats on a plane!

fftopic: Every time I see this thread, I can't help thinking of...

If I must stay on topic, I try to travel with hats I can roll and
put in my luggage.

 

[The Wingnut]

HATS ON A !@#%&* PLANE!

WHAT?! I ALWAYS TALK LIKE THIS!

---

Generally, just keep it on your head or put it on the tray table when that's not being used for anything else.

 

[Chanfan]

I chickened out last time…

…I must admit.

When traveling to Georga, I decided to leave the hat (I only own one so far) at home. On the plane, in the cramped quarters of coach, I didn't regret it too much - there certainly wouldn't have been room in the overheads, and I couldn't have checked it easily (already was carrying max carry-ons and had one checked item, so was pretty full up).

I try and imagine it on my knee - but where would my tray table have gone? And if I put it on the tray, where would the drinks/etc. have gone?

I have been wearing it in town at all times, although when out on a client visit, it presented some challenges. Briefcase in one hand, hat in the other - hmm, how to shake hands? On later visits I checked it with the receptionist.

 

[Chanfan]

Well, did it this time.

I guess posting that I had previously chickened out helped. I think, perhaps, the fact that it was only a 45 minute flight, and a day trip, helped as well.

I had along a lanyard/clip device for holding my hat if needed, but as it turned out, both ways I was able to place my hat in the overhead bins without too much worry. The flights were packed, but as it's a short flight (Seattle/Spokane), many folks didn't have much in the way of carry-ons.

Oh, and, if you ever get to Spokane, WA - do yourself a favor and check out the Davenport Hotel. Oh my goodness…it was amazing.

 

[Cacklewack]

Oh, and, if you ever get to Spokane, WA - do yourself a favor and check out the Davenport Hotel. Oh my goodness…it was amazing.

Looking at those pictures, I think my next trip to Spokane will be far more bearable. Thanks!

Matt

 

[Tango Yankee]

I flew from Columbus, OH to Medford, OR on Thursday. I wore a hat. On the first leg I was able to put it in the overhead on my jacket and it rode it out OK. (I checked out the carry on someone had put in first--it was big enough that it was wedged in so I didn't have to worry about it sliding forward and crushing my hat.)

On the second leg in a smaller plane I was going to have it in the overhead, which was a bit small. Fortunately the seat next to me turned out to be empty so I was able to put it there.

Hope the return trip on Tuesday goes as well!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Kodiak]

The last time I flew with my hat I improvised: Had it on my knee unless I was reading, in which case it was on the tray, unless I was eating, in which case it was on my head.

It is a Keppler Indy though, so I probably worked better for wearing than my wider-brimmed DFT will, when I get it.

In that case, I will probably either keep it on my knee or on the floor in front of me, setting on top of my satchel. That would keep it clean, and it is my experience that they generally don't slide around too bad down there.

Regardless, Miller Hats has a decent looking hat box you might be interested in. That should be the right link. If not, just search Miller hats.

Good Luck!

 

[Stoney]

Hmm .. Wrong Thread

Thought this was about the new Samual L. Jackson movie.
Hats on a plane wasn't it?

 

[BegintheBeguine]

I am short

For us shorties, hat on the head doesn't work. Hat overhead gets crushed. Hat in a sack on the floor in front works; it is considered a carry-on article. Hat not in a sack on the lap works until I fall into an open-mouthed snoring stupor and it falls to the floor and someone steps on it. Usually hat stays home and I miss it. I haven't tried a crushable hat yet.

 

[Jovan]

I'm going to wear a fedora and suit next time I travel, just for you guys.

 

[Feng_Li]

I'm going to wear a fedora and suit next time I travel, just for you guys.

Reminds me of a story my great uncle told me...

He was going on a trip by air with some friends and business partners, and one gentleman in the group decided to wear his banana-yellow plus-four checked golf suit on the plane. The airline lost his luggage, and he had to purchase a complete emergency wardrobe at the destination.

My uncle told me that after that, he resolved always to travel whilst wearing the best clothes he planned on bringing, and that way he would never be under-dressed for an occasion if his suitcases didn't arrive.